The potential to completely transform your digital marketing using any combination of these five emerging technologies is not to be underestimated
Technology and marketing go hand in hand, and more so than you might think. If it were not for the technological advances in the 1980s and the emergence of databases then relationship marketing would not be possible.
Of course, not only marketing technology but the entire world as we now know it would be a vastly different place had search engines such as Google, Yahoo, and Ask not arrived in the 1990s, which manifested the beginning of search marketing.
Then we saw the age of mobile take hold with the emergence of 3G mobile networks and the arrival of the smartphone in 2007 with Apple’s first iteration of the iPhone, now a truly ubiquitous technological advancement that has changed the lives of millions of people.
Now here we are in 2016. In the…
Digital marketers could face a double whammy on top of the finally agreed EU data law.
A parliamentary Select Committee has announced it wants the Government to introduce much stricter data laws that go beyond the recently announced EU law - General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
In its fourth report subtitled 'The Big Data Dilemma' (PDF download, no registration), which has just been announced (10th February), the Science and Technology committee wants the UK Government to go further than the forthcoming EU data, which will itself dramatically increase the ability of the ICO to impose larger fines for data breaches.
Downloading the 52 page report explains a lot more than the MPs thoughts on how regulations should change. It also gives a lot of detail on context and the opportunities for Big Data from a commercial perspective. This makes it essential reading for any one responsible…
How considering the latest trends can help you stay ahead of the competition
2015 was an exciting year in the world of search engine optimization and social media marketing. These two fields are constantly evolving, with plenty of changes that prompt shifts in consumer and marketer behavior. In order to succeed, you should adapt to these changes and employ the latest and most effective strategies. The following are 15 social media and search engine marketing trends in 2016 and what you should do to stay ahead of the curve:
1. Mobile optimization is a must.
Last year, mobile generated more traffic than desktop and laptop search. With virtually everyone using their smartphone or tablet to find information online, it goes without saying that business owners must cater to the needs of their mobile audience to generate leads and increase conversions. If your website still isn’t optimized for mobile, then you risk losing out…
Why Your Marketing Department Needs a New Marketing Plan and Marketing Budget — and Some Templates to Get You Started
Managing a marketing department often means having to prove that your marketing budget is money well spent. Since the ROI of marketing isn’t always obvious, it can be easy to get caught up in the never-ending cycle of reacting to analytics and reports. Chasing visitors, followers, subscribers, leads and sales can become a game of chasing fleeting metrics instead of thoughtfully executing a plan to accomplish the big-picture goals of your marketing department.
[si_guide_block id="66555" title="Download Expert Member resource – Marketing budget spreadsheet template" description="This Smart Insights budgeting spreadsheet template has been created to provide a comprehensive checklist of modern marketing activities you need to budget for including managing digital experiences (mobile and web), content marketing-led campaigns and traditional offline channels."/]
This is a problem that can be solved with two vital documents:…
Convincing "the boss" of the need for bigger digital marketing budgets
Those of us who would describe ourselves as ‘digital specialists’ have a vested interest in evangelizing digital; we love it, we believe in it and we want to do more. However, working in real-world organisations, we need to make the business case to convince those who control the budgets that we require to implement our digital plans.
In this post I'll give some ideas on making the business case to the company owner, finance or marketing managers. Of course, every boss has a different personality. What works for you?
Otherwise change won’t be fast enough and the effectiveness of our marketing activity is likely to decline as consumers or business customers switch to new platforms; we risk “missing the boat”.
The reality is that “The Digital Revolution” has not resulted in whole new…
The top CRM systems for investment companies to consider
Today, the majority of investment advisor firms have indicated growth as their business priority. The advisory firms prioritizing growth intend on achieving the development primarily by adding new clients organically. Advisers interested in customer acquisition inevitably face operational challenges that can threaten their ability to serve customers. However, by implementing best-of-breed software, investment advisory organizations can grow assets while improving the quality of service they deliver to their customers. A fully integrated customer relationship management solution is the most powerful tools these companies have at their disposal if they want to grow. However, when it comes to selecting the right CRM software tool for the advisory firm, an important question must be answered: Which CRM system will fit your investment business the best?
When it comes to CRM software that was not specifically designed for the company, but is being used by investment…
Technology is advancing at such a rapid pace and many businesses are struggling to keep up.
In recent years, the introduction of 3D printing, intelligent robots and self-driving cars are all facilitating a technological change that is happening at lightning speed all around us. As soon as authorization has been passed, installation occurred, implementation process finishes and users are comfortable using a solution; predictably a shiny new thing appears on the horizon and the process has to start all over again.
Bruce Weinelt (Head of Digital Transformation at the World Economic Forum) highlights how industry “is being driven by a staggering range of new technologies that are blurring the boundaries between people, the internet and the physical world. It's a convergence of the digital, physical and biological spheres.”
But what is Digital Transformation?
"Digital Transformation” has had a variety of definitions, some useful, some…
Discuss and find out the latest news in our new Community feature.
Long time users of Smart Insights, might remember 'Digital Marketing Answers' which was a forum for asking questions which we and other members would answer. It was a great way to find out what you wanted to know and covered questions from how to develop a digital strategy to SEO techniques to recommended qualifications to the best insights or stats sources.
It was used regularly by members, so seemed a great way to find out what you wanted to know and to enable sharing of issues not always discussed well.
However, the tech we built it in 3 years ago was no longer fit for purpose since it wasn't mobile responsive and it was a bit clunky in places. So we have now relaunched a new members' community - we look forward to answering your questions - Dr…
The opportunities of the GDPR for Digital Marketers, and a preview of the legislation itself (PDF download)
What lies at the heart of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), or EU data law, is that the current level of consumer opt-in consent used in nearly all consumer contact will not be sufficient under the new regulations. It will render data unusable, or there is the prospect of proposed fines running to tens of millions of Euros. Also, the consent terms used when seeking consumers’ permission for the collection and use of their information will have to be far more clearly defined. This article reviews the implications for marketers of the GDPR concluded on 15th December 2015 with the final agreement defined at the Data protection Trilogue negotiations which took place between the European Commission, European Parliament and Council of Ministers.
Key components of the GDPR
GDPR covers areas such as personal…
Use predictive modeling to give your campaigns an edge over competitors
The Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization’s 2015 State of Search Industry Report provides several valuable insights derived from both marketer and agency practices over the past year. The most useful conclusions center on three forms of advertising: paid search, social media, and display media.
In general, marketers were more confident in managing paid search advertising efforts in-house, whereas social media advertising was a responsibility better left to outside agencies. This shows how marketers are often more comfortable managing “tried-and-true” tactics as opposed to navigating the more complex and fast-paced landscape of social media advertising.
Throughout the report, a continuous theme emerges regarding success in measuring return on investment. For a paid search campaign, it’s a relatively easy task because the data and tools used to properly interpret those data are…
