How to stay up to date with the never ending changes in the digital marketing landscape
There are over 8,000 tools available for a marketer to use in their toolkit in 2021. As the world of digital marketing and these tools are constantly changing, it is important to keep up to date with the latest developments in order to keep your marketing activities as relevant and effective as they can be. However, finding the time can seem impossible. To help, we have listed a range of useful digital resources that marketing professionals can use to keep up to date with the latest digital trends and all the ever changing technology.
The following thought leaders keep abreast of all the changes and post on their websites and social media channels regularly. By following these platforms via whichever means you prefer you will enhance your awareness and be educated daily, even multiple times daily, so that you can take corrective or reactive action to make sure your marketing strategies and tactics are responsive to the many frequent changes – changes in how the algorithms work, changes in the latest features introduced by various platforms, changes in the rules and legals that we should all be abiding by and more.
There is one school of thought that suggests that each new feature introduced by a platform has priority in the algorithm of that platform – therefore keeping abreast of the lastest advancements and brand new elements can potentially help you reach more of your current audience and indeed a new audience if you are amongst the first to try out or indeed adopt these new features. This approach can also help your business stand out in what can be a very crowded communications space.
Must-Follow Thought Leaders for marketing practitioners as curated by Watson & Co. Chartered Marketing: –
Social media today keeps you in touch with the latest social media trends as they are constantly changing – from new updates to new features and indeed new tools. For example the online platform announced that Instagram has recently launched Instagram reels to rival TikTok. Twitter has also launched visual tools in fleets with stickers and Twemojis.
The online platform holds live Twitter chats with the hashtag #SMTLive for you to get involved in online discussion on different social media topics twice a month.
They also have a newsletter which provides various tips and advice on how to improve your overall online presence, which is beneficial for marketing practitioners working in the constantly changing digital world.
Search engine journal provides marketers with the most up to date insights, news and information on the current trends to do with websites, search engines and social media.
Search Engine Journal recently published a blog announcing that Twitter will soon launch a new feature called Super Follow, which will allow users to monetise their tweets. This will enable users (or indeed some users such as news and media brands) to earn revenue from their own content. Search Engine Journal also released a blog writing about LinkedIn launching new features for company pages which will help to drive engagement with employees.
E consultancy publishes content on the whole digital marketing spectrum which can help businesses to achieve their objectives. This online platform shares well- researched data on ecommerce trends and marketing tips that each marketer can benefit from knowing.
For example, blog posts include a “A Day in The Life,” series which allows people to gain a better insight into the role of analysts, founders and marketers. A recent blog also offered tips on how marketers can maintain momentum with their Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) and content strategy.
The Hootsuite scheduling platform also provides advice and learning to marketers.
As well as advising on how to best schedule social media posts in advance this online platform has released research and tips into how Facebook algorithm works for your business. Some of their insights include the best time to post content online.
The Hootsuite blog also publishes research on the top Facebook and Instagram updates that all social media marketers need to know about. This, in itself, can enable early adopters in the marketing profession to get ahead of their competitors with new trends for example.
Hubspot claims that they cover everything you need to know about inbound content marketing. You will not only find useful information and insights into how businesses can grow their sales enquiries and indeed sales but you are also provided with advice on how to build your online presence on specific social media platforms. Topics include marketing, sales and service.
Hubspot recently published a blog post on YouTube user demographics, which found that 70% of viewers bought from a brand after watching content on YouTube. Hubspot Marketing also released research on agile email marketing which can help businesses to send their emails faster and reduce spam emails.
Smart Insights by Dave Chaffey:
Smart Insights provides daily advice and updates on digital marketing which can help businesses to build a better online presence.
A recent blog published by Dave Chaffey provides statistics on clickthrough rates (CTRs) comparing display ads to paid social and Google Ads clickthrough rates (CTRs). In 2020, median clickthrough rates (CTRs) for ads on Google Search decreased from 2.5% to 1.55%, this was lower than it was in 2019.
Target Internet by Daniel Rowles:
Daniel Rowles podcasts are published via a blog on his website. For example, he has recently published “Digital Marketing Episode 187 – Strategic Positioning and Brand Purpose,”.
The Digital Marketing Trainer who has delivered workshops in Belfast on a number of occasions also offers a free digital marketing toolkit that highlights useful tools for digital marketers. The toolkit is organised in different sections: data, insights and blogs, search, social media and content, email, automation and personalisation, online advertising, mobile and analytics. Tools to help practitioners with social media content creation include Canva for example.
Social media examiner provides important data and tools that social media marketers would benefit from knowing about.
The blogs help businesses to stay up to date with the constantly changing social media world and to learn new strategies, tactics and tips.
This includes introducing the reader to new tools such as Substack that helps online users monetise their content and the blogging website Revue which was acquired by Twitter in the beginning of 2021.
According to the social media examiner, 96% of marketers take part in social media marketing, however 85% do not obtain clear knowledge on the best tool to use for each marketing activity.
The Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM):
Professional marketing institute CIM helps marketers to keep updated with marketing themes, news and case studies. It also offers professional membership and trusted ‘Chartered’ accreditation.
As well as a membership magazine called Catalyst that members receive in the post or access online CIM also publish useful content via their various social media channels and ezines. They recently published tips on how to improve your social media stories in four simple steps and how to make stories in each platform stand out.
The Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR):
Professional PR industry body provides effective advice to increase knowledge on many different topics related to communications.
For example Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) published a blog detailing five vital tips for successful social media management including the importance of carrying out research and being clear on a purpose.
Next Steps:
Subscribe or simply click ‘follow’ on your choice of platform for each of the above thought leaders and benefit from receiving notifications, first hand, that alert you to tips, advice and new features in the digital marketing landscape.
To find out more information on how you can access free online learning to enhance your digital skills check out Training Matchmaker and Make It Click for hundreds of useful signposts.
Some helpful learning signposts include:
- Learn Instagram with Instagram
- How to optimise your business’ Facebook page
- The 6 best social media platforms for your business
- Master social media
The founder of Watson & Co. Chartered Marketing – Chartered Marketer Christine Watson is a learning facilitator on the Google.org funded Make It Click programme by charity Good Things Foundation. Aspiring learners can sign up to Make It Click for free, using the TrainingMatchmaker.com learning centre no: 8003411.
We have a vast array of other learning resources, ultimate guides, step by step guides and we may just return to this blog to signpost further as and when we come across more valued Thought Leaders.
We also offer practical 3 hour social media marketing workshops that are designed and delivered by a Chartered Marketer. If you’d like to chat to us about booking us for a workshop or to brief us to create and deliver a bespoke training and mentoring programme with your team we’d be delighted to hear from you – get in touch here.
As always anticipate updates and changes to this blog post – the landscape constantly changes, new entrants are likely a sure thing and google spiders do indeed like us to update our blogs – it reassures the search engine that when they are presenting our content to ‘searchers’ that it is relevant, valuable and up to date.
Blog created by Marketing Trainee Frances Mc Ardle with the support and guidance of Chartered Marketer Christine Watson – founder of Watson and Co. Chartered Marketing.
Creation Date: 10 March 2021
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