Last week, in the heart of New York City, I participated on a panel with several distinguished digital marketing experts weighing in on the biggest trends of 2009 while contemplating what the future may hold for the online marketing landscape. This was the third annual Digital Evolution panel presented by 212, New York's Interactive Advertising Club. I was joined on the panel with experts from DIGITAS, the Digital Broadcasting Group, Circ.us, and Quattro Wireless. Masha Geller, managing partner of Wednesday Marketing Group, moderated the lively debate.
Everything, from the rise of data-driven ad targeting and social media, to episodic online video, mobile, and apps, were discussed in the context of significantly changing media consumption habits. With many companies still scrambling to embrace these new tools as a way to deliver their marketing messages to customers, the panel reviewed some important strategies marketers must employ to keep from falling behind in the ever-changing digital landscape. Audience discovery was a crucial part of this discussion.
One of the most innovative digital trends I've noticed in 2009 are the new methods marketers have to leverage data for better audience targeting and measurement. Advancements in behavioral technology have given marketers the tools they need to truly understand their audience beyond simple Web browsing statistics, like site visits and time spent on a site. Transactional, behavioral and search data can be blended to better define and discover your customer. What's more, the opportunity to leverage offline data like retail transaction history and household-level demographics has created the most effective form of addressable media. Being able to reach a targeted audience rather than investing in the mass distribution of your message will drive better results by precision and cost-savings.
So what's on the horizon for digital marketers? I believe there will be a major convergence of devices leading to new media channels. New technology will essentially combine the PC and the television, creating a whole new channel opportunity for marketers. Consumers will use a single device to access media, read email and chat with friends and family. Devices like AppleTV are already making this a reality and according to a report by the iSuppli Corporation, worldwide shipments of devices with Internet capability will nearly quintuple by 2013. A new report by eMarketer suggests consumers are ready for the digital convergence – "convenient technologies such as smartphones and wireless home networks make such convergence mainstream, and inevitable."
With the level of data available to marketers, they will be able to hone their messages to their customers at the height of the consumer's media engagement. The next 12-24 months are going to very exciting times to be part of the digital space. The wealth of information that is at our fingertips, coupled with the advances in technology, will lead to better interaction and engagement between marketers and their customers.
