Top 5 Digital Marketing Resolutions for 2011
It's absolutely imperative that digital marketers stay ahead of the game in the ever evolving digital marketing arena. And 2011 is no different. As customers turn to Facebook, Twitter, mobile and email more than ever, it's key to meet them where they are to engage in conversation and capture opportunity.
As you develop a digital marketing plan for achieving your 2011 marketing goals, here are our top 5 resolutions to help you stay current and surpass your goals.
- Engage with an audience of one. In 2010, we discussed the importance of one-to-one communication. Marketers can use retargeting, segmented email, and social media to have individual conversations with customers based on specific preferences and behaviors. This year evaluate ways to have more meaningful dialogue with your audience and be prepared to see the return in 2011.
- Leverage social media effectively. With 500 million Facebook users, 75 million Linkedin users and 175 million Twitter users, marketers know that social media can't be ignored. But that doesn't mean they know how to leverage it's critical mass effectively. Driving engagement is key. Use different channels to engage your audience and be sure to integrate appropiately with other complimentary digital tactics
- Integration. Implementing individual tactics can drive decent results, but why not drive incremental returns? By integrating digital marketing tactics you can increase awareness and ROI. Use email to promote blogs, allow email content to be easily shared, and encourage your audience to subscribe on your social platforms. By understanding how email, social, mobile, search and display all work together you will be a step ahead in 2011.
- Give them what they want. Know your audience and what they want to consume. Different personas have unique perspectives and levels of engagement and dialogue. Allow your customers to tell you what they want and then deliver! Honor customer preferences and segment your audience.
- Leverage User Generated Content. User-generated content is a real concern for marketers. People want to read reviews on products and services from their peers, not from the brands that are trying to sell. This year, make this resolution a priority and leverage this content - whether it be responding to your brand's mentions on social sites or taking advantage of the search implications from this fresh and oft-updated content.
What's on your top 5 digital marketing resolutions for 2011?
Comments
The key to using social media in your marketing strategy is to know how to actually use it. The whole point of social media is to communicate and interact with your audience. Make sure to provide content that will keep them interested and coming back for more.
Great insight, Nick. Check out this post from Kyle on ways to engage with your audience and keep them coming back: http://www.marketerinsight.com/online-marketing/coupons-social-media-engagement/
Eric,
Some Great tips looking forward to hearing some more golden nuggets at CPCC May 18th 2011. If People would just realize that Social Media is great for breaking the ice, a meet & greet if you will, but if they don’t provide relevant content of value that the viewer is looking for and establish themselves as an expert in their niche and develop a relationship with them as a trusted business person they will never engage them as a client. Social Media is just one piece of the ever changing world of SEM.