Marketing in the Digital Age - Adapting to Changing Consumer Behavior

The digital age has transformed consumer-brand interactions, requiring a nuanced grasp of evolving digital consumer behaviors and expectations for effective marketing strategies. This study aims to investigate changing consumer behavior influenced by digital technologies and marketing. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted involving 204 respondents engaged in digital marketing technology. Self-administered questionnaire was distributed via Google Form through various social media platforms and emails, and collected data was analyzed using SPSS version 25. The findings revealed pervasive influence of digital platforms, with 79.9% awareness of digital marketing concepts and 94.1% making online purchases after encountering digital advertisements. Informed decision-making is found evident, as 86.3% review product information before online purchases, and 84.3% express trust in information from blogs and websites. The study found that the consumer perceptions of digital marketing, revealing positive sentiments towards content, satisfaction with social network marketing, and the role of digital media in aiding decision-making. The study highlights the significant impact of digital marketing on consumer behavior, emphasizing the need for businesses to strategically leverage social media, enhance online product information, and tailor marketing approaches to align with diverse consumer preferences.

The digital age has transformed consumer-brand interactions, requiring a nuanced grasp of evolving digital consumer behaviors and expectations for effective marketing strategies.This study aims to investigate changing consumer behavior influenced by digital technologies and marketing.A descriptive crosssectional study was conducted involving 204 respondents engaged in digital marketing technology.Self-administered questionnaire was distributed via Google Form through various social media platforms and emails, and collected data was analyzed using SPSS version 25.The findings revealed pervasive influence of digital platforms, with 79.9% awareness of digital marketing concepts and 94.1% making online purchases after encountering digital advertisements.Informed decision-making is found evident, as 86.3% review product information before online purchases, and 84.3% express trust in information from blogs and websites.The study found that the consumer perceptions of digital marketing, revealing positive sentiments towards content, satisfaction with social network marketing, and the role of digital media in aiding decision-making.The study highlights the significant impact of digital marketing on consumer behavior, emphasizing the need for businesses to strategically leverage social media, enhance online product information, and tailor marketing approaches to align with diverse consumer preferences.

INTRODUCTION
In the last decade, Internet strategies have rapidly evolved, prompting users to adapt their online behaviour in response to current challenges (Saura et al., 2020;Urban et al., 2001).These adaptations have given rise to new habits and behaviours in the digital realm, which is increasingly characterized by personalized strategies to attract new users (Reyes-Menendez et al., 2019).In the digital landscape, where companies need to comprehend their users and consumers online, fundamental business models operating on the Internet should encompass strategies such as user experience, influencer marketing, user-generated content, and electronic word of mouth (Saura, 2021).
The data generated by users through their activity on social networks, websites, digital platforms, or interactions with multimedia elements that are part of companies' digital marketing strategies provide valuable information about the demographics, geographical data, interests, or lifestyle habits of users (Dwivedi et al., 2019).Companies must analyse this data to appropriately segment advertising and propose digital segmentation strategies that align with user behaviour in this digital ecosystem (Kietzmann et al., 2011).Based on the analysis of such data and Internet user behaviour, companies are increasingly striving to understand the factors influencing users' online decision-making.These factors include influences among users on the Internet, reviews or opinions, personal experiences of close friends, and various other factors and interactions that can occur in digital environments such as social networks (Gursoy, 2019).
Moreover, there is evidence that users' customer journey is evolving, with digital advertising and the ease of making purchases in digital environments playing a significant role in influencing customer behavior (Demmers et al., 2020).It is crucial to understand how these changes in user behavior should be adapted, considering both the users' perspective, including factors related to privacy and data processing, and the perspective of companies that need to adjust their digital strategies to capture and generate leads to retain online customers (Grewal & Roggeveen, 2020;Herhausen et al., 2019).The advent of digital technologies has revolutionized the marketing landscape, impacting how businesses engage with consumers (Saura et al., 2020).As consumer behavior undergoes continuous transformation in response to these advancements, marketers must adapt their strategies accordingly.

LITERATURE REVIEW
Digital marketing has revolutionized the marketing landscape, influencing both large corporations and small enterprises.It has not only transformed how products are showcased by advertisers but has also reshaped consumers' purchasing behaviour.Various factors, including quality, value, price, brand, features, and satisfaction levels, impact customer buying decisions, serving as a crucial link between firms and customers (Gulve, 2021;Venugopal & Swamynathan. C, 2016).Analysing these factors becomes imperative to comprehend customer needs and behaviours, as purchasing decisions significantly affect a company's sales.Therefore, there is a pressing need to study the diverse aspects of digital marketing and their impact on consumer purchasing choices.Hence, this study aims to investigate changing consumer behaviour influenced by digital technologies and marketing by identifying consumers' perceptions of the influence of digital marketing on consumer decision-making.

METHODOLOGY
The descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 204 respondents representing consumers who engage with digital marketing technology in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal.A diverse sample of consumers across various demographics were selected to ensure a representative understanding of changing consumer behaviour.Self-administered questionnaire was used to collect the data thorough Google form shared through different social media platform and emails.The data collection time was given from 2nd October to 21st November, 2023.The individual consent was taken before collecting data where participants above 18 years were included.The collected data was entered into SPSS version 25 for analysis where univariate analyses such as frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation were performed at 95% confidence level and 5% error.The internal reliability test was done where Crone Bach Alpha was 82.2%.The table 1 shows that the majority falls within the 26-35 age group with 54.4% male, majority hold a Bachelor's degree (54.9%), 52.0% were employed and 50.0% of the participants have an income of 100,000 NPR and above.The table 2 presents that the majority, (79.9%) are aware of the concept of digital marketing, and 94.1% have made online purchases after encountering digital advertisements on social media, underscoring the pervasive influence of digital platforms on consumer behaviour.The inclination towards informed decision-making is evident, with 86.3% reviewing product descriptions, blogs, websites, and reviews before making online purchases.The majority, 84.3%, express belief in the credibility of information sourced from blogs, websites, and reviews.Interestingly, 61.8% acknowledge that digital channels such as social media and advertisements have impacted their online purchase decisions, with an additional 34.3% expressing uncertainty.Social media emerges as a predominant influencer, with 67.2% citing platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok as significant, while 31.8% are influenced by E-Commerce websites.Regarding satisfaction with online purchases, a considerable 50.5% express satisfaction, 38.7% remain neutral, and 8.3% are very satisfied.Notably, participants overwhelmingly own smartphones (98.5%) and prefer social media ads (92.6%) as their primary digital marketing channel, emphasizing the centrality of these platforms in shaping consumer behaviour.The table 3 presents that social media ads emerge as a compelling force, with 54.9% expressing a very likely likelihood to purchase and a mean of 1.59, indicating a generally positive sentiment.Email marketing, with a mean of 3.03, demonstrates a balanced response, where 29.9% find it likely, while 27.5% remain neutral.Influencer marketing, with a mean of 2.61, garners a favourable reception, as 40.7% deem it likely.Search engine ads exhibit a similar balanced impact (mean = 2.83), with 34.3% likely and 34.8% neutral.Display/banner ads, with a mean of 2.66, elicit positive responses, as 38.7% find them likely, and video ads, with a mean of 2.22, prove particularly impactful, as 51.0% express a likely likelihood to purchase.Table 5 shows 54.9%, strongly agrees that social networking sites are a preferred avenue for gaining knowledge about products, services, and brands, with a mean of 1.54 indicating a favourable sentiment.Satisfaction with social network marketing is prevalent, as 64.7% agree, contributing to a mean of 2.12.The content showcased on digital networking sites is deemed interesting by 54.9%, yielding a mean of 2.18.Digital media sites are recognized for enabling information sharing, with 64.2% in agreement and a mean of 2.08.Ease of expressing opinions about brands on digital networking sites resonates with 55.9%, contributing to a mean of 2.14.Consumer tendencies towards impulsive buying are explored, revealing that 41.7% admit to irrational purchasing when encountering better offers, resulting in a mean of 2.51.Similarly, 41.7% opt for the bigger, potentially more expensive option when given choices, contributing to a mean of 2.52.Disliking multiple offer options from a favourite brand is expressed by 41.7%, resulting in a mean of 2.51.A substantial 45.1% subscribe to all their brand's pages to stay informed about new offers, with a mean of 2.39.Intentions to repurchase the same brand are prevalent, as 50.5% agree, resulting in a mean of 2.25.The interaction with brands' social media aiding in decision-making is acknowledged by 55.4%, contributing to a mean of 2.10.Lastly, the desire for repeated purchases is expressed by 52.9%, with a mean of 2.37.

Digital Marketing and Consumer Decision-Making
The findings from this study offers valuable insights into the dynamics of consumer behaviour, preferences, and perceptions within the surveyed demographic.The predominance of individuals in the 26-35 age group, with a significant representation of males, holding Bachelor's degrees, and being employed, provides a demographic context that suggests a technologically engaged and potentially economically active population.The high awareness (79.9%) of digital marketing concepts and the substantial majority (94.1%) making online purchases after encountering digital advertisements on social media underline the pervasive influence of digital platforms on consumer behaviour.This aligns with the broader trend of the digital era, where online channels play a crucial role in shaping consumer decision-making (Stankevich, 2017;Zhang et al., 2018).The inclination towards informed decision-making is notable, as evidenced by 86.3% of participants reviewing product information before making online purchases.This emphasis on information-seeking behaviour is a crucial aspect for marketers to consider when designing digital marketing strategies (Saura et al., 2019), highlighting the importance of transparent and detailed product information (Darma & Noviana, 2020).Social media emerges as a powerful influencer, with 67.2% citing platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok as significant.This finding underscores the need for brands to strategically leverage social media platforms to engage with their target audience effectively (Kietzmann et al., 2011).The preference for social media ads (92.6%) as the primary digital marketing channel further emphasizes the centrality of these platforms in shaping consumer behavior.The likelihood to purchase influenced by digital marketing channels, as depicted in table 3, provides nuanced insights.Social media and video ads stand out as particularly impactful channels, with high percentages expressing a likelihood to purchase.This indicates the effectiveness of visual and interactive content in driving consumer engagement and purchase intent (Kietzmann et al., 2011;Omar & Atteya, 2020).Table 4 sheds light on the perceived impact of digital marketing on consumer decision-making.Participants strongly agree that digital marketing enables rapid consumer attention capture (71.1%) and provides detailed product information (78.4%).The positive sentiment towards digital marketing's role in facilitating increased sales, brand image enhancement, and constant engagement further underscores its strategic importance for businesses (Gulve, 2021).Table 5 delves into consumer perceptions, revealing a strong preference for social networking sites as a source of knowledge about products, services, and brands.The high satisfaction (64.7%) with social network marketing indicates that consumers value and appreciate content delivered through these channels.The inclination towards impulsive buying behaviours (41.7%) and preferences for larger, potentially more expensive options (41.7%) highlight the need for marketers to craft compelling offers and emphasize the value proposition to capture consumer attention effectively.A comprehensive understanding of the digital landscape is essential for businesses aiming to connect with and influence consumer behaviour (Venugopal & Swamynathan.C, 2016).Additionally, marketers should consider the diverse preferences and tendencies, including impulsive buying behaviours and the desire for larger options, to tailor their approaches and offerings effectively.As the digital landscape continues to evolve, staying attuned to these findings can empower businesses to adapt and thrive in the dynamic consumer market.

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
In conclusion, this study provides valuable insights into the digital landscape and consumer behaviour among the surveyed demographic.The prevalence of digital platforms in influencing consumer decisions is evident,

Table 1 .
Socio-Demographic Information of the Respondents

Table 2 .
Digital Marketing and Social Network Usage

Table 3 .
Likely to purchase after engaging with digital marketing channels

Table 4 .
Digital Marketing and Consumer Decision-Making