207's tech guy gave us some tips on how to do it right.
PORTLAND, Maine — Rich Brooks of Flyte New Media in Portland has been helping businesses with digital marketing for more than 20 years. He knows the industry well and has navigated the ever-changing tides. He joined us on his 207th day to talk about the latest challenges and innovations. The talking points he offered were:
So what exactly are we referring to when we talk about digital marketing?
Quite simply, all the marketing and advertising that a business (or non-profit organization) does happens online. This may include your website, search engine optimization, social media, email marketing, online advertising, etc.
And from what I understand, there's been a lot of change in your industry lately. What is impacting the way businesses try to reach their customers these days?
Well, perhaps the biggest impact on digital marketing is AI. We've covered this several times in the field, and it's covered almost daily in the mainstream media.
You'll see tools like ChatGPT and Midjourney being used to generate ideas, write copy, create email newsletters, and post to social media. It’s also built into marketing tools that businesses use on a daily basis, such as social media platforms like Canva, MailChimp, and LinkedIn. You can also let LinkedIn create your own LinkedIn post for him.
Another big story, perhaps not covered in the mainstream press, is that Google is replacing the analytics program it has used for nearly 20 years with a new version that many businesses are still struggling to understand their website reports. He said he was having a hard time. that.
There also seems to be considerable privacy concerns. How are companies adapting?
There has been both public and legal pressure on large companies like Facebook and Google to reduce the amount of data they collect about us online. While this may be good news for us humans, it makes it harder for businesses of all sizes to reach their audiences. But posting quality content on your website and social media and getting people to opt-in to your email newsletter or SMS campaign is one of the ways businesses can find their audience online. is.
You've been working on this for a while. What are some mistakes that companies still make?
Perhaps people jump in without any strategy. “Oh, they're doing Facebook ads, so I should too. They have a new website, so I need a new website too.”
I feel like they might be better able to respond by having a strategy and understanding what's different and what's better. Once you know that, I think it becomes easier to make decisions about who you need to engage with, what platforms you should use, and other tactical decisions.
We're bringing back our annual Agents of Change digital marketing conference after a three-year hiatus. What's different and what should people expect?
Added new topics such as AI and Marketing, Google Analytics 4, and Neuromarketing. These are basically deep scientific studies of “Why do people do the things they do?''
A new location has also been decided. We will be holding an event at Aura on October 4th and will be hosting a series of Deep His Dive His workshops. These half-day hands-on learning sessions will be held at the Regency on October 5th.
But still, marketing professionals from across the United States and Canada come to share strategies and tactics with Maine businesses, great networking opportunities, and a few other surprises. It's a great day for businesses looking to better utilize digital marketing.
