Technology is driving a new era in the way we build and nurture the relationships that give meaning to our lives. As digital marketers, we try to drive meaningful connections through the stories we tell between companies and consumers. The more meaning in the connection, the better the relationship – especially when it comes to advertising.
The Internet is a connection machine … it connects things.
Whether it’s device to device, person to device (or vice versa) or, of course, person to person – it’s always the Internet that drives these connections, and there are always people sitting behind them. Think of a Skype call, messenger chat or social media application. Two or more people interact with each other through technology, constantly generating and exchanging data. This data is a proxy into human behaviour. It allows us to understand the nature of the relationship between these people, and whether there is love or hate within it.
Businesses born into this digital era (like Google, Facebook, Amazon, Uber, Airbnb, Tesla) are harnessing the power of data to understand digital relationships and extract meaning. Why? To drive happier customers and better business through technology. They are constantly analysing data and human behaviour to give people what they need and want.
Give people what they want, and they will keep coming back for more.
So how are these companies harnessing the power of relationships in a digital age? Simply, by getting personal. They build personalised platforms providing unique experiences and empowering people to be productive, which, in turn, drives greater value and ultimately helps people live happier lives. This last part completes the cycle and makes a digital-first business sustainable, as it is focusing on human happiness. So, how can brands survive and thrive in this newly emerging digital (first) world where consumers, especially the newer generations, are consuming increasingly via digital channels?
Brands need to own – or at least participate in – digital relationships with customers. They need to use technology to build relationships through digital channels and connect online with offline. They need to use websites, apps, bots, algorithms and devices to build stronger relationships with customers. And – most importantly – they need to harness the data these digital relationships produce, to make them even stronger. (After all, it is in the data that brands will find the answers on how to make their customers happy.) Then, they must personalise those relationships, empower people with technology, drive greater value, and make every interaction an experience – ultimately make their customers so happy that they start advocating and evangelizing what they stand for.
For more insights into building meaningful connections in a connected age, we invite you to watch a recent keynote at an IAB Mixx Awards ceremony.