Is Marketing Changing?

I am preparing for a Marketing Communications off-site this week and thinking about the future of Marketing. I’ve done quite a few blog posts on my pet topic of FinTech, but not many on my chosen career – so thought I’d share a few quick thoughts and trends that have been on my mind:

• Growth hacking? – I’ve noticed the phrase ‘Growth Hacking’ being repeated online over the last few months, typically in relation to silicon valley start-ups launching apps. I won’t go into as much detail as this very good blog (https://marketingland.com/growth-hacking-is-bull-69635) but my opinion is similar in that it seems to be giving a glossy new name to some long-established marketing best practices (which is good marketing for those selling Growth Hacking guides!).
• The rise of the empowered Consumer/Buyer – having said that some things are really the same as they always have been, it’s clear that buying patterns have been radically changed by the Internet. Now everyone seems to do ‘their homework’ before buying a car, holiday or scooter – rather than trusting it all to a sales expert.
• Content, content, content – Given the previous theme that everyone seeks to research before making a decision, it is now incumbent on companies of all sizes to be able to provide useful and interesting information (and the more visual the better). Lay on the sales/marketing schtick too thick, and you’ll put off the reader – who will seek out the competition instead to be informed and enlightened, rather than bored and hassled.
• Earned content vs paid content – Many firms now have content marketing strategies, chief editors and cutting-edge geo-targeted advertising/search strategies, and are looking to drive readership on their own sites rather than on established media sites. I wouldn’t describe this as an either/or situation – the clever answer is to partner with the right sites to engage their readers and share original content across both platforms to the benefit of all. However, given that there is now such a tsunami wave of content out there, it’s necessary to invest in the right skills to build your own unique and engaging brand voice that others are keen to learn from and share.
• Social marketing – In my industry, social marketing is still taking baby steps. Though the fact that there are so many platforms mean that niche interests can flourish (the Ultra Low Latency Direct Market Access group on LinkedIn for example has 13,000 members), and new voices can more easily be heard (check out the very interesting London FinTech podcast). SWIFT is now approaching 21,000 followers of its LinkedIn profile - which is double the number we had nine months ago - and this is through a lot of hard work to keep pushing out good content to inform our community. I think overall, B2B social marketing is still in its infancy, yet I am still surprised when I find out that people are not aware of some of the core functions and benefits of using tools like Twitter and LinkedIn for news and networking.
• Don't get blinded to the basics - Sure, new forms of technology and communication are arising every day, but taking the time to get to know your community in person and create 'real-world' touchpoints is never going to go away. This is why our Sibos event continues to draw 7k+ audiences, and we continue to put on regional events to engage the financial community around the world.

So, is marketing changing? I think it is, and always has. And I think that it’s more important than ever to keep up with the changes. A marketer today needs to be a unique mix of a journalist, a web guru, a designer and a product strategist. Personally I still find it all fascinating and am keen to see what’s around the next corner.