Assignment

On

Digital Marketing Scenario of

Bangladesh

Submitted to
Dr.Md. Belayet Hossain
Professor
Department of Marketing
Faculty of Business Studies
University of Dhaka

Submitted By
Al- Amin Shawon
Roll- 253, Sec –A
Department of Marketing
Faculty of Business Studies
University of Dhaka
Submission Date – 11/11/2018

Introduction
At times, the core idea of marketing was simply selling and buying efforts but, with the
passage of time these ideas have been changed now and different creative concepts
and branches of marketing have already been emerged that compel the organizations
to do their business in a different way. Because of the digital technology, the marketing
ideology is shifting towards digital marketing. Moreover, it has been called internet
marketing, e-marketing and web marketing and these alternative terms have varied
through time. But, digital marketing is considered more targeted, measurable and
interactive.
Through digital media, consumers can access information any time and any place
where they want. With the presence of digital media, consumers do not just rely on what
the company says about their brand but also they can follow what the media, friends,
associations, peers, etc., are saying as well. Digital marketing is a broad term that refers
to various promotional techniques deployed to reach consumers via digital technologies.
Digital marketing embodies an extensive selection of service, product and brand
marketing tactics which mainly use Internet as a core promotional medium in addition to
mobile and traditional TV and radio.
Though the concept of digital marketing is still a new one in Bangladesh, nevertheless it
is grabbing people’s attention day by day. Though the growth rate of internet is a
phenomenon for the last couple of years in Bangladesh, the real taste of digitalization is
signified with the approach of 3G technology and now because of the 4G we are having
the better experience.

Digital Marketing
Boiled down to its simplest form, digital marketing is defined in my book Digital
Marketing: Strategy, Implementation and Practice as simply:
"Achieving marketing objectives through applying digital technologies and media."
Digital marketing encompasses all marketing efforts that use an electronic device or the
internet. Businesses leverage digital channels such as search engines, social media,
email, and their websites to connect with current and prospective customers. Digital
marketing is defined by the use of numerous digital tactics and channels to connect with
customers where they spend much of their time: online. From the website itself a
business's online branding assets -- digital advertising, email marketing, online
brochures, and beyond -- there's a spectrum of tactics that fall under the umbrella of
"digital marketing.".
Here, the newly emerging concept of “digital marketing” is a 21st-century approach that
has taken the world beyond the traditional concept of marketing philosophy and so,
innovative thinking, creative idea and global attitude is absolutely desirable

Evolution of Digital Marketing

 1981- First personal computer was launched by IBM
 1986- American National Standard Institute (ANSI) adopted SQL as a standard
 1989- Storage capacity of the computers was 100mb In 1995 the worldwide internet
users reached 16 million
 In 1996 the Americans were reported to spend an average time of 30 minutes online
 In 1998 41% of the users logged in to AOL.com regularly
 In 1998, Google was officially launched
 In 2004 Google goes public
 2007 saw the birth of Iphone.

The 1980s was also the time when companies recognized the importance of harboring
customer relationship rather than just implementing the practice of pushing products.
Consequently, in the year 1986, the customer management company ACT was
responsible for launching the database marketing software for the first time. This
database marketing software was now allowing the storage of a huge volume of
customer information. This was the year when it started to become a practice of
maintaining a database of prospects, customers, and commercial contracts.

It enabled the companies to gain information, store and track their customers like never
before. The only catch here was that the whole process was still manual. Further, in this
period the launch of the personal computers and client architecture brought the
revolution that changed the marketing technology in a decade.

In the 90s, CRM tools became very popular. It can be defined as software that tracked
the interactions, taking place between the current as well as future customers. Sales
Force Automation (SFA) was the early form of the CRM and provided companies the
important information regarding inventory control and interaction tracking. In 1998,
Google appeared. It is now utilized as the most popular web-based search engine. It
plays the most significant role in optimizing Digital Marketing Campaigns and Search
Marketing.

The mid-2000s saw a change in the behavior of the customers as people began to
research their product online using Google and other search engines before the actual
purchase. This behavior left the marketers perplexed as they found it hard to
understand the buying behavior of the customers. Marketo, Act and Pardot companies
were the ones to solve this challenge through marketing automation. Marketing
automation allowed marketers to segment the market, start multi-channel campaigns
and deliver personalized content. This was the first marketing technology devised by
marketers for marketers.

Evolution of Digital Marketing in Bangladesh

The history of internet accessibility in Bangladesh is not up to the mark in comparison
with the advanced world and so, the people of Bangladesh had to remain in the
darkness for a long time because of the non-availability of the service in this part of the
globe. When the question is in digital marketing, it will be beyond our imagination to go
ahead with the advanced world without being the availability of the internet use from the
one corner of the country to the rest of the corner. So, the internet is conside-red as the
heart of digital marketing.
Internet was introduced in Bangladesh in 1993 at December. On that time the use of
internet was not flourished rapidly and the scope was only on e-mail. In 1996 at June
online facilities was ensured by the government. At the very beginning of 2000, there
were sixty thousands internet networks in Bangladesh. In 1996, via the Fiber Optical
networks the inter-cities were connected together. In 2005 on November 22, for the first
time Bangladesh attached with international submarine fiber optical networks.
Digital advertising starts its journey on the year 1990 in Bangladesh and is capable of
capturing the market with this short span of time and promotes the brand globally.
Therefore, digital marketing is undoubtedly one of the key buzzwords in the today’s
business world. Unlike traditional forms of marketing, it involves strategies designed to
engage consumers and drive brand conversation on various digital channels, ranging
from email to mobile applications.

Benefits of Digital Marketing

Digital marketing benefits businesses of all sizes by giving access to the mass market at
an affordable price. Unlike TV or print advertising, it allows truly personalized marketing.
The main advantage of digital marketing is that a targeted audience can be reached in a
cost-effective and measurable way. Other digital marketing advantages include
increasing brand loyalty and driving online sales.
Global reach - a website allows us to find new markets and trade globally for only a
small investment.
Lower cost - a properly planned and effectively targeted digital marketing campaign
can reach the right customers at a much lower cost than traditional marketing methods.
Trackable, measurable results - measuring online marketing with web analytics and
other online metric tools makes it easier for companies to establish how effective their
campaign has been. Companies can obtain detailed information about how customers
use thier website or respond to their advertising. Web analytics can be set up to show
exactly how much money they make from each digital tactic.
Personalization - if customer database is linked to firms’ website, then whenever
someone visits the site, they can greet them with targeted offers. The more they buy
from them, the more they can refine customer profile and market effectively to them.
Openness - by getting involved with social media and managing it carefully, firms can
build customer loyalty and create a reputation for being easy to engage with.
Social currency - digital marketing lets firms create engaging campaigns using
different types of rich media content. On the internet these campaigns can gain social
currency - being passed from user to user and becoming viral.
Improved conversion rates - if a firm has a website, then its customers are only ever a
few clicks away from completing a purchase. Unlike other media which require people
to get up and make a phone call, or go to a shop, digital marketing can be seamless
and immediate.
Enables instant purchase: With traditional marketing, consumers first watch the
advertisement and then find relevant physical store to purchase the products or
services. However, with digital marketing, consumers can purchase the products or
services instantly.

Current Scenario of Digital Marketing in Bangladesh

Over the past several years, from almost oblivion, digital has gained significant
prominence and become a mainstream phenomenon. An increasing number of brands
are now investing in digital platforms ranging from Facebook, local ad networks to
youtube to other platforms. The internet offers new opportunities and challenges for
consumers as well as for marketers. To users, it offers the freedom to choose, which
content they want to attend to, from an abundance of content, unlike TV world.
Digital Marketing in Bangladesh has an influential impact in traditional marketing
strategy, though it’s still struggling to be saturated. Everything is changing - marketing
strategy, buyers spending patterns, purchasing power, etc. in Bangladesh. Now people
would like to shop from home. They are using various websites to get their expected
information, using social media to get info, products, and services along with managing
their surrounding networks. Now people move from one place to another via
Pathao/Uber, shop from Pickaboo, Daraj, ChalDal.com and order food via Food Panda,
Hungry Naki staying at home, get food regarding information from food bloggers
community and information about other products from Google.
47M internet users, almost 25% of total population, more than 4M desktop users using
the internet and 85M which is more than 67% of the population are using mobile internet
using their phones. Digital Marketing in Bangladesh based on Facebook actually,
because more than 7.2M Facebook users exist who use Facebook daily, whilst other
countries implement digital marketing through the website, social media or others more
or less.
Companies now focus on digital platforms to build awareness, engage with their
customers and potential customers and build lasting relationships with them. As a result
every company now focus on doing their marketing activities on social media platform
like Facebook and YouTube. Companies now also understand the need of their own
platform where people can go and know more about them. That’s where website comes
in because users would go to website after seeing the products and other
communications.
Companies have also invested in SEO optimization and applied other techniques so
that people can easily find them out.

Opportunities of Digital Marketing

However, Bangladesh is a developing and over populated country, that has high
potentiality for the successful implementation of digital marketing. It exports a significant
amount of foods, non-foods and garment products to overseas. It can expect an
attractive intrusion of digital marketing technology. Having performed reasonably well in
almost all leading businesses and the industrial sector in the current decade,
Bangladesh, unfortunately, has not yet performed satisfactorily in the field of online
trading and e-commerce. Many companies have established their own websites but
there is a much difference in launching a website and doing business online through
web. Most of the businesspersons of our country do not use Internet very much for
commercial purposes.
E-Tourism: The tourism industry at first focused on utilizing computerized systems to
increase efficiency in processing of internal information and managing distribution. E-
tourism reflects the digitalization of all processes and value chains in the tourism, travel,
hospitality and catering industries. At the tactical level, it includes digital marketing and
applies ICTs for maximizing the efficiency and effectiveness of the tourism organization.
It came up with Beautiful Bangladesh TVCs that generated unprecedented responses
from audiences.
Export Sector: With the recovery of global economy from recession, Bangladesh’s
export trade has been performing better. Exporting of electronic equipment and
technological software contributes in our economy. So, it is necessary to develop e-
business Park to ensure the economic growth.
Expatriate Employment and Remittances: Foreign markets always seek the
expatriate of ICT. People having the knowledge of technology and internet always have
the opportunity to participate in economy by brain draining to other country. Govt. needs
to initiate computer and technology courses compulsory in education.
Banking Sector: Although all commercial banks have started following automation
system, online banking system through ATM, local credit cards, online service,
automation payment and EFT is available in the selected area only. So in the banking
sector digital marketing can make more contribution.
Entertainment Sector: Entertainment business based on Internet is not available in
Bangladesh till now. Web radio and TV may offer a new way for delivering services to
the customers. Recently, Internet radio is available but they are not familiar to the
masses and thus lose the opportunity to do business

Special Economic Zones: EPZ is triggering the economic growth; govt. needs to take
the steps to make the operational activities through internet. If EPZ is fully digitized and
e-procurement is ensured then the supply of the goods can be done without delay.

Health sector: Different hospitals and clinics can provide online medical services by
their best medical officers and doctors at fees that are paid in online. On line reservation
of different hospitals needs to ensure for proper service.

Music Industry Sector: There are only a few online music shops in Bangladesh who
sell music, videos. In this sector there is great chance to introduce digital technology. By
using this technology, people can buy music, videos at their convenience using credit
card and online payment.

Publications Sector: Education sector in Bangladesh is advancing with the passage of

time. If books are digitized student can buy them using internet at lowest possible prices
using credit card. Publication of different books and article is now easy for the publisher
because of the advancement of digital technology.

Agricultural Sector: Agricultural sector needs to make strong by developing web sites
enriched with different process, systems, and particulars of agricultural products.
Ordering of agro product through e-mail will make the transaction faster and importer
can give the order to the middlemen immediately.

Industry Sector: Rapid and sustainable development and social progress essentially
call for industrialization in an economy. Industrial sector needs to be properly web
based and internet based then the business will grow rapidly. The industry sector has,
therefore, got to play a critical role in this regard. The contribution of this important
sector to Bangladesh economy has been on the increase.
Telecommunications Sector: Telecommunication sector is an attractive sector in
Bangladesh. About 4 crore people in this country are using mobile phones. As a result if
digital services are introduced in large scale there will be a significant growth.

How Mobile Marketing Fits Into Digital Marketing Strategy

Another key component of digital marketing is mobile marketing. In fact, smartphone
usage as a whole accounts for 67% of time spent consuming digital media in
Bangladesh, while desktop-based digital media consumption makes up less than half..
This means it's essential to optimize the digital ads, web pages, social media images,
and other digital assets for mobile devices. If a company has a mobile app that enables
users to engage with the brand or shop its products. The app falls under the digital
marketing umbrella, too. Those engaging with a company online via mobile devices
need to have the same positive experience as they would on desktop. This means
implementing a mobile-friendly or responsive website design to make browsing user-
friendly for those on mobile devices. There are lots of ways to optimize digital marketing
assets for mobile users, and when implementing any digital marketing strategy, it's
hugely important to consider how the experience will translate on mobile devices. By
ensuring this is always front-of-mind, companies will be creating digital experiences that
work for their audience, and consequently achieve the results they’re hoping for.

Mobile marketing creates a great opportunity for mobile commerce in the country.
CellBazaar is a mobile application provided by Grameenphone, Bangladesh’s largest
mobile operator. E-pay system introduced by bangle link, e-bill system by Robi are the
common system that help to expand business and commerce. Mobile banking has been
started in the country very recently by Dutch- Bangla Bank Limited. Bkash is introduced
by BRAC Bank Ltd to transfer money to anywhere in the country. Now the consumer
market is strong enough that easily paves the way to expand business.

Challenges of Digital Marketing in Our Country

Bangladesh is a developing country. Most of the people live in the rural areas of our
country. They do not have access to modern internet technologies. The infrastructure of
Bangladesh is not up to the mark. As a result, the development of digital marketing
becomes tough. As the digital marketing is computer, internet and specialized software
driven media of business, organizations normally face many problems in operating
business and transacting through internet. Many of these constraints are endemic
across the business sector and demands major reforms through strong political
commitment and an ability to implement policy changes. A list of specific constraints to
digital marketing that policy makers can address in the short and medium term is
summarized below-
 1. Internet facilities are not adequately provided.

2. Infrastructure like towers and communication network hubs are not well
established.

3. Absence of a strong independent regulatory body for the telecommunication

sector.

4. Lacking of providing digital marketing educational facilities.

5. Shortage of supplying electricity.

6. Absence of encryption law that precludes acceptance of digital signature.

7. Strong dependence of Letter of Credit to conduct international transactions.

8. Non-issuance of international credit cards for cross border transactions.

9. Interest rate ceiling on export loans

10. High price on computer and computer equipment

11. No legal laws for cyber terrorism.

12. Small number of credit card users.

13. Limitations of supportive legal systems. Such as exchange controls protection of

telecommunication monopolies, restrictive trade practices and prohibitions.

Conclusion
With an increasing number of consumers spending a major portion of their day on their
computer or smart phones, more of these digitally savvy users prefer taking control of
their digital user experience and outcomes. Digital marketing brings the greatest
advantage for the consumers by allowing them to make comparison among products or
services by different suppliers in cost and time friendly way. Consumers don’t need to
visit a number of different retail outlets in order to gain knowledge about the products or
services. It is very time saving process in this competitive age. By taking the advantage
of digital marketing, business owners can attract their prospects, clients and followers to
take action, visit website, read about products and services, rate them, buy them and
provide feedback which is visible to everyone. A business can target audience
anywhere in the world from one digital marketing campaign. So it doesn’t take long for
good publicity to enhance the prospects of a business. Digital marketing can also create
many job opportunities and contribute in the national economy. Bangladesh is emerging
as a digital outsourcing hub for diverse services including online advertising, social
media, website design and development. It is the time to bring all stakeholders including
government, business, advertisement agencies, media and technology players under a
same platform to promote digital marketing practices in Bangladesh.

References

Present Scenarios, Opportunities and Obstacles of E-Business in Bangladesh by Md.

Moktar Ali, Rafiuddin Ahmed, Arifur Rahman.

https://www.nibusinessinfo.co.uk/content/benefits-digital-marketing

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/digital-marketing-bangladesh-pijush-kumar-saha/

https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/what-is-digital-marketing

roopokar.com

http://www.theindependentbd.com

https://www.thedailystar.net

https://www.scribd.com