The human factor in digital marketing: not all so digital

Abstract

This paper investigates how the use of social media has influenced the mar- keting sector globally. By highlighting the human factor-related risks and caveats inhe- rent in digital marketing, this paper suggests the strategy that firms and multinational corporations can apply to mitigate them, and thus cautiously make use of the myriad of benefits ‘hidden’ behind the unexploited potential of digital marketing. This paper is a research project that draws from secondary data gathered in a manner enabling a criti- cal examination and insight into issues and processes specific to digital marketing today. A nested analysis of selected case studies complements the discussion. Apart from its academic merit, this research will be of great value to practitioners as it will help them understand the potential risks and threats posed by the facilitation of social media at the corporate level. It will offer a presentation of the plethora of benefits that it entails, and consequently suggest a strategy that will help corporations get the most out of these versatile platforms. Keywords: digital marketing, marketing strategy, customer relationship. JEL Classification: M310