Few marketing initiatives over the past decade have been accompanied by such high-quality PR as digital transformation. It is seen as the necessary antidote to a disrupted and digitized world, but part of the reason it has escaped scrutiny is that it is a process, not a task. Most companies are “transforming” rather than transformed.
At its best, digital transformation promises that brands will be able to understand their customers better, support them every step of the way, and make the right data-driven decisions to move their business forward.
On the other hand, the digital transformation realized in this way has the unintended effect of weakening brands. Most brands and the companies behind them are not tech-focused; digital is not in their DNA. Almost none of them organically create anything that reflects their identity. Most of them use readily available off-the-shelf products and services to set up their digital stores and then deploy similar tools to analyze that data and find new customers.
The problem is that most branded websites seem familiar. The result of all this outsourcing is a sea of sameness: many brands offer experiences, often delivered in templates that are indistinguishable from one another. Implemented in this way, digital transformation has the unintended effect of weakening brands. Most brands and the companies behind them are not technology-led.
Most brands have embraced digital transformation due to competition from disruptive technology platforms. However, the same tech giants that created this need are also providing much of the infrastructure that brands use to achieve it. In their search for traffic, brands, and retailers are often relying on ads placed in search engines, social networks, and marketplaces like Amazon — many of which are openly competing or the same traffic and sales. However, it is difficult to successfully compete with a company that also provides the backbone of your business.
via itproportal.com
