Delivering a Unique Agency Service: Digital-first Strategies for the New Normal

Feb 1

by Dan Ganancial & Stephanie Perozo Bello, Contentful

We live in a new normal. People interact with brands via digital channels more than ever before. Those digital channels act as gateways between customers and businesses — and the businesses that master the art of digital engagement will attract and retain the most customers. Because of this, businesses are looking for partners and platforms that support every dimension of a digital-first strategy.

Doubling down on digital-first strategies

Organizations are expanding their investments into digital production in order to establish, grow and maintain their market position. Marketing leaders predict that businesses will spend even more in 2021 than 2020 on digital marketing. Consumers expect a variety of digital experiences, and they expect them to be connected. The siloed systems that businesses often operate stifle development. Breaking down these silos requires a platform that adapts to business needs.

Digital agencies need to focus on this shift in order to succeed. However, the digital strategies that used to help businesses succeed won’t help them in the next era.

Digital-fast services are the new imperative

Besides adopting a digital-first strategy, businesses need to move more quickly to remain competitive. That means they need to enable cross functional teams to build, execute and iterate digital products at a faster rate. This is the digital-fast approach.

Businesses can’t just talk about being digital-fast. They also need to think about how they’ll get teams together and collaborate effectively, how they’ll rapidly develop and test products, and bring their products to market with engaging digital experiences on every channel. Businesses need a plan and the right tools to achieve their goals.

From operational excellence to scaling experiences

Digital transformation and expansion offer businesses new opportunities to widen their reach. But navigating this development can be overwhelming. In order to develop into a “digital-first” organization, businesses require the expertise and experience of digital agencies to help them get the most out of their digital efforts.

Agencies partner with Contentful for key benefits that include:

Creating your own Intellectual property (IP): By building apps that support your customers — whether it’s a specific vertical or a specific integration or capability you offer — you can easily build your own IP with Contentful's App Framework.
Building repeatable, reusable components for your customers: Your specialty service can easily become an application for your customers that can be replicated and reconfigured for different purposes — whether it’s industry-specific or aligned to an integrated stack. You won the IP and you can repeat it across any customer or instance.
Supporting your customers with a unique approach to content management: With its extensive adaptability, agencies and customization, Contentful helps your customers get started, realise value and performance at the beginning. Rapid prototyping and proof of concepts help to show value and get project approvals.
Sustainable, rapid software development: Start developing applications and experiences for customers instead of maintaining old applications and solutions that don’t scale. Your development resources can focus on adding value and potentially new revenue streams, rather than simply keep the lights on.

The right technology for any digital-first strategy

The new digital playbook is about adopting the right technology and carefully planning how you’ll get your digital products to customers as quickly as possible. Contentful and our partners can guide businesses on this ongoing process. Contentful caters to agile teams, empowers technical and non-technical users, and adapts as businesses develop. We like to think of Contentful as future-proof.

In this digital-first era the focus will be on how agencies can help brands deliver cutting-edge digital experiences with Contentful.