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What is Content Writing? How to Build a Career in Content Writing?

Updated on 06 September, 2024

6.77K+ views
• 12 min read
Siddhant Khanvilkar

Siddhant Khanvilkar

What is Content Writing

In the modern world, content is king. Businesses, professional services, the healthcare industry and every other sector around us rely heavily on content for growth. Irrespective of the industry, companies and brand owners now rely heavily on content marketing for successful customer outreach. Content marketing has become a key tool for brand marketing and promotion, especially for organizations functioning in the digital domain. In fact, the onset of the digital revolution has almost erased the concept of a physical nexus, and now, nearly all essential business operations depend on online content.

If you have been a good writer throughout your life, content writing can work as a brilliant career option for you in this digital age. And if you love to express yourself and are fond of reading and researching, you will love content writing. The field is replete with fantastic opportunities for growth and development. 

So, if you aspire to become a content writer, keep reading to find out how to build a career in this field and earn handsome salaries. 

Dynamics of content writing: What is it all about?

There could be numerous aspirations pertaining to “What is content writing?” If we put it simply, content writing is nothing but clever wordplay. As a writer, if you can create written content and express it in an engaging, reader-friendly, and informative manner, nothing can stop you from becoming a successful content writer.

In the broader sense, “content” means using words in a way that conveys information and messages to others. These messages can be about a business idea, an ongoing project, or just about anything. For example, say a textile enthusiast sets up their website, desiring to put up their collection for sale, along with the company’s brand vision and objectives and different services the business offers. They’ll need a solid content strategy to spread the brand message to the target audience. With the right content, the textile enthusiast can target the appropriate user base and market, pulling potential customers towards it. 

If you work as a content writer, clients will assign you topics or ideas, at times even ask you to innovate on your own and rely on you to give them their desired content. The content you write can be digital (for blogs, social media, Google ads, websites etc.) or even offline, such as printed stories, technical papers, research papers, flyers, etc. Needless to say, content is indeed the heart of digital and offline marketing. For instance, offline marketing tools like pamphlets, billboards, banners also heavily rely on good quality content.

To ensure good quality content, you must try to achieve a delicate balance between wordplay, appropriate tonality, diligent research, subject matter expertise, and, most importantly, excellent grammar and vocabulary. Moreover, some of the most acceptable written content is produced after several rounds of editing, fine-tuning, and rewording so that each written word strikes on point and meets the client’s demands.

There is a huge importance of content writing as it allows the organisations to present their products or services differently for different target audiences. The content sends a message across to the users that creates an impact.

Content writing also helps in revenue growth. A nicely written content piece, drives traffic and reaching to the wider audience. The increased traffic helps in generating leads which the team can nurture and take them through the sales journey. 

A content piece of good quality have several elements attached to it for example, it has a defined topic that resonates with the brand’s objectives, its audience and focuses upon its USPs and other features. 

The piece of content can measured by analyzing how much traffic it was able to draw and how is it ranked while searching for it. These measures allow the organization in bringing data into the system and take accurate measures like optimization of content or adding keywords for better results.

The content writing goes through various steps in order to bear positive results. There is extensive research involved into it, the research begins for identifying the right kind of topic then exceeds to the content, keywords, etc. Thereon, other steps come into the picture like content strategy, creation, distribution, monitoring, optimization, engagement, etc. A content writer should be aware of the art of writing, SEO, Web Analytics as well. There are various content writing courses available that helps in creating the foundation.

Content writing: Scope and job prospects

Around the world, clients hire content writers either in full-time roles or as freelancers. Content writers are hired by start-ups, MNCs, individual clients, academic institutions, medical/technical R&D institutes, etc., for different content needs. 

Some major career options available for content writing worldwide are:

  • Content strategists
  • Content creators/ developers
  • SEO content writers
  • Proof-readers
  • Copywriters
  • Editors
  • Bloggers
  • Brand journalists
  • Social media specialists
  • Instructional designers
  • Curriculum designer
  • Academic researchers
  • Subject matter experts
  • Technical writers
  • Video content makers

These job roles differ from each other owing to diverse areas they cater to. Theer are certain skill sets that are required in the field of content writers, such as articulation, writing, research, grammar, focused writing according to the target audience, time management, organizational, editing, communication, etc. There are various content writing free course available, one can get themselves enrolled into in order to kickstart their journey into this industry.

Get your Digital Marketing Certificate online from the World’s top Universities. Learn Advanced Certificate Programs to fast-track your career.

Pro tips for professional content writers

Since you’ve landed on this page and have taken all the efforts to know so much about content writing, this opportunity is not only a temporary or casual interest for you. To help all the fledgling content writers, we have taken the initiative to enlighten you all with tips to help you ace the game of content writing.

1. Increase your networking

If you wish to become a pro writer, you should attend writing workshops, seminars, and events to gain more knowledge on the latest buzz and trends in the market. This shall increase the relevance of your content.

Networking would help you to gain exposure into understanding how to approach for different articles for diverse set of readers separated by gender, age, geography, etc. 

It would also help in introducing yourself to new bunch of people and opening new doors of opportunities. Engaging would also help in getting an exposure to meet different  types of writers, and learnign about their craft, how they write and approach their work. This would help in learning new things and inculcating good things into your craft.

Another important benefit of networking would be learning about people’s journeys, their stories that are useful in storytelling while writing any piece of content.

2. Read as much as you can

It can’t be contested that you must first be an avid reader to be a good writer. Reading is the input that you require to deliver the desired written output. A well-read person can be far more expressive, with a more expansive vocabulary than one who does not love to read. 

Reading is helpful in building focus, learning the art of communication, bilding empathy and most importantly enhancing the arena of imagination that results in the creativity.

Getting exposed of diverse and new ideas are another sets of benefit of reading. Along with this, it also helps in learning different styles of writing. 

3. Keep your research game solid

Logically brewed and well-researched articles sell the most. All organizations prefer well-researched and systematically written content over simple wordplay and fluff. The more you study and explore, the more meaningful and informative your writing will be. 

A well researched article would help the readers in good takeaways. Also, a well researched article would make the reader spend more time on the website because of their shown interest, thus taking them forward to the sales journey. This will help both, the readers as well as the organization.

4. Be versatile

If you want to become a successful content writer, don’t restrict yourself to specific niches. Touch upon as many topics and genres as you can. Be versatile and keep yourself updated with everything that’s trending in your specialization area and related domains.

This would help in reaching out to major targe  group, hence increasing the pool. Versatility would make sense to more people, this would help in increasing their interest and reaching out to wider number of people.

5. Maintain a widespread presence in social media

Having a strong presence on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, or Twitter can keep you going for the longest run. Social media presence ensures a broader outreach of your skills and helps you in networking.

Social media is one of the biggest tools in today’s times. A strong social media presence increases the trust of users into the brand. Moreover, there are various ways social media presence can be increased for example content marketing, contests, offers, etc.

Social media is important for increasing the traffic to the website. Also, the company can establish their brand value and loyalty among the customers. Moreover, the brand awareness can help in establishing its unique value proposition and differentiating itself from the competitors. content writing course can help in understanding the skill of maintaining social media as well. 

6. Keep adapting and evolving

The secret to becoming a successful content writer is to embrace change. Right from market trends and consumer behavior to business needs and goals – everything is dynamic. These metrics change with time. As a writer, you must be flexible and adaptive to these changes. Also, you must strive to grow and hone your writing skills. Learning is a never-ending process, and the same applies in the field of content writing.

Different avenues of content writing

1. Internships

One thing with content writing is that you can start as young as you want. So if you’re still in school or college and are looking for small opportunities to help you earn some pocket money, there are many content writing internships available across top job search platforms like LinkedIn, Indeed, Naukri, etc.

In general, the responsibilities of a content writer includes writing copies for SEO content, writing blogs and posts. Assist the team in other content related tasks such as research, analysis, maintaining data, etc.

2. Freelancing

Freelancing is an excellent idea if you want to dip your toes in the field of writing and explore gradually. You can start slow and then pick up speed once you feel completely engaged in this field. In addition, freelancing gives you the freedom to work at your convenience and set flexible working hours. This leaves you with ample time to continue your existing personal or professional commitments.

Freelancers can attend various networking events and expand their networks. Freelancers can have multiple clients and deliver their projects. Apart from writing, the freelancers must be really good in time management so that they can deliver the final product to their clients before the deadline and maintain good relationships and work hygiene.

3. Full-time content writing

If you’re all set to become an expert content writer after exploring all aspects of this field, full-time blogging/writing is your calling. This avenue promises stable earnings and can take you a long way ahead in your writing career. If you pick up the desired speed and meet the client’s demands by providing quality work, you’re set in the right direction!

However, to be a successful full-time content writer, you may need to top up your skills through various additional diplomas or certifications. In addition, it would help if you were trained in SEO and lead generation tactics to churn content that’s at par with the industry standards.

So, what do you think of content writing as a profession? If you’re excited to walk in this direction, check out two brilliant courses on upGrad. The 12-week Advanced Certificate in Customer Centricity course is curated specially to give you an insight into customer behavior and market analysis. This knowledge is set to provide you with an upper hand as a content creator. In addition, UpGrad has another course called Advanced Certificate in Digital Marketing and Communication that gives you industry-scaled insights and expertise in creating digital content. These courses are crafted by MICA and experts from top institutes, making the curriculum the best of its kind.

Conclusion

In a world where content is king, excellent content writing skills will get you very far. There’s a huge demand for skilled content writers who can move the target audience with their impactful writing. Whether online content through blogs, digital ads, social media content, websites, and e-journals or offline content in flyers, pamphlets, banners, billboards, etc., businesses rely on quality content writers. Thus, if you wish to earn a decent salary while nurturing your passion for reading and writing, you will love to explore the world of content writing.

We hope that the tips we’ve shared above will help you get one step closer to becoming a successful content writer.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Do you need a professional degree to become a content writer?

No. One can become a content writer simply by possessing the ability of creative writing and language proficiency. However, you will get brownie points if you possess a certification or diploma in writing.

2. At what age can one become a professional content writer?

There is no specific age criteria to be eligible as a content writer. You can start as young as you want, provided with the required command over reading, writing, and researching.

3. How much does a content writer earn?

The pay-out of a content writer depends on the type of assignment you undertake. Freelancers usually earn as much as they can take in a given time. Full-time content writers have a more stable income. Interns have a considerably lower pay scale.

4. Why content writing is a good career?

The organisations understand the importance of content and how well it is useful for generating leads. The organisations today also understand the importance of content in sales, hence they focus on developing content. Due to the increased importance of content, the content teams are being given high compensation.

5. What skills does a content writer need?

Some of the skills required from a content writer are mentioned below- 1) Writing 2) Vocabulary 3) Grammar 4) Research skills 5) Web analytics 6) SEO and content strategy 7) Time management 8) Networking 9) Editing 10) Storytelling.

6. How do I learn content writing?

The following steps can be followed for learning content writing- 1) Identify a topic to write 2) Research on the topic 3) Inculcate story telling in your writing 4) Write the first draft 5) Edit the piece of content 6) Read diverse content to understand the style of writing 7) Practice 8) Repeat

7. How many types of content writing are there?

There are various types of content writing, such as- 1) Storytelling 2) Influencer writing 3) Email marketing 4) Press releases 5) Blogs 6) Print 7) Social media 8) Video content

8. How do I become a content writer with no experience?

In order to begin a career in writing with no experience includes starting a blog, freelancing, taking on projects, maintaining a portfolio, creating social media presence, network, look out for jobs.

9. Is content writing hard?

Content writing may not be the most easiest job. It requires efforts such as researching, writing for the target group, understanding the analytics and optimizing the content accordingly.

Did you find this article helpful?

Siddhant Khanvilkar

Siddhant Khanvilkar is an experienced Content Marketer with a high degree of expertise in SEO and Web Analytics. Siddhant has a Degree in Mass Media with a Specialization in Advertising.

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Social videos garner 1200% more shares than image and text content combined. On top of that, 51% of marketing professionals across the globe recognize video as the content type with the best ROI. Similarly, 87% of online marketers employ video in their marketing strategies.  Hence, you should be an expert in video marketing. This means you should be familiar with video production, the editing process, the necessary tools, and the recent industry trends (which videos your audience prefers). While you don’t have to be a video producer, you should be well-acquainted with what makes a video ad successful and what doesn’t.  2. SEO and SEM SEO stands for search engine optimization, and SEM stands for search engine marketing. In SEO, you focus on making your site rank higher in search engine result pages for specific keywords. On the other hand, in SEM, you run paid ad campaigns on search engines to rank for the required keywords.  Both of them are crucial for increasing traffic to the target website. Not only should you be familiar with the fundamentals of SEO and SEM but also the various tools used for them, such as Ahrefs and SEMRush.  3. Social media marketing In 2021, no company can grow online without social media marketing. Hence, you should know about popular social media platforms, including Facebook, Tik Tok, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Tumblr, Snapchat, etc.  Different social media platforms prefer different kinds of content. For example, Tik Tok is suitable for short videos, while YouTube is more suitable for longer videos.  Similarly, you should have an idea of the distinct highlights of every platform. LinkedIn is a professional networking platform, so you’d have to follow a formal tone there. On the other hand, Instagram is a platform for sharing pictures and gives leeway to be a little informal. You should also know how to run paid ad campaigns on these platforms and promote your brand.  4. Content Marketing In content marketing, you create, publish, and distribute content for your targeted audience. Here, you have to understand the requirements of your audience and publish the content which matches them.  Content marketing allows brands to instill trust and boost their online traffic. 60% of digital marketers create at least one content piece every day.  You should be well-acquainted with the basics of blogging, keyword research, content creation, and content optimization. As a freelance digital marketer, you’d also have to develop a content strategy for your clients. A content strategy gives a detailed plan for performing content marketing.  5. Analytics and planning Digital marketers rely heavily on data. They use various analytics tools to generate actionable insights that help them create their marketing strategies.  Analytics tools help digital marketers in measuring the progress of their ad campaigns and evaluate their performance. With data at hand, you can determine which marketing efforts yielded positive results and what factors helped them perform better than the others.  As a digital marketer, you’d need strong planning abilities. You’ll have to plan the content your client will publish, the ads they will release, and modify them according to your clients’ requirements.  Freelancing skills:  Freelancing comes with a lot of benefits. You can choose whom you will work with, what kind of work you’ll do, and when you’ll work. Such independence is rarely available with a traditional job.  To succeed as a freelance digital marketing professional, develop the following skills:  1. Sales  Strong sales skills are a must to succeed as a freelance professional. You’d have to find potential clients, send cold emails, or meet with them to make your clientele.  Finding clients has become quite simple, thanks to the various freelancing platforms such as Upwork and Toptal. However, you’ll still need good persuasive and closing skills to get ahead of your competitors and get the clients you want.  2. Organization Working by yourself can be quite overwhelming. As a freelancer, you are your own boss. However, it also means that you have to carry out the responsibilities of a manager. You’d need to organize the different aspects of your business properly, such as accounting, invoicing, marketing, meetings, etc.  When things are well-organized, you don’t get overwhelmed. It would help you function smoothly and efficiently, enhancing your productivity considerably.   3. Time Management Another crucial skill for any freelance digital marketing professional is time management. You’d have to manage your services, your schedule, and all the necessary business processes.  Proper time management skills would enable you to remain productive and efficient. On top of that, freelancers have to meet strict deadlines and manage multiple projects at once. That’s why time management is an imperative skill if you want to succeed as a freelancer.  4. Communication Effective communication skills are necessary for every professional role, but their importance increases substantially when you’re a freelancer.  You’d have to persuade prospects into becoming your clients. Moreover, you’ll have to understand your clients’ requirements to make their vision a reality. Without proper communication skills, it would be quite challenging to do so.  5. Knack for learning As a freelance digital marketing professional, you must constantly stay up to date with the latest industry trends. This means you’d also have to keep updating your skillset so you can stay ahead of your peers and get the desired clients.  It’s necessary to have a knack for learning when you’re a freelancer. You’d have to learn about the latest technologies entering the market and keep expanding your knowledge of the industry as a digital marketing expert.  How to Become a Freelance Digital Marketer You know the necessary skills to become a freelance digital marketer, but you might wonder, “How do I develop those skills?” Learning so many skills and concepts by yourself can be excruciating. It would be best to learn under the guidance of industry experts as it would ensure that you understand the required concepts quickly and properly. Moreover, when you’re learning from a mentor, you can easily resolve doubts and avoid getting stuck on problems.  That’s why we recommend joining our Advanced Certificate in Digital Marketing and Communication program. This course offers you certificates from MICA and Facebook.  It’s a 6.5-month program and teaches you all the important subjects, including content marketing, SEO, marketing analytics, branding, social media marketing, and much more.  You only need to have a bachelor’s or equivalent degree to be eligible for this program. upGrad has over 40,000 learners in more than 85 countries, allowing you to network globally. You’ll receive dedicated mentorship, interview preparation, resume feedback, and personalized support during this program.  Conclusion Starting your career as a freelance digital marketing professional is quite easy when you know the process. If you’re interested in becoming a digital marketer, then be sure to check out the course we mentioned above. It will help you develop the necessary skills and advance your career as desired.
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by Aaron Edgell

02 Aug'21
Social Media Manager in the US – Salary, Skills, and More!

5.11K+

Social Media Manager in the US – Salary, Skills, and More!

Social media management entails everything – from conceptualizing social media campaigns to getting them executed to receiving and implementing feedback. Since most businesses have shifted online – and the remaining ones are also looking to –  there is always a need for social media managers to help them increase brand awareness and recognition, improve traffic, and enhance customer relationships.  With brands steering more towards digital platforms for promotion, social media marketing is indeed a very lucrative and rewarding career option in 2021.  Let us explore the social media manager salary in the US, the key skills required to exceed in a social media career, and the core responsibilities of social media profiles!  Social Media Manager Salary in the US The salary for the Social Media Manager role varies based on many different metrics – from experience and location to the organization you have applied for. Additionally, many other job roles fall under the social media manager umbrella, like social media director, social media strategy specialist, and community manager.  That said, the average salary for a senior social media manager in the US, with more than five years of experience, is $63,000 and can go as high as $90,000. Entry-level jobs like social media coordinator or similar ones begin at $32,000,  and with increased experience, the salary will keep on growing and can reach well over $100,000. The data collected by PayScale suggests that currently, people in this job role don’t have more than 10-15 years of experience, owing to how young the entire field in itself is. The salary increases steeply throughout the 10-year journey as you keep gaining more skills, knowledge, and expertise. Further, there is also higher pay for social media managers with experience and strategic planning skills. In this case, the average salary is $63,294, with the highest being easily above $100,00  per year.  PayScale’s data also indicates a steady increase in the salary based on the number of years of experience, somewhat in the following manner:   Entry-level (0-5 yrs): $44,000 Mid-career (5-10 yrs): $59,000 Experienced (10-20 yrs): $65,000 Late-career (over 20 yrs): $71,000 The pay also varies based on location. So, the social media managers in San Francisco can expect to earn 50% more than the national average, while those in Houston should expect 6% less.  According to Indeed, the average salary for a social media manager in the US is approximately $108,449.  Key Skills for the Social Media Manager Role Generally, it is good to have a bachelor’s or a master’s degree in marketing, journalism, communication, or PR. That way, you will have all your bases covered. However, that is not a strict requirement.  You are expected to have some working experience or knowledge of digital marketing, especially if you are not looking at just entry-level positions. Any added skill in the form of advertising, community management, and sales is a bonus. Knowledge of SEO, SEM, competitor analysis, website auditing, and marketing analytics will come in extremely handy for social media positions.  Social Media Manager – Roles and Responsibilities The precise roles and responsibilities of a social media manager vary from company to company and even project to project. However, here are some broad responsibilities that you will surely be taking care of as a social media manager Developing, implementing, executing strategies: This would require you coordinating with stakeholders across different verticals of the company to ensure that your plans are relevant to the organization.  Manage social campaigns: This would include working with photos, videos, gifs, editorials, and more – basically all the community outreach promotions, efforts, and more.  Manage the company’s voice: Since you would be managing the company’s social media handles, you must reflect the voice of the company. You will be representing the organization on different platforms, including LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. Measuring success, implementing feedback: You’ll need to set benchmarks and make sure the team meets them. You will be analyzing, reviewing, and visualizing the impact of your social media strategies in an easy-to-understand way.  Enroll for the best Digital Marketing Certificate course online from the World’s top Universities to fast-track your career. Bag the Social Media Manager Job You Desire! The jobs under the social media umbrella are highly diverse, and if you go about exploring, there is no way you won’t find a niche that precisely fits your taste. You can manage the social media of tech companies, lifestyle companies, healthcare organizations, fintech institutions, and basically whatever you think of – because that is how pervasive social media has been in the last decade The good news is that this field is also very open and welcomes people from different backgrounds and walks of life. So, even if you aren’t from a conventionally relevant background, you can still ace in the field of social media management with just a little bit of guidance and effort. Lucky for you, you are just in the right place! 
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by Aaron Edgell

29 Aug'21
Top 10 Ways for Successful Brand Management [Explained]

5.19K+

Top 10 Ways for Successful Brand Management [Explained]

Brand management, or the art of utilizing several marketing techniques to bring attention and awareness, is the ladder for brands to establish a stable base for themselves. A competitive world demands equally dynamic competitors, and the rapid growth of brands is why this area never ceases to witness emerging entities every other day. Brand management puts proven marketing techniques to use in hopes of leading any organization to the top of its niche. Conventionally, it took years for a brand to become established and gain a broad user customer base. However, modern brands and organizations can quickly become a hit with the audience thanks to digital technologies and strategies. With the rise of various brands and small businesses, creating a new brand space and catching their admiration gets more challenging than it usually is. Simply offering high-quality service is no more the only parameter for brands to succeed. Using various strategic brand management tools to create an enjoyable experience for customers is now a focal point for brand owners. Consistent work that speaks of the brand more than you do allures people to keep returning towards your brand, but before that, establish some basic marketing strategies supporting your brand voice with its methods. Amid the wave of proven and valued business management strategies, listed are the ten most important ones to take inspiration for a successful journey. These steps vary with the demands of the market and are liable to change accordingly. 1. Understand the brand Strategic decisions may come after you fully comprehend the purpose of your brand to initiate the process. Before reaching out to the customers and stepping into the market to compete, understand your brand. You may have created it, but there are crannies yet to be discovered that may help to endorse it better. Start by knowing the purpose behind its establishment. What motivates the brand to choose the relevant service instead of any other, what does your brand have that no other brand can offer, or simply why should people care. The simple what, why, and where can help to know the brand better. 2. Research the market Taking inspiration is a sure shot way to stay relevant, but knowing where to draw the line is equally essential. Research but don’t copy. Strategic brand management involves keeping up with the trends, what competitors are taking part in, and which trends are relevant to your product. Whether it is about visuals, taglines, or products, follow your niche and dive deep to learn more about what your brand lacks or delivers more than required. 3. Deliver the ultimate brand vision The role of a new age customer does not simply exist till the time they consume our product. They are more than likely to explore the goals and vision of a brand they are associated with. Every brand has a story to tell. Don’t be afraid to share your brand’s story that encapsulates its beliefs and vision with your target customer base. Sharing beliefs serve as a great way to attract a like-minded audience, ultimately slipping into the niche around the brand’s target audience. Make sure the visual aspects of a brand reflect its beliefs. 4. Highlight individuality of the brand Among the 100+ brands of any particular product, what makes you the strongest candidate to be chosen by a buyer, ever wondered? The unique voice of a brand is what makes it different from others. This unique voice can be promoted through creative marketing techniques that target niches to gain maximum interaction. Strategic brand management identifies that individuality is more than likely to attract brand loyalty when customers understand traits to associate with the brand directly. 5. Add personality to the brand. Talking ‘to the audience always works better for reaching your target user base talking ‘at’ those people. The sure shot way to grow as a brand different from any other is to sprinkle an acceptable amount of personality in it. Your product may not carry a unique selling point, but the brand voice can encapsulate and win brand loyalty through its tone. Allow it to connect and reverberate with the audience.   6. Identify the target audience. Identifying your target audience is a necessity to generate content based on your customers’ likes. Strategic brand management tools would only make sense if the consumer could engage and relate with them. Identifying and targeting the right audience can benefit both the business and customers to achieve their goals. Many analytical tools now allow the ease to analyze and research the clientele base interacting with your content. A perfect way to know who, where, and when your content is being consumed. 7. Symbolize your brand Along with giving your brand individuality and tone, it is essential to grant it the right visual aesthetics to narrate its goals. Visuals are the first thing that anyone focuses on in a product. From minimalist logos to creating taglines, each aspect speaks the language of your brand, delivering a message even before you speak. Triggering awareness among the masses would require the brand to have a face to start with, and a logo is that face. Consult creative agencies to seek the best suitable option as it is one of the most important parts of strategic brand management. 8. Choosing the right marketing platform It is crucial to pick the most relevant option to unleash your strategic marketing vigor and reach the right people. Imagine using Instagram layouts to post on Twitter – a big marketing blunder! Knowing where your target audience spends maximum time is a great way to optimize your brand reach and create a buzz for the brand. Know where your audience exists, aim for that particular area with content and relevant matter to receive the most engagement and customers. 9. Monitor development and improvement After unleashing all your brand management strategies to endorse your brand, the crucial step of monitoring the process begins. Brand managers can use analytical tools to understand the market trends and your performance amid that push-pull. Monitoring development gives room for improvement by analyzing and including the crowd-winning ideas. No one would know your brand better than you. So, make sure to track the entire process and understand which area requires more attention and the ones doing exceptionally well. 10. A matter of consistency Brand management practices are not time-bound – brands cannot expect fixed growth after a while. It all comes down to the consistency of brand management strategies. Effective brand asset management, tracking performance, using the right media tools, and being consistent in these efforts can bring the desired results in the long run.  Enroll for the best Digital Marketing Certificate course online from the World’s top Universities to fast-track your career. Additional Tools to Strengthen your Brand Management Game Implementation of brand management strategies only leads to success if created with the help of experts in the industry. Not anymore! Expert-led courses on upGrad invite learners from all over the world to explore the world of brand management through their extensive learning programs. Its PG Program in Management and Professional Certificate Program in HR Management and Analytics are two great options for management aspirants. These courses are open for professionals (both freshers and experienced) and entrepreneurs looking to polish their skills! With an 85+ countries learner base, 40,000+ paid learners globally, 500,000+ working professionals impacted, upGrad strives to deliver industry-relevant courses to learners globally. Along with the paid courses, upGrad also offers free learning programs to encourage upskilling among students and professionals. upGrad success stories are the proof of its dedicated curriculum and 360-degree career assistance that make the learning experience fun! Conclusion Brand management strategies differ with the brand it aims to serve or the clientele it wishes to aim for. Knowing when to implement the right brand management tool makes all the difference. If your current strategy is not working, do not be afraid to experiment. Allow creative ideas to take part in the consistent process of generating awareness.
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by Aaron Edgell

06 Sep'21
Off-Page – The Ultimate SEO Guide [2024]

5.15K+

Off-Page – The Ultimate SEO Guide [2024]

Introduction If you have been in the digital marketing or content writing field for quite some time now, you must have frequently heard about search engine optimization (SEO). It is one of the favorite and widely used terms in the online marketing industry. Here is how you can understand SEO. Whenever you search for something online, whether it’s a product, service, query, meaning of a particular word, a song, or anything else, as soon as you type something in the search bar, you are bombarded with several results within seconds.  We tend to go through the first few search results, gather as much information as we can, maybe scroll a bit below, go through other websites, and then close the tab. However, the first few websites that we go through are only a fraction of thousands of results or websites available on a search engine. We hardly visit websites listed at the end of a page or click on the next page. Now, who decides what search results you will see at the top? It is done through a market strategy called SEO. Businesses optimize their ranking on the search engines to generate organic website traffic and reach a wide audience. There are primarily two types of SEO marketing- on-page and off-page. Now, let’s understand the difference between the two. What is Off-Page SEO? On-page SEO mainly refers to optimizing your website content to get a higher ranking on search engines. It includes incorporating the most frequently searched keywords on Google in the website content, infusing meta tags and descriptions with high-volume and density keywords. On-page SEO is all about how you optimize your website to stay on top of the search results.  On the other hand, off-page SEO is all about generating high website traffic through other sources. It is done by generating backlinks, content marketing, third-party advertisements, social media, podcasts, and reviews. All this takes place outside the website through link-building. As soon as customers click on the hyperlink, they are redirected to your website. Thus, it generates more website traffic and also helps to build a large client base. What Are the Advantages of Off-Page SEO? From the outside, SEO may seem like a simple task where one needs to add keywords. However, it is one of the prime strategies for online marketing, especially when the Internet and search engines are ruling the world and businesses are contesting to stay on top of the page results. Most organizations internally optimize their website with keywords and image tags. However, it is challenging to drive website traffic by sticking to online SEO alone in the current digital marketing era. Businesses need to create their brand image on as many platforms as possible. This is possible through off-page SEO. Here are a few vital advantages of the same: 1. Large Audience:-  In on-page SEO, a person will probably come across your website only when they search for a similar product or service on Google. However, in off-page SEO, there are various platforms through which customers can get to know about your business, product, or services. For instance, people can come across your website while scrolling through social media, listening to podcasts, reading articles or blogs on your website. Off-page SEO facilitates organic traffic to your website and helps the businesses reach out to a broader audience. 2. Boosts Credibility and Transparency:-  From a customer’s point of view, you are less likely to purchase products or avail of services from a website that you have never heard about. Even if a customer lands on your website, he might not be tempted to purchase from your website if it has no online reviews or online presence other than a website. Therefore, off-page SEO helps to boost credibility by gaining the trust of customers. 3. Boosts Sales and Revenue:-  Another significant advantage of off-page SEO is that it helps in increasing sales and generates revenue. The key purpose of SEO is to get more traffic to the website. It creates plenty of leads for businesses that can be converted into sales. Off-Page SEO Link Building Strategies There is always a tough fight between companies to stay at the top of the search results. One day you can rank on the top whereas, on the other, your website shifts below in the Google page by a few positions. However, to ensure an increase in website traffic, you can follow these off-page SEO strategies: 1. Link Building:-  Building backlinks form an integral of off-page SEO. They are also called inbound or incoming links. The primary purpose of creating a backlink is to connect one website to another. This helps the search engine algorithm to verify the authenticity of your website. If many web pages contain a backlink to your website, it generates more traffic to your website and builds trust. There are three types of links involved in off-page SEO – natural, manually-built, and self-created links. Natural links are created by influencers who post a review of your products or services. Manually-built links are generated when businesses contact other website owners to add their webpage links. Along with backlinks, it is also crucial to link your blogs articles on the website. This allows a person reading a blog on your website to read similar content on your website. As a result, people tend to spend more time on your website. It helps in generating website traffic. 2. Content Marketing:-  This off-page SEO technique is done with the help of anchor texts. Simply put, anchor texts are keywords in your website content or articles/blogs that match the search engine queries. You need to figure out phrases related to your product or service with the maximum search volume on the Internet. Once you have a list of all the high-volume keywords, you can incorporate them while writing the articles and blogs for your website. These keywords shall be evenly distributed in the content and shall make sense. Your website will appear in the top results when a person types similar keywords on a search engine. 3. Guest Posting:-  This is one of the most underestimated off-page SEO strategies. Businesses often focus on optimizing the blogs on their website but overlook guest posting. Guest posting or blogging means publishing your blogs or articles on other websites. Such blogs must have a link to your website so that whenever a reader goes through your guest blog on a website, they can also view your webpage. Over time, it increases your website traffic and also improves your position on search engine results. 4. Social Media:-  Social media platforms are currently ruling the marketing game. It dramatically impacts consumer behavior and marketing strategies. Nearly all brands focus on social media to attract potential clients. An engaging social media page is a vital factor for the growth of small businesses. In fact, there are plenty of small businesses that operate only through social media platforms and do not have a website. Therefore, having an impressive social media presence is quintessential for boosting sales and revenue. How To Learn Link Building For SEO? Generating organic traffic to your website requires a lot of time and patience. Most importantly, it requires the right SEO skills and strategies. Businesses that do not use off-page SEO strategies struggle to generate website traffic and lose potential customers. Therefore, it is best to learn link-building SEO techniques from professionals. For this, you can enroll in online digital marketing courses. upGrad’s Advanced Certificate in Digital Marketing and Communication course can help you learn the nitty-gritty of digital marketing. It offers you a specialization in any of the following areas – branding and communication, marketing analytics, social media and content marketing, or marketing communications. This course will help you acquire technical SEO skills. It can also be a stepping stone if you are looking to build a career in SEO. You get an opportunity to receive mentorship from industry professionals, work on practical projects, and access more than 70 tools. Moreover, upGrad offers comprehensive career guidance to all its learners.   Enroll for the Best Digital Marketing Certificate course online from the World’s top Universities to fast-track your career. Conclusion SEO is a crucial aspect of digital marketing. Nearly all businesses and companies use SEO techniques to gain website traffic and boost their revenues. It is also a promising career pathway for aspirants looking to enter the digital marketing domain. In 2018, the number of SEO jobs grew six times in the U.S. It is likely to rise tremendously in the next few years. Therefore, you must consider learning SEO skills. For the best courses on digital marketing and SEO, you can choose upGrad.
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by Aaron Edgell

07 Sep'21
How To Do Market Research – [Ultimate Guide]

5.33K+

How To Do Market Research – [Ultimate Guide]

Today, consumers have the ultimate power to research any product or service and make the sole decision of whether or not they should go ahead with a purchase. As a result, they are more likely to go by the review and feedback from their peers or network connections rather than consult a business representative. From the business standpoint, this has essentially brought about a drastic change in marketing strategies which were earlier focused on flashy content and over-the-life portrayal of products. Business owners now need to understand the requirements of their target consumers and the factors that influence their purchase decisions. They need to devise strategies based on the research techniques of consumers and their mode of shopping. Naturally, it boils down to the single most crucial aspect of doing business — performing market research. It is the backbone of businesses today and decides whether a given company will witness success or perish due to inadequate market research knowledge.  What is Market Research? Market research is how companies gain insight into their target audience, their purchase habits, estimate the position of a business (product or a service) in the market, evaluate the competition, etc. In short, market research gives you an exact picture of whether or not your business can be ( or is) successful among your consumers. According to the latest reports of ESOMAR, a reputed organization that conducts market, social, and opinion researches, over $40 billion is invested in market research annually throughout the world. This gives us a basic idea of how important market research is for a business’s long-term success.   Key Highlights of Market Research Market research plays a role in:  Identifying the viability and feasibility of a product or a service. Determining if the idea will work in a particular location. Identifying target consumers. Understanding the current trends in the industry helps in devising marketing strategies. Understanding the extent to which the marketing strategy has worked among the consumers.  Gauging the market opportunity ( based on market size) for the business. Knowing how well your brand has succeeded over its competitors. Determining the target location ( a clear picture of where exactly the business would work). Advertising methods suitable for the target location. Identifying what is appealing to your target audience. Finding the factors that influence customer decisions. Why is Market Research Important? Gone are the days where entrepreneurs and companies made business decisions based on instincts and experience. The perception that only those who dare to take aggressive risks can succeed in business has also become obsolete. In the technology-driven world where computers are trained to think like humans, mapping and studying human requirements is not a big deal. Market research helps business owners to make business decisions backed by data evidence that mitigates unnecessary risks. Let us see a few reasons to validate why market research is vital. Market research guides effective business strategy: Starting a business could be financially and mentally exhausting. Huge capital is required to start any business, and with that comes the anxiety and stress of not losing money. Market research is the most effective way to make sure if your business is worth the investment. Business decisions driven by research and data are impervious.  Market research helps avoid miscalculations: From what we know of business performance, one of the primary reasons why new products fail is poor or no market research. This has led to a lot of miscalculations, eventually leading to the loss. Well-conducted paid market research avoids such miscalculations and helps you secure a place in the winning list.  Market research prevents stagnation: Market research is not just for a new business. Many businesses have gone down after a promising opening because of not conducting periodic market research to stay in tune with updated trends in the market. This is a costly error as it leads to stagnation that will leave any business in the dust. Market research raises an alarm when stagnation occurs and also guides in determining which product or campaign to launch next to stay relevant in the industry.  Types of Market Research Market research is not a one-size-fits-all strategy. It serves a different purpose for different businesses or individuals. Based on the purpose, market research is categorized into two types: 1. Primary Research When new information is collected for the first time, it is called primary research. The research is unique and has never been conducted before. Primary research could be quantitative or qualitative, depending on the requirement. It may include open-ended interviews or a survey carried out with a small group of people. 2. Secondary Research It is a summary and inference made from already conducted research. Information on population, for instance, is secondary research as the details and statistics are already recorded. The sources for secondary research could be public (Government statistics), commercial ( private research agency reports), and internal ( already existing data from the organization). There are other types of market research which include: Product/ service research Observation-based research Buyer profile research Market segmentation research Pricing research Competitive Analysis research Customer satisfaction research Customer Loyalty research Brand awareness research Campaign research All these types of market research are intended for focused needs. Most of them are conducted by existing businesses to know their market value and understand what their clients expect. Customer satisfaction research and Loyalty research, for instance, are carried out to know if the customers are happy with a particular product or service. This is usually done through online customer feedback and reviews. How to do Market Research? Market research is all about asking relevant questions at the right time to stay on top of the consumers’ demands and expectations. Inferences obtained from market research could be used to: Start a new venture and devise a marketing strategy Quantify the extent to which your existing marketing strategy has worked.  Below are the steps to carry out effective market research: Step 1: Have a defined research motive It is important to define the research objectives like: What is the key information to be deciphered through the research? Whether the information is required to know about your customers or your current position in the industry. This helps in avoiding deviations and staying focused all through the process.   Step 2: Ask questions relevant to the objective Once the objective is set, we need to prepare a list of questions related to your market, customers, and competitors. Examples for each are provided below. 1. For the Market Key statistics of the target market( like gender, age, location, etc.).  If you are looking to launch a new product, how will it influence the market and customers? Does the target location have a promising economy? 2. For Customers Who can be your target customers? What are their behavior patterns? What is the location of your target customers? What should be the profile of an ideal customer? 3. For Competitors What will be the profile of your strong business competitor? What are the factors that give them an edge? What are the vulnerabilities of your competitor? Step 3: Collect research data Data can be collected either quantitatively or qualitatively. Qualitative research: This is an investigative mode of collecting information that involves a small group of respondents. Quantitative research: The information collected is used to make inferences and often involves a large group of respondents ( surveys). There are other ways of collecting data like: Online polling Questionnaires through emails. Online surveys Interviews yes or no surveys online Paid market research  Focus groups Enroll in a Digital Marketing Certificate course online from the World’s top Universities to fast-track your career. Step 4: Summarize the research inference This stage of market research involves organizing the collecting information and making an interpretation. Grouping and organizing information based on the research objective will help to make conclusions.  The following steps will help in better data organization: Looking for striking trends and placing the obtained information in tables, maps, diagrams, and lists. Using the data to make a SWOT analysis ( Strength, Weakness, Opportunities, and Threat). This also helps in devising an impressive marketing strategy. Step 5: Derive conclusions for business decision-making  This is the final part of the market research. Based on the findings, it is now on you to draw conclusions and make a final decision. The conclusions drawn should be in sync with the research objective. It is essential to review and revisit all the findings before concluding. The following is the list of things you should keep in mind before making a decision: The data should be reviewed to make sure there is no gap. Any major trends or problems in the market should be deliberated. Reviewing SWOT analysis and considering what can be done to make things better.  Market research is a lengthy process, and each process needs dedication and deliberation. So, it is going to add up to the stress if you are doing it yourself. Instead, you can go for a paid market research and hand over the job to the professionals.    If you’d like to learn about market research and other digital marketing concepts, we recommend joining our Advanced Certificate in Digital Marketing and Communication course from MICA. The 32-50 weeks program comprises four specializations – Branding and Communication, Social Media and Content Marketing, Marketing Analytics, and Marketing Communications – PR. In addition, it includes separate tracks for executive and management studies, each consisting of 180+ hours of content, 15 case studies and projects, 15 live sessions to help you build competence in 70+ tools like Google Ads, Facebook Ads, Google Analytics, to name a few.  Contact us today to enroll in the course! 
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by Aaron Edgell

08 Sep'21
How to do Competitor Research? [Step by Step Guide]

5.39K+

How to do Competitor Research? [Step by Step Guide]

Achieving business success is no child’s play, especially when sharing the same target audience and playing field with another business. Therefore, marketing acumen is no longer a skill gained through experience or a theoretical approach. Instead, it demands to be backed by relevant data filtered from an ocean of data analyzed constantly to stay on top of market shifts. The good news is, with dedicated effort and digital marketing skills, companies can identify their competitors and determine the resources they can leverage to dominate the market.  That is precisely what this article will deal with. Let’s start by understanding what competitor research is before we move on to our start-to-finish guide on how to do competitor analysis.  What is Competitor Research? Competitive research is an essential aspect of any business plan that involves identifying competitors and analyzing their business strategies. It also means evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of both your competitors and their products or services. This gives businesses a clear idea of where their products stand and what strategies they can adopt to gain a competitive advantage and eventually succeed.  One of the primary reasons a business fails can be ineffective or even a lack of competitive analysis. It is a misconception that only leading brands are competitors for a new product. In reality, plenty of brands have lost to underdogs whose existence was not even known to them. This explains why competitor research is vital to a business’s success.  Understanding how your competitor works will help you figure out strategies for your product development and position yourself and your business effectively in the market.  Advantages of Performing Competitor Research Identify the market trends: Competitive research helps identify intricate market trends that are otherwise impossible to decipher. The power to identify, analyze and predict market trends is a huge boon for any business. This helps in a better value proposition which in turn gets the business closer to the customers. Devise effective marketing strategies: Marketing, as discussed earlier, is not just about highlighting your products. It is also about letting your customers know how your business can impact their lives in ways better than others. The strategy should be able to make customers position your product much higher than its competitors. To achieve this, you should know why the customers prefer your product over others or the other way around. This can be achieved by competitor research. Explore market gaps: Competitive analysis helps get data of competitors’ strengths, weaknesses, and target crowd. The data also shows the segment of consumers that have been left uncatered. Designing and creating strategies to cater to this segment shall provide winning leverage to your business. This also helps your product secure a unique position in the market.  Plan the future course of action: Competitor research provides the much-needed advantage of developing a strategic plan for the business. This also helps you know the area that needs improvement, improve the product or service, and decide the pricing strategy that will hold good for the future. This also gives an idea of how to highlight your product to stand apart from the crowd effectively.  Get your Digital Marketing Certificate online from the World’s top Universities. Learn Advanced Certificate Programs to fast-track your career. Step by Step Guide on How to do Competitive Research Step 1: Identifying potential competitors This is the initial step in performing competitive research. Unfortunately, it is impossible to analyze all the competitors as it is time-consuming and tedious. To make the process simple and more effective, only the top competitors are identified and analyzed. These competitors fall under two categories: direct and indirect. Direct competitors: Competitors with products or services similar to yours and having the same customer base as yours come under direct competitors.  Indirect competitors: They have similar products or services as yours but target a different group or target your customer group and have a different product or service.  Identifying and analyzing both types of competitors is essential for the following reasons: It helps you explore different growth opportunities for your business.   It helps in diversifying your business.  Step 2: Analyzing the market position of Competitors Understanding how competitors offer their service to their customers is the next important step. This can be done in the following ways: Value vs. Value providers: Value refers to the gains wanted by the customers, while value providers are how those gains can be given to the customers by your product or service. Analyzing this can help you determine how your competitors offer additional value propositions, thereby gaining leverage in the market. Problems and their alleviators: Problems stand for any pain, discomfort, or negativity faced by the consumers in reaching an objective. Alleviators are how your product can address the problems and create a solution.  Analyzing these factors will help you understand how your product is performing against the competitors and will also help you offer a better value proposition to further the business’s success. Winning over competitors in delivering value is the key to any business’s success. Step 3: Analyzing competitors’ business strategy through their content In today’s world, content is everything. So, scrutinizing the type of content published by competitors will give a clear idea of their business strategy. Getting access to their content through their websites and blogs is an easy process. This step is key to your content marketing success.  Here are some of the important things to keep in mind while analyzing your competitors’ content: The type of content that your competitors are engaging (whether it is on YouTube, Instagram. blogs, vlogs, etc.). Whether the type of content is private, premium, or detailed like case studies, etc.  Comparing the competitors’ content quality with yours. The frequency of publishing their new content and updating existing ones. It is also vital to look for content gaps (whether competitors focus on the content you have not touched). Step 4: Studying the pricing strategy of competitors This is a simple but essential step. It is important to compare the prices of your competitors’ service and product costs with yours. This will help you determine whether to cut down or increase the price of your product to obtain a competitive upper hand. This should be done after proper deliberation to make sure your profits are not affected too much by cutting down the prices. Step 5: Make a list of competitors strength. Based on the data obtained from the above steps, a list of strengths and advantages that the competitors have in the market can be made. It is crucial to remain neutral without getting too defensive or complacent about your competitors’ strengths. While listing, consider the following aspects of your business:  Size and location of the company Value proposition Pricing technique Quality of their product Quality of their service Their target consumers The extent to which their website has reached the audience Their position in the social media Step 6: Make a list of their weakness Make a list of your competitors’ weaknesses. This should be relative to your market objectives like: High COGS ( Cost of Goods Sold) Ineffective sales crew Poor cash flows Greater employee turnover High employee attrition rate Weak social media engagement Step 7: Look out for opportunities This step is essential to explore opportunities and seize them before it is late. While the opportunities can be plenty, seizing them requires a lot of calculation and strategies. Also, prioritizing will help grab crucial opportunities. Step 8: Identifying threats and risks This step is important to devise a future course of action for your business. It is essential to have response strategies in position for all existing and forecasted threats.  Step 9: Create an effective strategy Converting the obtained information into actions and strategies is the most important of all. Generate a detailed list of competitor research data and use it to make changes, develop, and diversify your business. Recognizing your competitors’ strengths is as important as competing. When facing an invincible competitor, it is wise to move to a different product or target customers, thereby preventing your business from tough competition. Keep in mind that you are also on the list of someone’s competitor analysis.  Well-performed competitor research will provide you with valuable insights, which, when converted into action, will improve the overall performance of your business.  So, that’s basically what competitor analysis is all about. If you’d like to learn about more such interesting digital marketing concepts, upGrad’s Advanced Certificate in Digital Marketing and Communication can help you achieve your goals. The program is offered in collaboration with MICA University and spans 32 – 50 weeks, depending on the learner’s pace. It comprises four specialization tracks – Branding and Communication, Social Media and Content Marketing, Marketing Analytics, and Marketing Communications – PR. So, what are you waiting for? Go on and book your seat today!
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by Aaron Edgell

09 Sep'21
Consumer Behavior in Marketing: Understanding the Psychology

5.66K+

Consumer Behavior in Marketing: Understanding the Psychology

Introduction Marketing Psychology majorly relates to the study of consumer behavior. Consumer behavior controls the entire market and is the backbone of demand patterns that exist in the economy. Thus, studying and evaluating what customers buy and why they buy it is crucial to marketing psychology. Our choices as consumers stem from multiple factors like our rational thinking, social conditioning, state of mind, and personality traits. However, understanding what precisely regulates consumer buying behavior goes much deeper than these traits. Hence, brands and marketing analysts are increasingly relying on neuroscience, cognitive science, and data science to dig deep into consumer psychology and understand how the consumer’s brain works.  All firms should have a thorough understanding of their target customers, how they think, and why they behave the way they do. Customer behavior research improves decision-making abilities by removing the element of the guesswork from consumer-facing decisions. This article will explore the fundamentals of consumer behavior and see how studying this spectrum can help businesses make better marketing and advertising choices to attract the right audience and boost their sales. Who is a consumer, and what is consumer psychology?  An individual, organizations, groups of people, all of these could be categorized as consumers. Consumer psychology studies their consumption by investigating personality, demographics, behavioral variables, lifestyle, occasions around them, usage rates of certain commodities, etc. Enterprises and businesses seek to understand these processes and consumers’ underlying motives concerning satisfying their wants and needs. Businesses can make better and futuristic decisions by understanding what leads to a particular customer preference. These decisions can be regarding the marketplace’s needs and alter marketing trends to suit consumer demand. In a nutshell, consumer behavior involves the ‘when’, ‘where’, ‘how’, and ‘who’ of consumption patterns. Types of consumer behavior:  There are various kinds of consumer behavior based on two parameters, namely, consumer involvement and brand difference. Consumer involvement means the degree to which a customer is involved while purchasing a product. On the other hand, brand difference indicates the degree or the extent to which differences exist between brands available in the market for that particular product, which a consumer must consider while making a purchase. The following are the types of consumer behavior based on these two factors: 1. Complex buying behavior: This behavior shows up when the customer is highly involved in the purchase, considering the brand differences. Investment options, insurance policies, home appliances, and cars are some good examples with plenty of brand differences. 2. Variety-seeking buying behavior: Here, the customer seeks variety in products to do away with monotony. For example, different flavors of drinks, biscuits, etc. 3. Habitual buying behavior: There are some products that the consumer will buy out of habit. For example, toothpaste, salt, or other commonly used items. Cigarettes or other things to which the customer is habituated also come under this category. Factors affecting consumer behavior There are various kinds of factors that influence consumer behavior. These factors change over a period and greatly depend upon the type of products. Social trends and individual behavior change over their lifetime. Also, all consumers never behave in the same manner. Studying and understanding consumer behavior helps businesses to become adaptable and flexible. Top five essential factors influencing consumer behavior 1. Marketing factors All marketing components, such as promotion campaigns, product pricing, and distribution zone, imply direct and indirect impacts on consumers’ purchasing decisions. Packaging and physical appearance can highly influence buyers to buy a particular product.  The price charged on products or services consumed by consumers also affects the purchase decisions of the consumers. Therefore, businesses must consider the price preference of their target audience while fixing a product’s price. How and where the product is advertised is also a marketing factor that highly affects consumer behavior. Get your Digital Marketing Certificate online from the World’s top Universities. Learn Advanced Certificate Programs to fast-track your career. 2. Personal factors Personal factors such as lifestyle, age, gender, occupation, and/or socioeconomic status of a customer may affect the purchasing power of the customers collectively or even individually. For example, the younger population prefers trending and fashionable clothes while professionals prefer formal clothing. Gender also affects the consumer’s behavior as girls can select a particular set of colors, and boys can choose differently.  Education is another personal factor. For example, an educated person may spend more on books and other products that can stimulate their intelligence, whereas a poor person will spend wisely on essentials like food products. Thus, the income level, societal status, and other personal factors greatly influence consumer behavior. 3. Psychological factors Learning attitudes, motives, and beliefs govern individual behavior vis-a-vis information and experience held by that person. For example, when consumers are delighted after buying a new brand product, they may repeat that purchase because of the pleasant experience.  These experiences aid in the learning process of customers through which they acquire different attitudes and beliefs. These factors collectively guide their purchase choices. Motives also guide their choices to a great extent. 4. Socio-cultural factors  There is a significant influence of cultural factors on the consumer buying process. We, as consumers, live in a complex society and cultural environment. The overall cultural context can influence the type of products and services we buy. We grow up to become individuals. Cultural factors include religion, race, castes, tradition, and moral-ethical values, etc. These elements are passed from generation to generation through educational institutions, family, social circumstances, and religious institutions.  Additionally, cultural diversity greatly influences clothing, food habits, personal choices, traditions, and customs. For example, consuming meat and alcohol is prohibited in some religious groups, or wearing certain accessories or clothing is strongly associated with some religious communities.  5. Subcultural factors  Each culture has various subcultures imbibed within them in the form of sub-castes, sub religions, regional languages, etc. These factors are closely associated with a consumer’s identity. If businesses focus on these aspects and make products that appeal to the subcultural identities of consumers, those products shall have more popular demand in the market. What is the importance of studying consumer behavior?  Studying and understanding consumer behavior helps businesses improve upon their marketing tactics. It makes them more adaptable and flexible.  A comprehensive understanding of consumer behavior helps them become more futuristic in their advertising and marketing strategies. It makes them more consumer-centric as brands, and hence they occupy a solid and stable position in the demand cycles. Understanding consumer behavior helps them decide the most profitable price range for their products.  Overall, businesses become more reliable and stable with respect to their operations if they are well aligned with consumer behavior trends. Are you a business-driven person? Are you determined to take your business miles ahead and are growth-oriented? Then, check out the Advanced Certificate in Customer Centricity offered by upGrad. It delivers this 12-week course with the renowned Kennesaw State University. The modules and syllabi are the best in the field and are curated by industry experts. This course gives you a 360-degree exposure to the nuances of understanding consumer behavior and trends.  Conclusion: Consumer behavior is a significant component of the change in marketing psychology. It studies consumption patterns based on various aspects like marketing factors, personal factors, socio-cultural factors, geographical factors, demographic factors, etc. This strategy of consumer psychology is more complex than it seems. Understanding consumer behavior helps companies become more futuristic, adaptable, flexible, sustainable, stable, and profitable. Thus, businesses need expert analysts who can delve deep into the customer mentality and behavior to design innovative marketing/sales approaches. 
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by Aaron Edgell

12 Sep'21