Thought starters for 2023

It’s been a wild year. In the world of digital marketing, we are facing a seismic shift from a decade-long status quo:

1. The media landscape is fracturing. The advantage held by Facebook (now META) and Google is being eroded by the likes of Tik Tok, Apple, Discord, Quora, and even Marriot Hotels! This will force us marketers to accelerate and build on our multi-channel strategies. Here’s to being agile!
2. Search is changing - TikTok usurped the mighty Google as the leading search platform for Gen Z, and audio search is growing (In 2022 27% of search was voice on mobile!).?
3. Analytics and Attribution are increasingly complex and filled with errors. GDPR, POPI, and the drive to secure individual data protections will continue to make that ‘one source of truth elusive.

2022 has been a year of change, and 2023 is set to follow the same trajectory. Although there will be many moments of chaos and upheaval, I am reminded of my favorite quote by John F Kennedy:?

“The Chinese use two brush strokes to write the word 'crisis'. One brush stroke stands for danger; the other for opportunity. In a crisis, be aware of the danger–but recognize the opportunity”

I trust that in 2023 each of these shifts will bring with them big opportunities for success.

If you need help in navigating any of these, don’t hesitate to reach out.

Light Holiday reading alert!

I’ve compiled some of my favourite links and resources from this year for you to enjoy.

1. Twitter can be a hit and a miss for me, but 2022 was the year that content creators got their groove back and the platform has transformed from a death-scrolling time waster into a compelling font of knowledge and learning. Ross Simmons (himself worth a follow) has compiled a list of marketing experts to follow, and it’s definitely worth checking out 100+ Marketing Experts To Follow On Twitter (2022)
2. LinkedIn had a great year, and there has been a tremendous movement towards more engaging, people-centric content on the business-minded platform. If you haven’t incorporated or evolved your LinkedIn strategy for your team or personal brand, now is the time to do it. Why? Simply put, LinkedIn has 2-10% organic reach, vs >1% for Facebook.?
3. Analytics find of the year: Personally I’m a huge fan of Hotjar for user analytics, but this year I discovered a FREE (no cost) alternative in Microsoft Clarity. Instant Heatmaps (with no page limitation!) and user recordings, all bundled in an easy-to-use interface make this a great tool to explore.
4. Best book I’ve read this year? Opportunity by Eben Pagan. It’s a light read but paints a very compelling picture of Eben’s perspective on opportunity: how to recognize it, how to find more of it, and how to make it work for you.

Enjoy your festive period, and see you in the new year!