The main topic or major theme in both of these articles: Social Media.
I have always found Social Media to be almost controversial when talking with marketing students/marketing professionals. Everyone has a strong stance on a very specific direction on it and what makes the debate even more complicated is that it is still a fairly new medium that has a specific form, but still changing. I understand that the last part sounds a little odd, the fact that it has a form but is changing, but that is the best way I can describe the state that Social Media is in.
Before I go on I want to specifically say that my view points on Social Media were different than some of my professors and even some of my classmates. I am a person who believes that the marketing world and public relations world are starting to collide in many ways. With the way Social Media Marketing is heading, or at least where I believe it is heading, there is going to be more contact with the consumer and more urging the consumer to participate in advertising. I could honestly go more in detail in this section on my thoughts, but I will return to the point of the articles and explain my opinion in regards to the two articles.
The first article that I came across was entitled Marketing Trends for 2014 written by Zach Heller. In Heller's article, he only focuses on three trends. They are:
- Segmentation and Data
- Integration
- Social Media
My coworker was right. None of these concepts are new ideas or they shouldn't be new concepts, but Heller's explanation of them are what sets them a part.
The Segmentation and Data portion wasn't stating that marketers aren't using this, if so that would be a HUGE fallacy, but is mentioning how it will be something that all companies can do without spending an arm and a leg. With all the data that is out there, especially with all the trackers on online platforms, marketers will be able to better focus and be able to become effective.
The second trend that Heller mentions is Integration. As a person who graduated with a degree in Integrated Marketing Communications, I'm all over this one. I could go into so much detail on this subject and how this is such a key thing, but Heller states it best when saying:
I believe that 2014 is the year we turn the corner, at least the smart companies do. We will create campaigns that incorporate all the individual channels and manage them together, as one unit. All of the pieces will support the larger goal of connecting with more consumers and generating more sales. And we will measure these campaigns as a whole as well, instead of trying to separate out the response generated from each component.The third trend is Social Media. I LOVE the fact that Heller says that spending money on Social Media just because you can is coming to an end. More Social Media sites are moving towards monetization, which throwing money towards these sites just because a company can is not going to work (not that it worked in the first place). This really means that companies are going to have to evaluate what they are doing and deciding which site to spend there time and resources on. It is forcing companies to actually have a strategy with their pages and not having these empty and useless pages (I know and understand that there are many companies who will not make this transition and will still have useless pages. This is why not all companies are necessarily considered 'Smart').
This article really validated my thoughts and opinions, which is a major reason why I am writing a blog about it and sharing it.
Now the next article that I came across was Social Media Doesn't Drive Sales...But That's Not The Point written by Tara Hunt. The main reason I even clicked on this article was because I said something along this line during my last semester in April. I am so happy that the title pulled me in, because I enjoyed this article. There were many good points such as marketing is not a cure all (I have experienced this at my second internship. My boss hired me thinking that Facebook and Events that she didn't want to put effort into would save her non-profit. Those situations are just so frustrating, especially when you are trying to explain how just creating a page is not going to lead to brand awareness) and advantages that Social Media Marketing has built into them.
Hunt, just like Heller, had three points at the end that focused on features that Social Media has:
- Analytics
- Feedback
- Relationships
If one was to say that social media is the only way to go with marketing, I would say no. It's not that Social Media is the only way to go, it is how your company is utilizing Social Media; it's how your company is leveraging their Social Media pages; it's how strategy and thought is being put into your Social Media Campaign; and it's how your company's Social Media pages are being integrated with your company's entire marketing strategy.
I have always believed that Social Media is not a cure all, but I don't believe that many have been utilizing Social Media in the best way. It's almost as if people are becoming complacent with the idea that creating a Social Media page is a marketing strategy, which is far from the truth.
What we need to do is break out of this mindset and get into the mindset of integration and being okay that Social Media is NOT a direct marketing technique, but is more of a public relations function. We need to be okay that marketing and public relations are becoming integrated. If we can do this then we can change the way marketing is done.
We
will create campaigns that incorporate all the individual channels and
manage them together, as one unit. All of the pieces will support the
larger goal of connecting with more consumers and generating more sales.
And we will measure these campaigns as a whole as well, instead of
trying to separate out the response generated from each component.
Read more at http://www.business2community.com/marketing/marketing-trends-2014-0691545#Gb0ZD4O2uJLK5Qsm.99
Read more at http://www.business2community.com/marketing/marketing-trends-2014-0691545#Gb0ZD4O2uJLK5Qsm.99
We
will create campaigns that incorporate all the individual channels and
manage them together, as one unit. All of the pieces will support the
larger goal of connecting with more consumers and generating more sales.
And we will measure these campaigns as a whole as well, instead of
trying to separate out the response generated from each component.
Read more at http://www.business2community.com/marketing/marketing-trends-2014-0691545#Gb0ZD4O2uJLK5Qsm.99
Read more at http://www.business2community.com/marketing/marketing-trends-2014-0691545#Gb0ZD4O2uJLK5Qsm.99
We
will create campaigns that incorporate all the individual channels and
manage them together, as one unit. All of the pieces will support the
larger goal of connecting with more consumers and generating more sales.
And we will measure these campaigns as a whole as well, instead of
trying to separate out the response generated from each component.
Read more at http://www.business2community.com/marketing/marketing-trends-2014-0691545#Gb0ZD4O2uJLK5Qsm.99
Read more at http://www.business2community.com/marketing/marketing-trends-2014-0691545#Gb0ZD4O2uJLK5Qsm.99
We will create campaigns that incorporate all the individual channels and manage them together, as one unit. All of the pieces will support the larger goal of connecting with more consumers and generating more sales. And we will measure these campaigns as a whole as well, instead of trying to separate out the response generated from each component.
Read more at http://www.business2community.com/marketing/marketing-trends-2014-0691545#Gb0ZD4O2uJLK5Qsm.99
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