The Evolution of Digital Marketing in Urban Environments
Marking its 20th anniversary in September 2018, SharpNet, a leading SEO company, reflects on the remarkable journey of digital marketing. The landscape in which the internet and digital advertising exists today has changed drastically over the years, and this article delves into the past, present, and future of this transformative industry.
The story begins twenty years ago at Agilent Technology, a process engineering firm. Amidst a wave of layoffs at Agilent, one individual decided to take control of their situation by launching an SEO company - SharpNet. This decision proved to be a wise investment as within a year, their old department at Agilent was shut down.
Two decades ago, SEO didn't have an acronym or even an industry category for insurance purposes. It was difficult to find experienced workers in this field as it was such an unknown area. Broadband was far from perfect and Google was yet to become the household name it is today. Facebook wasn't on the horizon either as Mark Zuckerberg was just 13 years old at that time. In simple terms, it was much like the wild west but from a virtual perspective – untamed and widely misunderstood.
In those early days, Yahoo, Alta Vista, Lycos and Excite ruled the roost with entities like HotBot, Ask Jeeves also making their mark. Google had been founded in 1998 but was still largely unknown until later that year when it started garnering more attention. Goto.com made history by offering Pay Per Click services first which later transformed into Overture after being acquired by Yahoo with Google launching AdWords in response in 2000.
As the digital industry began to take shape, it had to overcome three main challenges:
(1) Security Concerns: The anxiety surrounding online shopping was palpable in those early days. However, as demonstrated by the meteoric rise of Amazon, these fears were gradually allayed.
(2) High Speed Internet: Bringing fast and affordable internet to most parts of the USA was a monumental task. Without high-speed connectivity, streaming movies or even operating smartphones would be impossible.
(3) Dot Com Boom. The internet had a rocky start with the Dot Com Boom shaking confidence in its potential. However, despite initial skepticism and setbacks, the internet has proven itself as an indispensable tool in our modern lives.
Despite various setbacks and failures along the way, it was inevitable that the internet would succeed given its wide range of advantages and conveniences. Even though there were bumps along the road, its momentum has only continued to grow over time. The advancement of digital marketing has revolutionized traditional marketing channels such as TV and Print with behemoths like Amazon rising while others like Sears and Toys R Us have fallen behind. This shift towards digital is evident even in our daily lives where Facebooking is more common than scrapbooking and phonebooks have become virtually obsolete.
Amazon stands tall as perhaps one of the most notable success stories from this transformational era despite not having a single physical storefront. It boasts the 7th largest market capitalization, surpassing even Walmart.
The future holds limitless possibilities for where digital marketing will go next. As artificial intelligence (AI) begins to permeate various sectors including finance, retail, automotive among others (driverless cars being a key example), it is also expected to revolutionize digital marketing strategies. Websites will become increasingly personalized based on individual preferences thereby providing unique experiences for each visitor.
The evolution of digital marketing shows that the future is here. With AI at its helm and platforms like Amazon setting a new standard, it's clear that the face of retail and marketing is changing rapidly. A unique and personalized online experience is no longer a distant dream but an imminent reality.