Some interesting findings from BlueKai’s study on data-driven marketing strategies. I thought it especially fascinating the movement of importance when it came to the most relevant cross-channel/cross-platform opportunities. While search engine marketing continues to be key, it dropped significantly. I believe that’s due to Google’s hiding of keywords and tightening of their algorithms killing the SEO industry. Marketers have shifted back to looking at the big picture on what’s having the most impact on revenue rather than chasing keywords and ranking.
I also was happy to see email jump into the top 5 and social dropping. Email marketing is a 20 year old industry – ancient on the Internet and not too sexy. But Marketing Automation platforms (like our sponsors from Right On Interactive) are bringing sexy back with highly optimized data-driven marketing efforts. Social is still a viable strategy, but companies know that email marketing is an imperative when it comes to push marketing and retention!
Great to see video given attention as well! Costs have dropped and expectations for video have increased. We’re pushing all of our clients into developing video libraries (we now have a Marketing Video page!) and putting them front and center on every single page of their site. Check out the 10 Kinds of Explainer Videos from our advertiser Yum Yum Videos for some ideas!