In the early 2000’s it seemed there was a straightforward line in the sand separating individuals who understood Internet Marketing from those who did not. Folks were either stuck in the print era (traditional media), or they recognized and embraced the efficiencies that digital marketing had begun to deliver.
Today, the paradigm is nowhere near as clear-cut. There are still the folks who remain focused on traditional media. It’s interesting, since so much emphasis has shifted online; direct mail for example seems to have found a new lease on life. With fewer pieces in the mailbox, it’s easier to get noticed.
That said, Internet Marketing has evolved in such a dramatic way that individuals who have not stayed current are no longer speaking the same language as those who have grown and adapted. Whether you are an in-house marketer or on the agency side, it’s imperative to maintain a functional knowledge of the tools and channels that are proving successful. These are not easy tasks when there is endless information to consume, changes to Natural Search algorithms and emerging channels to test (and only so many hours in the day).
Terms like Social Analytics, that weren’t remotely on people’s radar a year ago are becoming vital components of the online marketing tool chest. Instead of a shotgun approach to Social Media, Social Analytics enables organizations to create a hierarchy of social tactics based on what’s actually driving revenue. The building blocks of Internet marketing keep stacking up. If you aren’t investing the time along the way, you will be missing critical steps in the learning curve.
Lastly, if you’d like to learn more about Social Analytics, please feel free to download to the 30 minute Google Analytics webinar we released last week.
