Introduction
Throughout history, great revolutions have taken place in the development and progress of human civilizations in different historical periods. These revolutions have been accompanied by fundamental changes in the social structure of human societies. The progression of each era may not be the same shape and size as it is today, but it certainly was something that people needed to make their lives easier (Schwab, 2016, p.85).
These revolutions went from the agricultural revolution to the industrial revolution, respectively, and now we are in the period of the technological revolution, which has fundamentally changed the human way of life, business, and communication with others. According to ‘The Future of Jobs’ report by the World Economic Forum, "we are in the midst of the fourth phase of the industrial revolution, with technology rapidly developing in areas like 3D printing, robotics, and artificial intelligence"(Sharman, 2018). In such a transitional environment where most jobs have been replaced by new technologies and the world is changing, various areas of business, including marketing, have undergone extensive changes.
Marketing strategies throughout the history of human life have been strongly influenced by the technologies of their times. Over time, technology has become more and more used by marketers. According to Newman (2015), many experts try to map the future of marketing according to its current state in the world to help business owners design their plans. Using new technologies such as the web, mobile phones, social media, and Customer Relationship Management Systems, etc., the speed and progress of business and customer attraction can multiplied.In other words, the better a system uses new technologies in its marketing strategy, the more successful it can be in a competitive market by increasing demand and customer satisfaction (Shugan, 2004, p.470). Generally, because scientific marketing is dynamic, it can adapt to modern technological advances. Therefore, using the knowledge of technology skills is essential for success in professional marketing in any company and business entity.
Main body and arguments
Advances in computer sciences, technology, telecommunications, and information technology have had a major impact on companies' customer acquisition and engagement (Schwab, 2016, p.89). Today, with the rise of technology, access to customers for better and more effective distribution of products they need, customer service, and communication with customers through video conferencing has been facilitated in companies. For example, marketing researchers in the headquarters of a company in one country can use a few mouse clicks via video conferencing to advise their customers in other countries (Sharman, 2018).
The application of technology in business can be viewed from different angles. For instance, the impact of technology on content marketing, the role of social media in digital marketing, internet branding in online marketing, the role of technology in customer relationship management (CRM), search engine optimization marketing (SEM), and so on (Pinchbeck, 2019). Besides, professional marketers use tools to improve their work. They also use new and updated information technology. New software, tools, and technologies help marketers come up with new ways to attract customers (Shugan, 2004, p.473). To better understand the impact of technology on modern marketing, it can be useful to examine its various angles.
Technology and content marketing
Content marketing is a part of business marketing and business development strategy that focuses on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and integrated content. Its overall goal is to attract new audiences and retain old ones. Attracting the audience in this strategy is done by providing valuable content (Jain, 2017, p.50). Content marketing is different from advertising in different ways. According to Buttle & Maklan (2019, p. 387), in content marketing, content is distributed in media owned by the company itself such as blogs and websites, but if the relevant content is distributed in other media, it is called advertising. In addition, content marketing strategy, unlike advertising, which is aggressive, is more attractive and does not annoy the audience. Moreover, advertising is very expensive, while content marketing is not expensive.
As Pinchbeck (2019) explains, to have successful content marketing, a marketer must answer a few basic questions. Including: For whom do you create the content? What is the benefit of the content to the audience and what problem is it going to solve? How will the content be unique? In what format is the content produced? Where is the content distributed? Etc. Another tool used in content marketing is email communication. Many companies today use email marketing as a way to attract people to their business and strengthen relationships with old and current customers. Marketers are often responsible for creating and maintaining a valid database of customers' emails as well as sending e-newsletters or email advertisements (Sharman, 2018). Therefore, content marketing is a very effective way to build relationships with customers today and they focus on the feelings and interests of the audience. In fact, the main goal is for the audience to see and react to the valuable content produced.
The role of social media in digital marketing
Over the past two decades, social media has revolutionized the way people interact with each other, while also creating unprecedented technology marketing opportunities for marketers (Jain, 2017, p.51). Social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, etc. have received a lot of public attention. Internet users not only use content, but they also create and share unprecedented information and knowledge by creating and sharing it with others, thus providing valuable assistance to marketers. Therefore, marketing professionals should be well acquainted with the popular social media technology for their customers and use it as a tool to attract business and build relationships with customers (Shugan, 2004, p.472). Publishing promotional videos on social networks and creating profiles for the company's employees are also effective measures in this regard. As Newman (2015) argued, technology marketing on social media, especially on a large scale and efficiently, can be very costly in some cases. On the other hand, it is difficult for marketers to find a similar opportunity that is comparable to the impact of social media among customers.
Internet branding in online marketing
Branding is one of the basic indicators in marketing. The more a brand is established in the customer's mind, the more likely it is that the customer will prefer it. Internet branding implements branding strategies online and allows marketers to reach new audiences (Jain, 2017, p.53). To achieve this goal, having a website can be the most important form of online branding, but the quality and ease of use of this site can determine the impact it has on the audience. According to Pinchbeck (2019), a well-designed home page allows the customer to shop, browse and request help. In addition, an "e-commerce website" provides access to the global market because goods can be bought and sold from anywhere in the world, thus helping marketers to promote branding.
The role of technology in customer relationship management (CRM)
One of the most important applications of technology in marketing is the use of CRM software or customer relationship management. CRM software helps businesses to get more value from their customer base by improving the quality of the customer relationship and maintaining this relationship in cases such as creating invoices, reporting work done, documenting customer requests, etc. (Buttle & Maklan, 2019, p.398). In this program, complete information such as phone numbers, emails, type of products purchased, latest products purchased and other items are recorded together in the user profile so that marketers can easily increase the productivity of their digital marketing campaigns (Jain, 2017, p.51).
Advantages of using CRM software in Marketing as Buttle & Maklan (2019) cited include:
• Using CRM software, the sales process can be automated.
• All communication channels are integrated using Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software.
• Managing various activities and following up on these activities is possible with CRM software.
• Practical reports can be prepared on the operation of various strategies as well as the performance of sales and marketing teams.
• Collaboration between different teams is facilitated by using integrated customer relationship management software.
• By registering accurate information of potential customers, the process of turning them into end customers becomes easier (Buttle & Maklan, 2019, pp. 402-408).
Search Engine Marketing (SEM)
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) plays a crucial role in digital marketing because SEO will greatly determine how much the business (products or services) will be visible to customers (Pinchbeck, 2019). This term refers to all algorithms for determining what appears in a search engine, as well as its order, which is one of the most important applications of technology in marketing. The goal of SEO is to ensure that potential customers see you enough. Each website is ranked in search engines because of the specific "keywords" it has in its written content. This will give you more chances to rank higher on Google. That is why for successful marketing, keyword research, and addressing the SEO is essential (Jain, 2017, p.53). Therefore, many technology-marketing firms specialize, directly or indirectly, in improving or optimizing SEO for their customer.
Conclusion
In conclusion, in the age of technology, organizations and institutions face dynamic and changing environments. With the rapid changes that have taken place in various fields due to the advancement of science, companies must also keep pace with these changes and use marketing technology to enhance their marketing activities. Using the advanced software available, marketers can plan and execute their specific activities in customer relationship systems and at the same time meet the needs of customers as soon as possible. In business development, paying attention to the use of digital marketing tools can create more market share for companies compared to their competitors and lead them to a higher position in the competitive market. Integrating marketing systems and technology systems is one of the most important tasks of marketing professionals in any institution. If marketers in any system do not make timely decisions about the entry and adoption of emerging technologies and do not adapt themselves and their work to new technologies, they will undoubtedly be eliminated in the tough competitive world of the market.
References
Buttle, F., & Maklan, S. (2019). Customer Relationship Management: Concepts and Technologies (4nd ed.). London, United Kingdom: Taylor & Francis Ltd. pp.385-420.
Jain, E. (2017). Marketing and Technology: Role of Technology in Modern Marketing, IOSR Journal Of Business and Management, Volume 19, Issue 5. Ver. VI (May 2017), pp. 49-53.
Newman, D. (2015). Marketing: What has Technology Got to Do with It? CMO Network. Retrieved Feb
12, 2015, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/danielnewman/2015/02/12/marketing-whats-technology-got-to-do-with-it/? Sh=1cba9a36392f
Pinchbeck, H. (2019). The Impact of New Technology on Marketing, Digital Marketing - Marketing Strategy - Popular - Technology. Retrieved August 30, 2019, from
Shugan, S. (2004). The Impact of Advancing Technology on Marketing and Academic Research, Marketing Science 23(4):469-475, University of Florida: Vol. 23, No. 4, Nov 2004, pp. 469–475.
Sharman, J. (2018). Four phases of industrial revolution, Part one of a four part series exploring , The different phases of industrial revolution. Retrieved from https://www.thenbs.com/knowledge/four-phases-of-industrial-revolution-phase-four
Schwab, K. (2016). The Fourth Industrial Revolution, B01AIT6SZ8, World Economic Forum. January 11, 2016. pp 85-97.
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