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Digital Marketing Is More Than Social Media, Experts Urge Holistic Approach
🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago /Culture & Society

Digital Marketing Is More Than Social Media, Experts Urge Holistic Approach

From Trinidad Express · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

Analysis Named sources Context piece
  • Businesses must move beyond social media to a comprehensive digital marketing strategy, including websites and AI, as consumer attention fragments.
  • Digital marketing now encompasses a wide range of services, from website development and social media management to AR/VR integration and programmatic advertising.
  • While social media attracts eyeballs, search engines and owned media are more effective for conversion as consumers are in a solution-seeking mindset.

Digital marketing is far more than just social media, requiring businesses to adopt a holistic strategy in an era of shrinking attention spans and rapid technological change. Brent Coutain, head of digital at iuGO Digital, emphasized that companies must rethink consumer engagement, moving beyond platforms like Facebook and Instagram to incorporate a broader digital ecosystem.

If it exists in the digital space, we’re involved in it.

— Brent CoutainDescribing the comprehensive range of services offered by his digital agency.

Coutain, whose agency operates within the Lonsdale Saatchi & Saatchi network in the Caribbean, highlighted the evolution of digital services. "If it exists in the digital space, we’re involved in it," he stated, listing everything from website development and influencer management to gamification, programmatic advertising, and AR/VR integration.

That tells you how dramatically things shifted because everyone assumed social media was where everything was happening.

— Brent CoutainReflecting on the past decade's obsession with social media in digital marketing.

He noted a significant shift in focus over the past decade. "Now, almost ten years later, I have five to six social media managers with their own portfolios and only two website developers. That tells you how dramatically things shifted because everyone assumed social media was where everything was happening." However, Coutain observes a pendulum swing back towards website management and owned media.

When people are on social media, they’re usually not there looking for solutions. They’re there to be entertained.

— Brent CoutainExplaining why social media is less effective for direct marketing conversion.

Coutain cautioned against equating digital marketing solely with social media, as these platforms are primarily entertainment environments. "When people are on social media, they’re usually not there looking for solutions. They’re there to be entertained." In contrast, consumers actively searching for information are in a solution-seeking mindset, making them more receptive to targeted marketing. He stressed that while social media captures attention, it is not the sole or even primary channel for effective conversion.

When somebody is actively searching for something, their brain is already saying, ‘I’m looking for an answer.’

— Brent CoutainHighlighting the mindset of consumers using search engines.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Trinidad Express in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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