The recent Digital Marketing & Media Network Event - hosted in Palo Alto, California by the Young Presidents' Organisation - was a somewhat secretive affair. Attendees were required to sign non-disclosure agreements and, perhaps unsurprisingly, information is scarce.
However, writer Todd Harrison has been allowed to disclose certain key points from the gathering - focusing on social media marketing - which he shared in an article published on MarketWatch.
He recalls several succinct suggestions - avoid using sarcasm; attention must be earned, not bought; and the quote: "Never misjudge that a small, passionate group can change the world."
His more in-depth notes, meanwhile, focus predominantly on the future of social media and the problem of engaging visitors. Some of these longer points are summarised below:
- Those with business aspirations must start engaging with potential customers on social media. The growth of search is almost flat, whereas social is still growing at a staggering rate
- Mobile was a recurrent theme throughout the event. He recalls the words of one executive, who claimed that eight-year olds will see iPhones and iPads as "the computer," as opposed to traditional PCs
- Social is relevant to all businesses, and technology is not a barrier as most of it is free. The future growth of social media relies on vision, implementation and innovation
- Social is a constructive feedback loop - customers talk to each other; businesses must leverage the power of community.
- Facebook and other popular social media platforms can be useful for handling issues head-on. Real-time updates and transparency help to build trust amongst a business' community
- Email marketing spend will be surpassed by social media marketing this year
- A business/audience relationship is reliant on three main points - long-term thinking, authenticity and loyalty - and companies must relinquish some control to build loyalty
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