A lot of changes are taking place especially when it comes to technology and so does in terms of marketing, which is now more focused and interactive. The changes are driven by the use of information technology and web 2.0 tools, which enhances online collaboration triggering modifications in community, traditional corporate and social brackets, and communication. But one thing that has not changed is human behavior. As always there are early, and late adopters. It is not good or bad, it just is the way it is, always has been and always will be. This is why as we enter a new era of digital marketing we will continue to see interactive marketing trends move at the pace of human behavior and adoption rates.
What this means is that now that all the early adopters have tried the latest Web 2.0 technology tools, and people understand social media marketing, like it or not, marketers like MarCom New Media, a Los Angeles interactive marketing agency, can get down to business and do what we do best — help our clients market themselves, get leads, and do more business. The latest news is about using mobile internet for marketing, but since only a few have this kind of technology it is safe to say that only part of the population is prepared for this kind of move. But that doesn’t mean we can’t help some of our clients get ready, by brainstorming and building the apps that will bring in the customers once everyone does have a smart phone.
After spending the last 25 years being a marketing professional, it is amazing to view new ideas and strategies and watch everyone go with the current trend. Half the time, there is a weeding out process, and only the best of breed concepts remain as effective strategies and tactics. There are new buzz words to call what humans have all been doing forever – socializing. We learn from the mistakes that people commit, which then give birth to a new breed of techniques and online reputation management experts.
The truth is – not all the latest Web 2.0 tools and social media marketing strategies and tactics work for all businesses. Apart from website optimization and SEO, integration of numerous back links to the original website is also needed in order benefit from Google. Content building, article writing, and link building to propel a website rank higher in Google are just some of the services we did for our clients in the past year being search engine optimization consultants in Los Angeles. Although Twitter can be beneficial for local organic lunch truck or for Hollywood personalities, there are some businesses that need more than this. Facebook still has yet to prove itself as a true business commerce application. Blogging can be a big help to search engine optimization as long as you see to it that you post contents two or three times each week.
Marketers have always used the four Ps in marketing for the last two centuries and these Ps are product, promotion, place, and price. Experts from thought leading agencies like Ogilvy say we are now shifting to a four E template: experience, everywhere, exchange and evangelism. Ten years ago every company has its own official website, which is part of its marketing strategy then five years ago SEO became the hottest trend followed by blogging, and then two years ago it was social media marketing that ruled the industry. From sending messages we now build a community where clients can interact. At present it is now easier for marketers and consumers to interact and trade information and with the use of the internet and high technology more and more people are being drawn. Evangelism is growing stronger as is crowd-sourcing.
Collaboration is mandatory for the future of digital delivery. The media has been gearing up for this. The basics will be used again but this time in a digital age where the measure of success involves the efficient use of marketing tools. This year at MarCom, a Los Angeles interactive marketing agency, we believe that 2011 will go down as the year of interactive marketing, and the favorite tool will be video. Marketing using videos is no easier because of the numerous syndication opportunities and tolls that will enable you to spread your videos faster and wider to people who have the same interests as yours. And as social media refines itself to the business world, and mobile marketing gets ready for the future, there are certain marketing basics that have not and never will change, and they are: know thy audience, know thy competitors, and know thy key messages. Why is this? Because the future of marketing will still require these building blocks before marketers can use the Web 2.0 tools to get their messages out.
Nevertheless, some things have changed permanently. Most consumers are now participate in the process of success or failure of products and services that we as marketers are promoting, so companies will always be in beta development mode – and in the end products and services will get better. Social consciousness is here to stay, with full disclosure. People now get paid for value and not just time, so investment marketing might just flourish. Skills will be sharpened and jobs will become competitive because with online training, learning is easier.
What this all leads up to is that marketing processes will continue to change as mass collaboration seeds itself in a digital world, enabling marketers to market one-to-one, to people who will continue to have special interests, preferences, and likes and dislikes, just like they have for centuries.
