Changing the Marketing Mantra in a Digital First Economy

What worked in 2005 and in 2010 will not work in today’s hyperconnected, click-obsessed, snapped in real-time, digital economy.

In this article “This Year in Clicks 2016 as Read Online“ Valley News Web Editor Maggie Cassidy reviews readership performance in 2016 from an interesting perspective – one that can apply to many of us. 

The fact is that the internet in all of its fragmented and hyper-fast glory happened to quickly for most of us to catch up. It has also made marketing more efficient than it has ever been. The digital economy has given us the ability to hyper target, personalize, and some say, predict the needs of our customers. 

It has also given us the tools to know exactly what tactics are working to achieve brand awareness, reach and sales.

As Maggie Cassidy says in summarizing 2016 Valley News reader performance:

“My mantra is that the Valley News doesn’t need to be the first website to get the news; it needs to be the first website to get the news right — that is, accurately, fairly, and done well — and the stories on our top 10 list for page views did that for readers.”

Changing the marketing mantra to adjust to the Digital First economy will allow for continued innovation and growth. I can guarantee that the Valley News 2016 Mantra for success looked very different in 2010, and even in 2015.

The “Digital First” economy has had an impact that is far reaching. Business management, sales, marketing, customer relationship management, human resource management, Journalism, politics, and education have all been impacted.

• Entrepreneurs and small businesses have access to a global audience. There are no limits to a target audience with the ability to sell, ship and communicate anywhere.
• The general population can now create and share news as it happens, without filters or time to produce stories around it.
• Learning and innovation has become easier and less expensive to access than ever before.
• Accuracy in the delivery of messaging has become more efficient, more effective and less expensive.
• Metrics and data are real time which allows on the fly optimization and adjustments – as well as accuracy in measuring ROI.
• Anyone can write a book, Blog or create content to publish.

With all that the Internet and mobile connectivity has done to change consumer behaviour, we must re-define the goals and expected results for optimal performance and success. 

Re-define the mantra and find what your business needs to do to pivot into success and results in increasing awareness, reach, sales – and ultimately what your brand stands for.