The Future Of Digital Marketing - CEO Interviews (Part #7)

How times fly, it's already the seventh article of my interview series. On a regular base, I interview CEOs or Managing Directors of digital marketing agencies and also senior managers in companies about the future of digital marketing. You'll find the other articles here:?Part 1 ,?Part 2 ,?Part 3 ,?Part 4 ,?Part 5 , and Part 6.

During the last months, I had the chance to discuss with some leaders of digital marketing agencies or executives of relevant companies the impact of the metaverse, artificial intelligence, influencer marketing, or virtual influencers on digital marketing in the future.

And also in the seventh edition of my interview series, I met some really interesting people. It was in every case an inspiring discussion and I want to share the findings in this LinkedIn article.

1.) Frans Riemersma - Founder of MarTechTribe

I met?Frans Riemersma ?(Founder of MartechTribe ) at the Deutsche Marketing Day in Frankfurt. He held a very interesting session about the future of companies marketing tech landscapes and we had the chance for a quick chat about the future of digital marketing.

Here are my questions and his answers:

What will the future of digital marketing look like from your perspective?

Operations will grow and become more sophisticated (with generative AI) and that frees up time to improve customer journeys.

Which tools do we need in the future for effective digital marketing?

We need to get the foundation in place (CMS, CRM< MAP, and CDP) and then have a layer of constant experimentation in place.

Thank you so much for your time and the answers, Frans !

2.) Sarah Yvonne Elsser - Founder of Tech Well Told GmbH

I had the honor to meet Sarah Yvonne Elsser (Founder of Tech Well Told ) at the first Influencer Forum organized by IBM in Ehningen. We had a really nice conversation about influencer marketing and the future of digital marketing.

Here is her view on my questions:

What do you think will the future of digital marketing look like?

With the improvement of content software (e.g. ChatGPT, Neuroflash, Midjourney, Canva, etc.) it’s much easier to create content - even a lot of content in little time. We can and must use the possibilities to generate tailor-made content for every target group and even every concern of the target group more intensively – more “Darwin Communication” instead of a “one fits all” approach. Because the Metaverse(s) will need a lot of new types of content. Target groups need to be guided on the journey between digital and immersive worlds.

What do you think about virtual influencers?

Depends on how "human" they are created. ?? The question is: What’s the value and function of influencers within a marketing strategy? Is it just about generating hype, about reach – it really doesn’t matter if it’s a person or an avatar. If you want to build trust and a long-term relationship with target groups, it’ll be better to avoid avatars for branding your products or company. People trust people, not pixels. This will probably only change when the first "Metaverse Natives" gain purchasing power.

Will social media change with the Metaverse?

Web2 and with it, Social Media was the enabler of the “user-generated web”. With the Metaverse(s), in the future, we will not only have the opportunity to generate content but also make it fully tangible. We’re not limited to looking at a screen anymore, we’ll be able to enter the digital world. There won’t be "platforms for content" or "platforms for business and work", it’ll be a confluence: social media will be everywhere then. More immersive. More experienceable. More sensory. And that means, we have to think content in a new way: How will it smell and feel?

Thank you so much for our short interview, Sarah . It was a pleasure!

3.) Tomas Herzberger - Co-Founder Schaffensgeist

It was great to meet Tomas Herzberger (Co-Founder of Schaffensgeist ) at a Marketing Club event in Frankfurt. We had an inspiring discussion on the future of digital marketing.

Here are my questions and his answers:

What will the future of digital marketing in general look like?

The future of digital marketing will be like the present: there's always a Wild West somewhere (and the Germans complain about data protection). A year ago it was the Metaverse and NFTs, today it's AI and Threads, and tomorrow ... we'll find out. I think trends are overrated. What's important is that we empower more people to do good digital marketing with confidence.

What do you think about virtual influencers?

What is the difference between a virtual influencer and Kermit the Frog? Both are popular but fictional characters who entertain and inform us. What works for children can also work for adults.

Will social media change with the Metaverse?

Social media is constantly changing, but the basics remain the same: it satisfies our innate drive to surround ourselves with people because we are herd animals. Maybe technology will enable us to immerse ourselves even more deeply in the world. But the success of Facebook & Co. is based, among other things, on the fact that you can do it all the time on the side. Without VR glasses on your head. That's why I don't think VR or AR will change social media. But hopefully, meetings and video conferences will.

My perspective is that he's absolutely right about virtual influencers.

4.) Hans?Piechatzek - Managing Director at Move:Elevator

I met Hans Piechatzek (Managing Director at move:elevator ) and interviewed him to get his view on the future of digital marketing.

Here are his answers to my questions:

What will the future of digital marketing look like?

I think we will have a lot of new tools. Our work will be faster and easier. But take care: It is more important to stay relevant. Customer insights will be more important than ever.

What do you think about virtual influencers?

They will come and they will be successful. But to be honest: That is beyond my fantasy. I can’t imagine that I will follow a virtual influencer. But we will see!

Will social media change with the Metaverse?

Of course! VR is coming and people will love it. That’s why VR will also come to social media. But I think, social media is changing anyway. It’s changing from social to entertainment platforms. And VR won’t change that. So, social media is changing anyway. With or without Metaverse.

Thank you Hans for your time and your answers. I totally agree especially on the change in social media. All platforms will change to entertainment platforms!

Summary

I'm really celebrating my format to meet outstanding people in the digital marketing industry and also from other industries! With this interview series, I always get the latest updates and it's really inspiring. In the meantime, I also get requests from some people who really want to contribute to this format. This is awesome!

I hope the interviews and insights I shared are also valuable to you. Please leave your feedback in the comments. I really would appreciate it!

And if you are a CEO or Managing Director in the marketing industry, please drop me a message. I would love to discuss with you the future of digital marketing.

About the author:

Bj?rn Radde ?is Vice President Digital Experience at?T-Systems International? - one of the world's leading vendor-independent providers of digital services. Before he joined T-Systems he was Director Digital Experience at Sabre and Vice President?Digital Marketing at Trust International. In this role, he was worldwide responsible for all digital marketing products?of the company. Previously, Bj?rn was Director of Digital Marketing & E-Commerce at Okanda, an internet startup in the meeting's business, and Head of E-Commerce at the Steigenberger Hotel Group. After studying economics with a focus on online marketing and e-commerce, he initially worked at T-Online International AG and later at Deutsche Telekom AG within the Products & Innovation business unit.