Paid digital promos will be much in demand to do targeted segmentation: Boby Paul

We saw the pandemic accelerate the digital transition process of businesses last year. A year later, the implications of this transition have been significant and wide-ranging – from creating consumer experiences & engagements, to e-commerce, online education, e-payments, online medical consultations – almost all off-line activity is now done in the digital space.

Digital spends have gone up manifold, and brand strategies now incorporate reaching out to consumers in the online space. With this, there has also been the need for upskilling the workforce to tackle the business operational requirements in the new normal.

In the run-up to DIGIXX MEDIA SUMMIT 2021, Adgully will be bringing a series of interactions with India’s leading Digital evangelists as part of our series on DIGITAL DIALOGUE.

Keeping a sharp eye on all the Digital developments and disruptions is Adgully’s industry leading premier property – DIGIXX. Like in the previous years, DIGIXX MEDIA SUMMIT 2021 is all geared to discuss, analyse, crystal-gaze and explore the world of Digital trends in a day-long event comprising Panel Discussions, Master Classes, Keynote Addresses and Fireside Chats. 

In conversation with Adgully, Boby Paul, General Manager – Marketing, Manoramaonline, speaks about how Digital has helped in scaling up business operations; how brands are evaluating and measuring their performance on digital as a medium and much more.

With the accelerated transition to digital due to the pandemic crisis, how has this helped businesses scale up their operations? How do you see this shift to digital panning out over the next 5 years?

Digital acceleration was already underway even before pandemic, but with pandemic induced social distancing and safety concern, it got accelerated to a great extent.

Once the proximity concern kicked in, it became imperative that businesses have to reach and engage with their audience, digitally. Organic digital touch points have their own limitations to attract huge audience. So, the paid digital promotions will be much in demand to do targeted segmentation, engagement, conversion & retention.

This is very evident from the fact that Digital has already catapulted itself to be the 2^nd largest medium in India after TV as per the latest AdEx.

Digital and performance go hand in hand. How are brands evaluating and measuring their performance on digital as a medium?

Digital and performance go hand in hand because digital is a highly measurable medium.

Each brand, depending on the nature of their business, can set up their customer/ prospect journey which makes sense to them so that they are aware of where their TG is coming from, what they are evaluating, what they are consuming and what they are talking about their experience.

Right from brands owned media data to host of marketing automation tools, DMP, CDP, CRM, Social Listening and Web & App Analytic suites are used in combination to gather and understand every aspect of their business.

Talent has always been a challenge when something new disrupts the media world. How are digital companies scaling their knowledge and imparting training to people?

Talent is the single most important component in the success of every digital company. Forward looking companies do need-gap analysis at regular intervals to access what are the skill sets that their employees should possess in the coming years to do their work well.

Depending on this exercise, they can engage the employees to do the required certifications and up-skilling, either individually or as groups.

What kind of investments digital companies need to plan to face the future challenges both in terms of skill and technology?

Digital companies need to invest smartly in their people and technology. As far as people go, they need to invest in people who have the basic tech acumen and can be trained to suit their specific needs. As far as technology goes, open source platforms, robust cloud infra and SAAS services depending on their business bandwidth will help them keep themselves nimble-footed and keep their working capital need to the optimal levels.