The only constant in digital marketing is change.
One thing was apparent at the Digital Summit, digital isn’t slowing down anytime soon, and neither are marketers. With 45+ sessions, 1,350+ minutes of content, and 30 exhibitors, the amount of content is a bit overwhelming. So we at Adthena thought we would share with you some of our key takeaways from the show that attendees, and non-attendees, can bring back to their bosses.
Key Takeaways
1. Emerging Tech: Artificial Intelligence is Mandatory
Over the years, AI has become more prevalent. It has now become mandatory for companies that want to stay competitive & up to date in the market. New uses of AI continue to be engineered. For example, Emotion AI, uses a combination of voice data, machine learning & emotion recognition to capture behavioral signals which can predict future actions of a person (i.e. will he or she make a purchase?)
Sessions: “Artificial Intelligence is Mandatory” (Rodrigo Andrade, FNC IT); “Using Behavioral Signals From Voice to Predict Customer Intent” (Rana Gujral, Behavioral Signals)
2. Emerging Tech: Sonic Revolution
Sound is a powerful tool. It can influence human memory, emotion & behavior. As smart speakers & voice enablement become more prevalent, marketers can expect audio & voice to be a part of the customer path to purchase.
Session: “So You’ve Joined the “Sonic Revolution” . . . Now What?” (Gabe Tartaglia, Pandora)
3. Employee Advocacy Programs: Build trust & extend social reach
Employee Advocacy Programs boost organic social media reach, they have 10x more reach than their company’s corporate account. On social, people tend to trust and engage with employees rather than the corporate branded account.
Sessions: “Building and Growing an Employee Advocacy Program” (Casey Hall, Lumberjack Social); “What Marketers Can Learn About Social Media from DJ Khaled and Drake” (Carlos Gil, Gil Media Co.)
4. Keynote Speaker: “FOMO is a KPI”
Beverly Jackson, VP of Social Strategy at MGM, shared how to create a content strategy that drives FOMO through social. To create FOMO, you need content that inspires. By using real-time content & influencer marketing, Beverly’s team is able to create urgency & desire to be in the moment. By social listening, Beverly’s team can react to social activity in real-time before it’s no longer relevant.
5. “The only constant in life is change”- herealitus
As digital marketers, we need to be proactive. Do your research and recognize where the opportunities are within your industry. The CMO Survey asked “who’s implementing machine learning in their marketplace?” Across all industries, only 1 – 2.5 out of every 7 companies are implementing AI. BUT when you break out the responses by industry, the adoption rate increases for: Education, Energy & Health Care.
Session: “Seven Habits for Highly Successful Digital Marketers” (Matthew Capala, Alphametic)
6. “The Feng Shui of Modern Email”
To Feng Shui your emails, you need to first Marie Kondo them (aka clear the clutter). Focus on simplifying the copy, writing in the active voice, add an abundant amount of white space, use one CTA per email, use responsive designs or eye catching animation.
Session: “The Feng Shui of Modern Email” (Jen Capstraw, Iterable)
7. Memorable Vendor: Adthena
Remember to schedule a meeting with Adthena! Adthena was handing out some pretty awesome Adthena socks, and raffling off a Tom Brady Jersey (aka the GOAT). They showcased their search competitive intelligence solution, that provides brands with the competitive data they need to optimize their digital strategy. Their AI solution provides 24/7 insight into our competitors actions on Google, including brand protection, market entry, strategic advantage, & campaign optimization.
About Adthena
Founded in 2012, Adthena is the world’s most advanced competitive intelligence platform for paid search advertising, processing over 10 terabytes of new data, while indexing 500 million advertisements and 200 million keywords in 15 different languages every day. Powered by its AI-driven Whole Market View data set, Adthena’s carefully designed solutions of Market Entry, Campaign Optimization, Strategic Advantage and Brand Protection help marketers target and reach consumers that matter the most to their business according to their business objectives. Globally, Adthena works with more than 250 clients across 184 different business sectors, including finance, education, gaming, automotive and technology. Brand customers include Autotrader, Air New Zealand, Atlassian, Citibank, Burberry, Toyota, and Volvo. Agency customers include media specialists like GroupM and channel-specific paid search experts like iProspect. In addition, Adthena is the winner of several leading industry awards — including the Search Engine Land Awards, Stevie® Award for Customer Service, and European Search Awards, among others.
