As trends come and go, companies needs to be agile enough to adapt to the new situations and gain competitive advantage. This is also the case when it comes to long- existed marketing models that have been developed several decades ago. Although the principles on which they were founded still apply in today’s world, they yet require some refinement in order to be fully attuned with the current market trends and the new era of digitalization. So with this in mind, we can move on and examine the 4S Web Marketing Mix which brings digitalization into the traditional marketing mix model. The 4S Web Marketing Mix model is compromised by four pillars and as the name of the model implies all elements start with the letter ‘S’. Each pillar is further discussed below:
1. Scope
This first element of the web marketing mix takes a holistic view into your strategy in order to form a clear picture of the scope of your web marketing. Having a clear understanding will allow you to focus on particular areas that need improvement. Some of the things you need to consider are:
- What are the goals of your web marketing strategic plan?
- What platforms are you currently using?
- How effective is your web marketing strategy? Is it delivering the results you are expecting?
- What areas can be improved? How can they be improved?
2. Site
The next element of the model looks deeper into your company’s website. Your website represents your business culture, vision and mission; so you should carefully craft a website that attracts new visitors, generates leads and has a high conversion rate. You should evaluate the current state of your site on a basis of numerous attributes and make any necessary changes in order to improve it.
3. System
This element of the web marketing mix digs into the system itself including the platforms used and the hardware and software programs. It is important that your systems are running smoothly, not only for your employees but also for your customers. Here, you need to make sure that safety, security and cost-efficiency are your top priorities.
4. Synergy
Moreover, another important factor of the web marketing mix is synergy across your marketing efforts. You need to ensure that online and offline marketing efforts are aligned with each other and work in a synergistic way. Delivering a consistent and coherent brand image across the various platforms will in turn build brand awareness, brand recall and eventually brand love.
4S Web Marketing Mix: Strengths and benefits
- The model examines and identifies areas that need improvement in your web strategy; including operational and technological factors.
- It places increasing importance on synergy and coherence across different platforms, as well as online and offline operations.
- The model is highly relevant to the current business landscape where technology is ruling every company’s business strategy.
- It is adaptable to different industries and markets that employ an online marketing strategy.