Digital marketing is causing a stir because people start focusing too much on the medium and channel and stop thinking about the message. There are videos for the sake of videos, ads just to have ads. We see it all the time — people add March Madness or Super Bowl references to justify banner ad spends on ESPN.com when their company clearly has no relation to sports. It’s fad marketing.
Technology is a great enabler, but it should strengthen your company’s marketing, not distract from it.
Marketing can make use of technology by thinking about it from two perspectives: the front of the house and the back of the house.
The Front of the House
This is where we usually talk about the digital side of things. Whether that’s an animated infographic or responsive site, the focus is more on what the end user is seeing and experiencing. We want to tap into the viral nature of the Internet. These mediums also make it easier to see very quickly what’s working and what isn’t.
The Back of the House
Companies use back-end systems to support their marketing. Today, that’s marketing automation. Tomorrow, it could be tracking advocacy marketing. Innovations on the back end make it easier for marketers to focus on the strategic side of things instead of just the administrative.
Bringing It Together
I’m going to say it again — technology is a great enabler. It’s there to make your life easier! But it’s not there to muddy your message. It’s not there so your brand can turn into a kid on a sugar high. You can use technology to push the boundaries of how you convey your message, not throw it out the window.
I’m always excited to see new innovations in technology, especially when we get to try new things. I also want to make sure brands get the most from their plans. Bring technology together with your message, and you’ll stay innovative but also maintain that recall and recognition that keeps prospects coming to you.
About Kevin Mangum
Partner and Account Services director at The Starr Conspiracy, the premier full-service marketing and advertising agency dedicated to enterprise software.
Follow Kevin on Twitter or connect with him on LinkedIn.
Related articles
- Marketing is The Most Important Thing – More Important Than Product and Support (thestarrconspiracy.com)
- InfluenceHR: One Day to Transform Your Marketing Strategy (thestarrconspiracy.com)
- The Secrets of The Conspiracy Are Yours for the Taking: 3 B2B Marketing Resources You Shouldn’t Miss (thestarrconspiracy.com)
- Family Matters: Keeping the Marketing and Sales Twins Together (thestarrconspiracy.com)
