The Evolution of Personal Finance

Reflection on the course

I truly enjoyed my experience and learning from taking the [Squared] Online course. As (mentioned before) I started working in digital marketing in January, it was a great time for me to have joined. It also ties in well with having studied Advertising and Marketing at university, as most of the curriculum back then was on offline media. I recommend it to anyone who is truly passionate about digital and wants to get an understanding of all aspects of the sector.

Moreover, I have to mention meeting great people. Both the groups I have worked with have been awesome. It's great to interact and learn from different people and heard various points of views.

Ps. I will share the final infographic once it's been submitted and graded by the tutors :) 

Data data...

The amount of data available nowadays is actually quite scary. The good thing is (from a consumer's point of view) that we are all regarded as a "cookie". But what does having so much data mean to advertisers? The world!

Retargeting and prospecting - targeting users that are likely to purchase your products and leave the ones that are irrelevant alone. Advertising is rapidly moving towards behaviour and using data to predict that a consumer is likely to be interested in one's product has made advertising seem worth spending money on.

My takeout from Module 4 was to use data to dig out insights. All the above is all nice said but is it actually done? I don't think that the amount of data is appreciated by advertisers.

Thinking like a brand

My third module of [Squared] taught us how to think like a brand. About three months ago I went to a seminar at the IAB and the following stuck to me head -

"No one brand owns a demographic, it sits within a demographic"

Every brand has its "typical" audience and most often targets its adverts towards that group to enforce habitual buying. But what about when that demographic tires out? Does that way of thinking restrict the brand from producing products that appeal to different audiences?

Consumers are no longer passive and the consumer journey is talked about now more than ever. A single consumer is exposed to hundreds of adverts a day, so what makes your brand stand out to them and move them from habitual buying? Making use of the resources.

Module 3 was the most interesting module of all, mostly because I love learning and talking about consumer psychology. The Zero Moment of Truth is something that all advertisers and agencies should think about when putting together a brainstorm or a plan. I think sometimes, even for really popular brands, it's interesting to think "what if consumers didn't know my brand.. Where would I start from". 

Is mobile taking over?

It's been talked about in the digital sector that this year is the year of mobile. But so was last year and the year before and the year before... More focus is drawn to mobile and here's why -

• 62% of the UK population own a mobile phone
• A mobile phone user checks their phone up to 150 times a day and spends on average 68 minutes on it per day
• 78% don't leave the house without it

And so on...

With the technology available nowadays, it's inevitable that consumers are becoming more and more lazy. And this is shown through the growth of m-commerce over the past few years. And yes, advertisers should be focusing on the platform, but at the same time traditional platforms, such as TV,  shouldn't be ignored.

It's hard for me because I see both sides. I work in digital advertising so I understand that brands want to reach the consumer as easily as possible, but on the other hand, as a consumer my phone is my form of escapism. I don't want to be bombarded with adverts 24/7.

However, when brands use mobile advertising in a smart way they can achieve great results. What consumers want:

• An easy-to-use search bar
• A clear and efficient look
• Finger-friendly buttons
• Scrolling in one direction

Status on privacy

Last week's class got me thinking a lot about privacy and the digital world. Is privacy really obsolete? I have come to the conclusion that privacy is not obsolete and here's my reasoning why. Anyone can choose to protect their information and not share it online, but that comes with consequences. Prime example: when filling out an online form, there are certain areas that MUST be completed, usually marked with a red star. If you refuse to fill in that data (and I know because I've done it before) you can't proceed to the next stage. In that sense you are restricted, almost being punished, for not passing on the correct amount of data required by the advertiser/brand. In my opinion and taking this into consideration, privacy defers case by case. In other words, it very much depends on the individual's need to feel involved. I say need because no one would voluntarily share important information for the sake of it. You wouldn't necessarily share your data if you didn't see the return of value that the specific website/app will have for you. In a sense, it's almost like you're investing your privacy in return for an expectation. 

This article I found is an example of how our data can be used online, and of course being a [Squared] student it's more than appropriate to case study on Google! Its focus is on how Google Plus use our data. It's a platform that collects information and doesn't pride on popularity. An interesting read.

Taking all the above into consideration, my bottom line is that privacy is not obselete, but it can be neglected.

My [Squared] Journey

Hi everyone! I know I haven't posted on this blog in a long time, but I've now found something worth posting on! I'm currently taking the Online Squared course and had my first "class" today; so far so good. It all seems very exciting and interactive and I can't wait to get into the proper digital material very soon! So for the next 5 months or so I will dedicate the space on this blog to my Squared journey, to share my experience with you and the wider digital world.