Digital Arts Marketing for Cultural Consumption and the Strengthening of e-Cultural Tourism. Examples from Greece and Germany

Digital marketing is a dynamic process with multiple benefits for organizations, highlighting a new consumer-centered economy. The objective of this cross-national study is to analyze the digital communication strategy of four cultural organizations in Greece and Germany and examine the impact of digital marketing on cultural consumption. The authors studied two visual arts museums and two performing arts organizations in each country: the National Opera and the National Gallery-Museum of Alexandros Soutsos in Greece, and the Old Opera Frankfurt and the Pinakotheken in Germany. Both qualitative and quantitative research tools were used for the analysis of the data. Through content analysis of websites and social media posts and interviews with the organizations’ communications officers, effective digital communication strategies and areas for enhancement are identified. A comparative quantitative audience survey was also carried out using two digital questionnaires, one assigned to each country. Based on the findings of the research, it is evident that digital marketing via websites and social media is crucial for cultural management professionals in order to achieve effective two-way communication with the audience. Although the four cultural organizations studied have managed to significantly integrate the digital marketing into their communication strategy, there are still areas for improvement. The key to fully harnessing the potential of digital marketing as an interactive and community-building mechanism, targeting local residents and international audiences (e-cultural tourism) lies in attentively listening to the needs and desires of the audience.