If you consider the state of the world today, the term “disruptive change” seems to be an apt descriptor. Disruption of an industry is a constant, looming concern. Disruptive technology has changed the way many industries operate. McKinsey has made a note of the impact that innovation, primarily through disruptive technology, has had on several different sectors. Embracing disruptive change is something all content marketers should do. Even our profession hinges on a disruptive technology that changed the face of marketing. But why should content marketers be so welcoming of technology or methodologies that threaten to change the way they do business?
Nothing in Marketing Remains the Same
According to The Houston Chronicle, there exists a constant need for change in marketing to deal with several factors that may arise. Disruptive change is simply another method of adapting marketing to a different audience or addressing a shortcoming with traditional techniques. Content marketers shouldn’t shy away from this change. Disruption can lead to good things within a company, but only if the business is sure of what it wants to achieve.
Trying Too Hard Can be a Problem
Harvard Business Review mentions the case study of Kodak, as a warning of how approaching disruption within an industry can spell disaster. In 1996, The Eastman Kodak Company became aware of the threat that digital cameras and equipment were likely to have on their industry. Like any industry leader should do, they looked into upgrading their systems, spending a whopping $2 billion to install digital camera processing kiosks in their locations.
Unfortunately, their reading of the market didn’t pan out. Competitors such as Hewlett-Packard and Sony realized that digital cameras would create a more convenient means for taking and sharing pictures and this principle has been embraced by businesses as diverse as Avant Permanent Cosmetics. Instead of investing in a corporate methodology to offer the service for printing them, these companies instead provided people the chance to publish their own digital photos. This innovation proved to be the better approach and widespread adoption pushed Kodak out of a market it ruled for decades.
What we can learn from Kodak, in this case, is that disruption is likely to come, no matter how far away it seems. Developing a response to capitalize on the disruption is a delicate balance of figuring out where the proverbial wind is blowing. Content marketers should take note since disruption might require them to change their marketing approaches. Attempting to leverage a disruptive technique or technology without fully understanding its strengths and weaknesses is a disaster waiting to happen.
Seeing the COVID Crisis as Disruptive Change
The past year has seen businesses do a lot to shore up their content marketing because of the move towards digital transformation. Times have changed drastically, and in a few short months, companies have started shedding budgets, starting with their marketing departments. With people unable to enter physical locations, more businesses are looking into promoting their online presence, yet are trying to do so in a way that doesn’t require much funding.
This time of disruptive change is ideal for content marketers who want to examine the flow of the market. It costs nothing to observe the direction marketing trends are moving in. Once you can figure that out, it’s merely a matter of applying that knowledge to your own firm to generate ideas that you can then fund.
Increasing Amounts of Delivery and Online Service Delivery
Humans are adaptable – it’s why we’re the dominant species on the planet. Econsultancy has done case studies into companies that are bolstering their content marketing efforts in the shadow of the virus. Branding and content won’t stop just because there’s a global shelter-in-place order. Now, more than ever, content is an essential part of a company’s marketing strategy. Content marketers are becoming an even more in-demand group. If you need a reason to embrace disruptive change as a content marketer, this one is as good as it could possibly get.
