The term Ad tech has been doing the rounds for a while now and in all probability you as a smart marketer may have encountered this term. You might ask, “Isn’t Ad Tech the same as martech?” Well, no. Ad tech is all about placing, buying and selling ads while martech is about creating, managing and optimizing campaigns and strategies to accomplish a goal. In a way, Ad Tech is but a subset of martech.

So what essentially are these magical tools which apply to the integration of marketing and technology? How effective are they? Your queries and more are dissected in the ensuing paragraphs with this primer on the most vital toolkits you can possess in your Martech armory.

HootSuite

Are you tired of running your company’s social media account? Twitter today, Facebook tomorrow, forgetting Instagram posts? HootSuite is here to put you at rest. HootSuite is a social media monitoring tool that allows you to manage all these accounts easily and effectively.

With it, you can create a schedule for posts across all social media platforms of choice, manage content, find and track trends and so much more. You can also use reports generated by its analytics tool to track and measure the impact and success of your social media campaign so as to know the areas you need to improve in.

Google AdWords

Google AdWords is an online advertising platform owned and operated by Google. It allows you to create AdWords campaigns where keywords that you’ve bided on and are relevant to your business ads/links are displayed to users who search for those keywords in Google as part of a search query. This is also known as pay-per-click advertising and Google AdWords is just the right tool to run and manage your PPC campaigns so as to make your business successful.

It helps you to attract more visitors to your site and increase conversion rates, create local and international ads all in an easy and measurable process.

SEMrush

SEMrush is an SEO tool that allows you to build an effective content marketing campaign. From keyword research which allows you to know which keywords are worth bidding on to getting insights and reports on how well your competitors are doing with respect to their campaigns in display advertising and organic and paid search results. You can create and launch local or global campaigns for your website and get all the necessary metrics all from one place. Using this tool allows you to stay ahead of your competitors and anticipate changes in the marketing game.

Google Analytics

Google Analytics is a web analytics tool owned by Google to track traffic, and what visitors are doing on your site and generate reports that will help you in your marketing. It allows you to track current traffic, retain or attract potential customers. It helps us to determine which pages are having the most conversions and doing well and identify poorly performing pages so as to make the changes necessary to content moving forward. Integrated with AdWords, you can review online campaigns. With its e-commerce report feature, you can track sales activities and performances.

MailChimp

MailChimp is an email marketing platform that is easy to use. You can create email campaigns with your customers, know the number of people viewing it and track the links they clicked on. You can integrate MailChimp with Google Analytics to generate more in-depth reports such as sales activities with revenue reports and how your marketing strategy affects your bottom line. You can use the reports generated to tailor emails and ads according to your contacts’ behavior and interests. As a pre-built marketing automation, it allows you to focus on strategy rather than being bogged down by manual tasks.

HubSpot

HubSpot is an inbound marketing automation platform. It is one of the most important tools a marketer can use. It helps companies to grow traffic, attract visitors, convert leads, and close customers. Very useful for social media marketing, content management, SEO and web analytics.

Conclusion

These are an inexhaustible list of martech tools, all of them excellent choices and useful within different areas of digital marketing. They effectively comprise what we call a Martech stack.

While we don’t really play favorites, the listed tools have become default picks. Substitute them with an alternative and you’ll still be fine with your stack. We at Biztruss advocate strongly that your choice of marketing tools should align with what suits your business goals best and can help the most. With the right mix of marketing technologies, strategy and team, you should be able to reach out more to a greater audience and see increased revenue growth. You are also expected to record improved customer satisfaction and in a short while, go on to become a leading force in the marketing industry.

So if you aren’t quite in the Martech zone yet, more than high time you got there. Not quite sure? Drop in a note and we’ll be happy to help.

Title – Your Essential Martech Primer

Meta Description – Martech is a powerful solution that is created by blending marketing and technology. This blog is a primer on the most vital toolkits you can possess in your Martech armory.
Keywords – Martech, Marketing technology, marketing, hootsuite, google adwords, semrush, google analytics, mailchimp, hubspot, martech tools, martech stack, marketing automation

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Digital transformation, therefore, requires a viable strategy. In fact, studies show that the strategy has a greater effect than the technologies. The strategy lays out a blueprint for adopting technologies in the most effective way. Such a strategy will most likely increase efficiency, enhance the decision-making processes, elevate customer experience, and enhance employee retention.

Six Steps to Implementing an Effective Digital Transformation Strategy

1. Outlining the Objective of the Digital Transformation Strategy

The first step in creating a digital transformation strategy is painting the big picture. This implies defining the expected outcomes of a successful digitization as per the impact of the transformation on productivity, the customer, the employees, and the decision-making process of the business. The clearly defined objectives serve as a guide for adopting the technologies.

2. Defining the Modules

The next step is to define modules that can help improve the customer experiences and employee satisfaction. In this step, goals are defined to bring about the fulfillment of the objectives. Note here that the most important aspect of this step isn’t the technologies, but how the technologies can be used in the most effective way to improve customer engagement and experience.

3. Taking an Inventory of the Technologies Currently in Use

This step entails a reality check of how close the business is to achieving the objectives of the digital transformation strategy. It helps businesses identify which area they need to start the transformation from. By assessing the software and digital technologies currently in use, the business can determine the actual technologies that need to be installed, updated or replaced.

4. Identifying Prospective Solutions and Vendors

With the transformation objectives clearly defined, the goals that lead to the accomplishment of the objectives clearly outlined, and the existing technologies assessed, the next step in digital transformation is to brainstorm potential technological solutions that can be integrated into the current technological ecosystem to help bring about the accomplishment of the transformation objectives.

Afterward, the business needs to then choose the vendors for the selected technology with due diligence.

5. Integrating a Digital Adoption Platform (DAP)

In some businesses, especially those with a model that’s highly dependent on digital technology, it could be easy to implement traditional training sessions to help teach employees software skills. However, in most businesses, traditional training sessions may not turn out to be an effective way to suit employees to the digital transformation strategy.

A Digital Adoption Platform features learning applications such as Walkme and AppLearn that efficiently supplement traditional training sessions to provide help employees as well as customers with an effective guidance for adapting to the changing technological environment of the business.

6. Creating a Schedule for Implementation

This is where all the steps outlined above are co-opted into a tenable plan. The business needs to come up with a plan and timelines for implementing all the aforementioned step so as to implement the strategy in a tenable way with little or no hiccups.

A veritable plan with timelines also helps provide employees, stakeholders, and customers with a heads up of the expected changes to elicit support for the transformation from all parties involved.

Conclusion

Even businesses that are doing well offline today will come in need of a digital transformation strategy sometime in the future in order to stay in the competition as competitors incorporate digital technologies that provide them with a competitive edge. In a world that’s experiencing unprecedented technological advancements, a digital transformation strategy is fast becoming indispensable to businesses in nearly every industry.

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Imagine a world where Facebook, Apple, Tesla, and other giants in the tech industry failed to employ the right platform for their then inchoate business? The world would not forgive their mistake! Not only would their choice of tech limit/bolster the expansion of their startup, it will also affect the operability of the business.

Unfortunately, a lot of entrepreneurs, when building their business, only focus on the front end and leave this crucial decision to the developer. Unbeknownst to them, the technology stack selected has a tremendous impact on the success of any startup. Here are some questions to ask when considering your options.

Mobile Applications or Web?

This debate transcends the age-long Apple vs Android, Marvel vs DC, Coke vs Pepsi argument. In order to decide, you need to consider your consumers carefully. In 2017, research showed that adults in the US will spend almost 3 hours daily on apps while they barely spend 34 minutes on the web. However, if your service can only be delivered via a website, the choice is made easier for you.

LAMP or MEAN?

A stack which consists of Linux operating system, Apache web server, MySQL database, and PHP, Perl or Python language is regarded as one of the most reliable stacks. They are popular, widely supported, and offer enhanced security features. However, the MySQL database is not as feature-intensive as other options.

MEAN, on the other hand, is a contemporary stack with a wide range of capabilities. It consists of MongoDB database, Express.js and AngularJS framework, with a Node.js language environment. Even though it is very flexible and scalable, it might prove complicated.

A careful evaluation of the different pros and cons and how they affect your startup will help you make an informed decision on your choice of a stack.

What is the Purpose of Your Startup?

It is important to first figure out how your technology will be utilized before implementation. If, for example, you employ a very responsive platform suited for e-commerce for your business; an enterprise mobile application, it will turn out to be a debacle. This should also affect the inherent functionality and usability of the system.

Is There Opportunity to Scale?

The aim of any startup is to become mature and scalable. Your technology stack will go a long way in determining the growth of your business. To give you perspective, Facebook started in 2004 with no inkling of the population explosion to follow. In 2010, they hit 500 million users. 5 years later, their population tripled. And now in 2018, the figure is put around 3 billion.

Your technology stack should support the addition of functionality, services, and integration with more sophisticated technology. For instance, systems that support Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) are reputed to be more market-friendly and they easily adapt to the demands of the market.

While comparA key advantage of choosing MEAN is the fact that JavaScript code can be reused for both the server and the client. But this is rarely ever seen in practice because it will help maintain security if the client and server code bases are kept separate.

But using JavaScript for both the front-end and the back-end makes life easier for developing teams to switch between the two. It makes the workflow homogeneous and also enables two groups of full stack developers to work well together on the application as a whole.

It’s no secret that it can be quite a challenge to switch between PHP or Python for the server and then use JavaScript and HTML for the client. So if you’re more comfortable with JavaScript than other languages, MEAN is the right choice for you.

But on the other hand, end users often use ad blockers and disable JavaScript because of privacy concerns. Most browser extensions also allow the users to actively select the scripts that are permitted to run, so your app won’t work if it’s completely based on JavaScript.

Disabling JavaScript has rendered many websites useless, so the battle continues between users and websites. This has even led to some users being banned from certain websites as this type of user behavior can break web applications.

So although JavaScript comes with the advantage of making your web app look modern, it might not be a feasible solution to reach all users. Further, JavaScript also slows down websites, so its popularity can diminish significantly in the near future. So all this has to be taken into account when making your stack selection.

However, you can also avoid going heavy with JavaScript at the front end and take advantage of the speed offered by Node.JS. But at the same time, PHP is also just as fast when optimized.

Traditional multi-threaded Apache setups are resource heavy, so LAMP can also be an option that ends up being slow. But PHP can be significantly optimized by Nginx or Lightspeed. Yet, replacing Apache with Nginx can be quite a headache to configure.

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The expansion of ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) in all areas and levels of our society has been, for several decades, at great speed and it is an unstoppable process as new technological elements and applications that motivate to the users, to the companies and institutions to use them, discarding the previous ones (although they coexist for some time), either because of their obsolescence, or because of the lack of features that make them unsuitable to satisfy the highest current requirements.

While most users accept these new developments as something beneficial and useful to facilitate their daily work, leisure and communication, there are others who are reluctant to adopt them, due to ignorance or lack of attractive commercial offer, because it confronts them as something new and unknown, or they are asked to acquire new and, sometimes, expensive equipment, something they are not always willing to address. In these cases, there is what we can call “the digital divide”, which marks a differentiation between users.

Facilitate access to information

Once this brief introduction is made, we can say what the emerging technologies really bring to society is to facilitate access to information, in an effective and immediate way, through the use of the infrastructures that telecommunications operators have developed and implemented. , through advanced devices with powerful hardware and software and friendly interfaces, which allow access to many applications and content developed by themselves or by third parties.

So, we all currently use broadband networks, both fixed and mobile, that allow us to access the Internet, or use the 3rd or 4th mobile network (5th soon) Generation, to communicate, see multimedia content, play online or send messages, using smartphones, tablets, audiovisual devices, or any other means. Also, it is already a reality, but in the future, it will be enhanced much more, the so-called Internet of Things (IoT), which facilitates that millions of autonomous devices, with no human intervention, can exchange information between them. According to the consultancy Gartner, it is estimated that in 2020 there will be around 20,400 million connected devices worldwide.

Many are the technological concepts that are marking the digital consolidation, but if there is one that affects all of them and whose application will mark the future, as appreciated by all the current news, it is the power of the data (defined as the gold of the 21st century) and its management, which is known as “Big Data”, together with a whole new regulation: GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), PSD2 (Payment Services Directive 2), whose application, when it comes into force soon, will increase security levels and improve risk management, to improve competition, innovation and consumer protection.

The proliferation of social networks

A phenomenon that has led to the introduction of emerging technologies is the proliferation of social networks, such as Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, etc. that along with messaging applications such as WhatsApp and other similar, among all segments of the population, which have hundreds of millions of users around the world. These applications generate a lot of traffic, since the consumption of multimedia content ( thanks to broadband infrastructures and the supply of so-called flat rates) is increasing, so both external and internal networks in buildings must be prepared to support it, something possible to recent technical advances and the adoption of common standards that allow compatibility and interoperability between diverse devices,

Another impact that new technologies are causing is the paradigm shift in traditional commerce, which leads to electronic commerce (e-commerce and mobile marketing), with Amazon as the undisputed leader, and also in banking (e-banking), which has as a result has lead to the closing of numerous physical offices and the attention to clients and the carrying out of operations through the Internet, without forgetting the Public Administration, which facilitates the completion of numerous procedures for citizens, which saves a lot of time and money.

All these advances generate a great impact on society, because of its consequences, whether economic, political, social and cultural, without forgetting the possible replacement of many jobs by the arrival of robots and artificial intelligence, which is something we have to start worrying about. It is possible to ensure that ICT facilitate connectivity, allow us to develop our knowledge, perform procedures and exchange information with other people or machines, regardless of distance, through the tools and applications (the famous apps) available on the Internet or in other networks, and smart devices.

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This same concept which proved useful in the tech and manufacturing industry has been adopted by other markets and the outcome is the same; design thinking drives innovation. You might be wondering, “what is this strategy?”, “can I apply it to my business?”. Your questions are addressed below.

What is Design Thinking?

Before now, designers tackled projects by focusing on the problem at hand, seeking to solve the challenge by concentrating on the problem. However, design thinking adopts a solution-based style which begins with the end-user in mind. Logic, intuition, analysis, and imagination are tools which are heavily relied upon in creating the desired outcome.

How to Embrace Design Thinking

Even though it is not a silver bullet to all your organization’s problem, design thinking offers an opportunity to collectively create a framework for pursuing innovation. Ditching the conventional linear approach to problem-solving is difficult, however, it is a worthwhile venture. You can start with these three steps.

Empathy

For a human-centered design process to be successful, it is important that the business managers empathize with the customers who utilize these products. This skill becomes particularly useful when the business is on the verge of expanding into new spheres.

Without empathy, gleaning information on the challenges encountered is impossible. Design thinking basically entails asking the right question, meeting the right demographics, in essence, putting yourself in your customer’s shoes.

This strategy might appear plain and ineffective, however, research has revealed that a 50% increase in income has been recorded by companies which adopted this strategy. In another study carried out, lack of empathy was identified as one of the reasons customers patronize other businesses.

Iterative Problem-Solving

The global market is rapidly evolving and it becomes difficult to keep up with the pace if you still spend the bulk of your time on futile ventures. Constantly changing the scope of a problem engenders better results every time. Often, businesses stick with strategies which have shown minimal potential to succeed.

Harvard Business Review carried out a survey and it was seen that about 9 in 10 companies struggled with finding an accurate diagnosis of their problem. Design thinking encourages you to diversify, adopt an iterative approach, and re-diagnose the problem.

Stakeholder Mapping

As a business seeking to innovate, you should form the habit of visualizing the effect and outcome of certain actions and decisions. Ideally, you need to consider different factors such as time constraints, geopolitical factors, religious beliefs, etc.

You should have an exhaustive outline of global stakeholders, their allies and foes, addressing the issues pertinent to them.

Design thinking in its simplest form is a way of solving a problem. Many an organization, straitjacketed by their process-oriented methodology would rather live with a problem than apply an out of the box approach like Design Thinking. Many others treat it as a last throw of the dice, when all else fails. The truly smart ones believe that this is the approach which is the real complement to innovation.

At Biztruss, we recognize the need to apply the right brain in equal measure to address challenges. Whether it is in scoping out a development challenge or in drawing out a Customer Journey Map, a user centric approach sets the tone for designing appropriate solutions for every problem. While the design thinking may not or even should not always have quantified success metrics in keeping with the spirit of its being, it definitely does succeed in opening up minds and avenues, in turn helping unearth new ways of solving problems.

In case you haven’t tried it out yet, there’s always a way you can make a start, just by altering your thought process, just that little bit. That’s what Design Thinking is all about, and that’s what it asks of you.
Till we roll out another blog from our thought factory, continue to think with design. And tell us all about your success stories doing it.

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With this in mind, the concept might come off as having innumerable layers of complexity. However, the schematics of the IoT boils down to just 4 main components. Let’s see what they are.

The 4 Main Components of the IoT

Sensors

Sensors are pieces of technology that extract data of varying complexities, including humidity, sound waves and video feed, from the immediate environment. These sensors can be assembled together inside a device such as a smartphone, a piece of machinery, a vehicle, walls of a building, etc, in order to gather multifaceted data. After gathering data, sensors transmit the collected data through their connectivity apparatuses to cloud infrastructures.

Connectivity

The sensors transmit the gathered data to a cloud infrastructure and receive feedback through certain connectivity mediums, including cellular networks, Wi-Fi, Wide-Area Networks (WAN), etc, each with its own set of advantages and drawbacks. The connectivity of the sensors is also imbued with what is called gateways.

The gateways can serve as data filters that minimize the size of data transmitted to the cloud infrastructure, and also as receptors which receive the command sent from the cloud to the actuators of the devices (components that trigger a class of action in the devices) that host the sensors. In their original form, the gathered data exists in an analog form. They’re then aggregated and digitized by the gateway to compress their sizes and optimize them for further processing.

Data Processing

The next thing that happens after data is acquired and transmitted to cloud infrastructure is the processing of the data to determine the changes happening in the sensor’s environment, such as changes in temperature, the changes in the presence of certain entities such as an entry of an intruder in a home, etc.

In order for this to happen, the transmitted data is sent to a streaming data processor that facilitates the transmission of the acquired data to a data lake as well as control applications. The processed data is stored in the data lake, from where they can be extracted to a big data warehouse when they’re needed for insightful analyses to predict trends. The big data warehouse contains only well-structured, streamlined contextual data, whereas the data lake collects all types of data transmitted to the cloud infrastructure.

User Interface and Control Applications

This is where the human touch enters into the IoT system. The processed information is made available to end-users so they can act on the data. This can happen through notification emails and push messages. But in some IoT systems, the human decision maker is substituted for control applications which take action on the processed data automatically.

For instance, automated factory lines can receive instructions to shut down certain compartments when the preconditioned control applications of the IoT system detect through the processed data a potential fault that can cause widespread damage. These applications can function based on both the rules set by the IT operatives or machine-learning modules which are regulated by the historical data saved in the big house warehouse.

Other Important Components of the IoT

Device management

The process of authenticating the source and of the data as well as the configuration of the sensor device, and the maintenance and update of the sensor to ensure the sensors perform optimally.

User Management

This determines the users that have access to the IoT system.

Conclusion

A bona fide IoT system comprises a network of sensors and actuators, network connectivity, user interface and/or command applications, regardless of the sphere of activity which it is created for.

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