Why Digital Marketing is Chemistry
According to Britannica, Chemistry is defined as...
"Chemistry is the branch of science that deals with the properties, composition, and structure of elements and compounds, how they can change, and the energy that is released or absorbed when they change."
Why would I call Digital Marketing chemistry then?
According to Investopedia...
"Digital marketing is the use of the Internet, mobile devices, social media, search engines, and other channels to reach consumers."
But Digital Marketing is not just about reaching consumers, but also nurturing them and converting them into paying customers.
When someone sees an ad online, they click on it. They click on it because they think that the ad might lead to something they want. The motivation to click on the ad is driven by chemicals. The chemical reaction happens inside the biological system of the person clicking on the ad.
If I run an ad for a digital marketing course, the person clicking on it has an aspiration to learn digital marketing. The inbuilt aspiration makes them respond to the ad. They feel that this specific product and brand that is being advertised can help them reach their goals.
After they click on the ad, they further enter their name and email ID. Personal data is being given away in the hope of receiving something useful in return. Like a free ebook or a free video. The hope, the motivation to give the lead information, the motivation to open the email and then click on the link - everything is driven by chemicals, inside the person's body.
Our internet user X is now looking for indicators of trust in the brand. He is looking for social proof such as reviews and customer testimonials. If he/she feels that the product that is being sold by the brand is genuine, a transaction is made. A most chemical reaction happens at this point. When they make the transaction. It is done with hope, faith, and trust.
The activities done by the user in the funnel (again, a usual item found in chemistry labs) is driven by chemistry.
Chemistry is also about managing the energy released by chemical reactions. If the energy is managed and "reinvested" properly, it can continue the reaction. Sun emits energy because of chemical reactions. Stars emit energy because of chemical reactions.
A marketing funnel generates profits at the bottom of the funnel due to chemical reactions (inside the user's biological system). If the energy released by this reaction is reutilized properly, the reactions can be perpetual. Perpetual energy release is what makes a profitable marketing funnel, and hence a profitable business.
When the energy is released (profits are made), it can be reinvested into ads to reach further users on the internet, and create more chemical reactions in their system. If the chemical reactions produce more energy (more sales and profit) then the chemical reaction cycle can continue impacting more people and creating more chemical reactions within them.
Some chemical reactions keep going on like a perpetual flame. Some chemical reactions die off and become dormant.
Startups die when they fail to continue producing the chemical reactions inside more people. That's because their reactions are not producing a net positive energy output (like spending more on customer acquisition than the revenue given by the customer).
Some stars shine for 1,000 years. Some stars die off and implode. That's how startups survive. And that's how startups die.
It takes time to find the right amount of each compound to mix to make a successful chemical reaction. Similarly in a startup, it takes time to find the right market, the right message, the right product-market fit, and optimize the product experience in such a way that the whole reaction produces a net positive energy output.
And once everything is optimized to the right extent, an explosion happens. Explosions don't happen by adding more of everything. They happen by adding the right mix and the right quantity of things. Isn't it?
Cheers,
Deepak Kanakaraju
P.S. This post is inspired by Breaking Bad.