The influence of digital marketing on cultural consumption. Case studies from Greece and Germany

Abstract

This cross-national research examines the digital communication strategy of four cultural organizations in Greece and Germany and attempts to study the influence of digital marketing on cultural consumption. In order to include both visual and performing arts in the research dataset, the authors examined two performing arts organizations and two visual arts museums: the National Opera and the National Gallery-Museum of Alexandros Soutsos for Greece and the Old Opera Frankfurt and the Pinakotheken for Germany.The methodology includes both qualitative and quantitative tools. Content analysis of websites and social media posts, as well as interviews were conducted, aiming at highlighting good practices as well as points that need improvement. A comparative quantitative audience survey was conducted through two digital questionnaires, one for each country. According to the results of the qualitative and quantitative data, it becomes clear that digital marketing through websites and social media is the key in the hands of experts for optimal two-way communication with their audience, while the more they listen to the needs and desires of the audience the closer they will be to fully unleashing the power of digital marketing as an interactive, community-building mechanism.