Stay current in digital marketing with 9 practical tips from the Marketer’s Handbook. Elevate your strategies today.
Marketers need to keep up-to-date and think critically (and strategically) about what any change means, but every change doesn’t reset your aptitude to do your job to ‘zero’ either.
Tadhg O’Connell, Head of Product at the Digital Marketing Institute
Introduction
Are you grappling with the ever-evolving landscape of digital marketing? You’re not alone! In a world where change is the only constant, marketers must adapt to stay relevant. Here, we’ll explore nine simple yet effective ways to keep your digital marketing skills up-to-date and your strategies on point.
1. Develop a Solid Marketing Strategy
Before diving into the tactics, start with a well-crafted digital marketing strategy. It serves as your guiding light in the ever-changing digital realm. A robust strategy helps you understand your customers, identify effective digital channels, and make data-driven decisions.
Benefits of a digital marketing strategy include improved efficiency, insights, productivity, audience knowledge, and increased ROI. Conduct thorough research to set clear objectives and outline timelines, budgets, and KPIs. Adapt your strategy as needed but use it as your blueprint for direction.
2. Subscribe to Newsletters
Email newsletters remain invaluable sources of information. They allow direct communication with your audience, especially as privacy concerns impact other channels. Some noteworthy marketing newsletters include The Daily Carnage, Digiday, Convince and Convert ON, The Morning Brew, Neil Patel, Google Think, Marketing Dive, Search Engine Land, Really Good Emails, The Mention Memo, and hi, tech from Clark Boyd.
3. Stay Informed with Online Publications & Blogs
Numerous online publications and blogs offer a wealth of content, from articles and podcasts to toolkits and guides. Bookmark these resources to stay updated. Consider using RSS feeds or email subscriptions for convenience. Examples include Econsultancy, Adweek, Marketing Land, eMarketer, TechCrunch, Digital Marketing Institute, Fast Company, HubSpot, Moz, SEMRush, Search Engine Watch, Orbit Media, Copyblogger, and CoSchedule.
4. Harness the Power of Social Media
Social media is an excellent tool for communication, engagement, trend monitoring, and competitive analysis. Platforms evolve, but many changes won’t drastically affect daily tasks. Use relevant hashtags to categorize content effectively. Platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok offer unique benefits for marketers.
5. Utilize Google Alerts & Trends
Google Alerts is a free tool to monitor news and industry updates. Create alerts for keywords, influencers, industry leaders, and brand mentions. Google Trends analyzes search queries’ popularity and provides insights into trending topics. Use both tools to stay informed.
6. Explore News Aggregator Apps
News aggregator apps compile web content, including blogs, newspapers, videos, and podcasts. These apps save time by consolidating content in one location. Consider apps like Associated Press (AP), Google News, Feedly, Pocket, Flipboard, and Reddit.
7. Attend Conferences
Industry-specific conferences and trade shows offer opportunities to learn about the latest developments. Attend in-person or access recordings and social media updates if physical attendance isn’t possible. Popular conferences include SXSW, Content Marketing World, Search Marketing Expo, Social Media Marketing World, and Web Summit.
8. Tune into Podcasts and Webinars
Podcasts provide valuable insights from industry experts. Explore shows like Ahead of the Game, Gary Vee, Social Media Marketing with Michael Stelzner, This Old Marketing, Unthinkable, Everyone Hates Marketers, Supermetrics, Marketing School, Hard Fork, and more. Webinars offer real-time learning and interaction.
9. Keep an Eye on Competitors
Monitor your competitors’ digital strategies without crossing ethical boundaries. Conduct digital competitive analysis to understand their tactics, strengths, and weaknesses. Use tools like SEMRush, Brandwatch, Ahrefs, and BuzzSumo for insights.
Conclusion
In the fast-paced world of digital marketing, staying current is essential. By developing a solid strategy and leveraging resources like newsletters, publications, social media, alerts, aggregators, conferences, podcasts, webinars, and competitor analysis, you’ll be well-equipped to navigate the ever-changing landscape and achieve marketing success.
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