The nature of our work, especially as a digital marketer, has continued to evolve at an unprecedented pace. Companies are getting bigger and marketing strategies are evolving at accelerated rates. Three major areas of change are Mobile, Programmatic, and social media advertising. Marketing strategy has taken a significant turn, as well. In years past, the marketing strategy was primarily to stay top-of-mind with the consumer through various media outlets with the planning and strategy being done once per year and tweaked as needed without much change. In today’s economy, with consumers at the wheel, a marketing strategy must resemble customer service more than a marketing campaign.
Mobile Advertising has changed the game for consumers and businesses alike. According to analyst estimates, by 2019, mobile display ads will account for nearly 40% of all digital display ads – that’s nearly $15 billion.
Programmatic ad buying in combination with hyper local targeting is widening the possibilities for marketers. Programmatic is allowing marketers to reach pinpointed audiences on the devices they use the most. This sophisticated technology and data analytics provides unparalleled insights for marketers.
Social media moves fast, so marketers must be smart about the programs and strategies they implement. Social media is capitalizing on “now moments” and has a tremendous impact on how consumers interact and view brands. Utilizing social media as an extension of the customer service plan or policy is the best way I know of to expand on customer experience.
The message is this: everything is changing at an increased rate. Technology for automobiles, homes, and shopping continues to change marketing strategies. Moving forward, the goal is to get in the mind of your primary audience to make the consumer experience memorable. Utilizing the three options above can help in the constantly evolving marketing strategies. The days of planning once and being done are over. Today’s marketer must be consistent and relevant in the “now.”