Cultural Mindset with Digital Marketing
This article was published on April 20, 2021
Categorized in: B2B Digital Marketing
When it comes to digital marketing, we all know that content plays a big role in that. How we place words together, the words we choose in the first place, the choices we make article topics, the way we organize our websites, and pretty much every activity that is part of digital marketing all depend on cultural understanding. This is true even when we don’t realize it. Some of the differences are subtle.
The truth is, even if you are marketing in a language that everyone can understand, there is more to marketing than just making sure your words understood. Here’s a look at why cultural mindset matters when it comes to marketing your business.
Cultural Mindset Overseas is Different
If you have ever visited a foreign country, you know how easy it is to feel out of step with what is going on around you. Street signs look different. They may drive on a different side of the road depending on where you are. Signs may be written in a different language. Beauty and fashion trend are different. You also may have no clue who the popular entertainment personalities are in the country.
If they speak the same language as you in the country, like they do in England, this still doesn’t mean the cultural mindset is the same. The language is very different, right down to the way thoughts and ideas are expressed. A classic example can be found in the classic sign found at metro stations “Mind the Gap”. It essentially means, be careful of the opening between the platform and the metro. In the United States, it wouldn’t make sense to say, “Mind the Gap” – we probably would have just said “Caution” or “Watch Your Step”.
Problems Cultural Mindset Poses for Digital Marketing
On the surface, it may seem as if this won’t be an issue, as long as you make adjustments to the language and the way you word things. However, the issue is much more deep seated than that. This is why it is very difficult for a digital marketing firm in one country to be able to help create digital marketing programs for clients. Without having the right cultural mindset, this would prevent the program from working as optimally as it could. Here’s how culture plays into digital marketing:
- Content. The way the content is worded, the subheads chosen for articles, and even slogans and tagline, will all be impacted by culture.
- Social media. Social media trends are closely tied to pop culture and other trends. Without knowledge of a country’s trends, it would be very difficult to gain traction in social media.
- Rules. There are different rules overseas that need to be followed in order to be able to market online. If you don’t know them, it could undermine your campaign.
Granted, any cultural differences we may experience in the United States don’t matter within the country itself. However, when you start marketing overseas, the differences are more widespread. Even though we have different regions in the United States, we are all part of the same cultural collective.
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About the Author: Brick Marketing President, Nick Stamoulis
Nick Stamoulis is a digital marketing expert and President of Brick Marketing. With 25+ years experience, he specializes in solving complex digital marketing challenges through SEO, content marketing, social media, PPC, email marketing, SEO for AI (GEO) and conversion optimization.
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