Digital marketing is not going away so those in the business need to find a way to stay relevant and adopt to new ways of reaching their consumers . As the video above references we can no longer create something and hope it works. We need to understand our consumers, create engaging content, understand digital channels, and know that our consumer will interact with us across devices (Mustafa, 2014). The question that remains, is how do we stay relelveant?
There are three major ways that marketers can learn how to adopt a new approach.
1. Active learning
2. Technology conventions
3. Listening to consumers
The first, I call active learning. This includes reading relevant materials from credible sources such as Mashable, watching online videos, and reading relevant articles. Mashable provides various selections about the trends in social, technology, and marketing. It is a global media company that “informs, inspires and entertains the digital generation” (Mashable.com, n.d.). I learn a lot about how some brands do things well, or how some do not. When evaluating marketing strategies I am guided by what I have learned on this site. I find that I am a more educated marketer because of what is shared on Mashable.
In order to learn more about digital advertising I also turn to online videos, such as the one at the beginning of this blog, to learn more. There are so many savvy digital marketers that truly understand this space, and we can learn from one another in short videos. I turn to Marcus Mustafa as inspiration.
The second, technology conventions such as South by Southwest interactive (SXSW) allows marketers to collaborate. SXSW self-describes themselves as “an incubator of cutting-edge technologies and digital creativity, the event features compelling presentations and panels from the brightest minds in emerging technology, scores of exciting networking events hosted by industry leaders and an unbeatable lineup of special programs showcasing the best new websites, video games and startup ideas the community has to offer. From hands-on training to big-picture analysis of the future, SXSW Interactive has become the place to discover the technology of tomorrow today” (SXSW Interactive, n.d.).
I have attended this conference and walked away invigorated and feeling like an expert. I took the time to go back to my company and help educate them on the emerging trends, and help them understand where to allocate media resources.
Finally, listening to the consumer. Today social media offers us the ability to have two way conversation between brands and consumers. In my experience, listening to customer feedback can help us as marketers understand if the message the brand intends to convey is the message that is heard; if it is not, then the marketing needs to be improved, the target audience changed, or a fundamental product change is needed (Social Times, 2015)
Marketers have all the tools they needs to remain
relevant in the digital world by continued education, learnings from others,
and from listening to our consumers.
References
Mashable.com. (n.d.). About . Retrieved from
Mashable: http://mashable.com/about/
Mustafa, M. (2014, August 29). Build A Digital Strategy
in 5 Steps. Retrieved from D&AD:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgwrnjVRHRw
Social Times. (2015, July 22). What Brands Can Learn
from Customer Conversations on Social Media. Retrieved from Social Times:
http://www.adweek.com/socialtimes/what-brands-can-learn-from-customer-conversations-on-social-media/623872
SXSW Interactive. (n.d.). About the 2016 SXSW Interactive
Festival. Retrieved from SXSW Interactive:
http://www.sxsw.com/interactive/about
