DBRU: Digital marketing predictions for 2012

Three interesting posts from Dave Chaffey, Chip Street and Neil Perkin about what trends they expect to see in 2012:
1. Getting digital marketing fundamentals right
Dave Chaffey’s trends for 2012 post highlights the importance of continuing to optimise, comply and innovate this year. Over the last two years marketers have had to play catch up with the introduction of new social channels and the rise of content marketing. 2012 is the year when maturity and sophistication will replace the hype as measuring the return of these activities becomes realistic.
2. Digital marketing’s godfathers predict 2012
Eisenberg. Kaushik. Geddes. If you don’t recognise these names then you need to review your digital marketing library. Chip Street has collated their thoughts on what 2012 holds for various digital marketing disciplines.
Some of the key predictions include:
- Increased use of social signals for SEO validation
- Mobile and Paid Search will mature
- CEOs will take greater responsibility for conversion and customer experience
- Growth in post scheduling tools
- Downfall of dashboards (I wish)
- Reshaping of the PR industry around digital
- Marketing will become marketing
In terms of actions that can be drawn from this post I’d suggest:
- Have a strategy for mobile and local
- Get back to true marketing principles (further posts on applying traditional marketing techniques to digital marketing)
- Optimise for content sharing
2012 digital marketing predictions
3. Becoming T-Shaped in 2012
Neil Perkins identifies the need for more t-shaped digital marketers in 2012. For the uninitiating to be T-shaped means to have a broad range of skills with real depth in one specific area.
It’s something I strive to practice as a digital marketer and was the core reason for starting an MBA rather than a marketing specific course last year.
Therefore I’d recommend that marketers begin to understand where their business knowledge and skills gaps are and fill that knowledge through courses and reading. Perhaps it may be as simple as breaking away from your desk and spending thirty minutes in the warehouse or with the accountants understanding that side of the business.
Let me know in the comments if you think I’ve missed any great digital marketing in 2012 posts.
David Sealey
PS please share this! It will make me happy.