Can You Keep Up With Digital Marketing?

The digital era is well under way, and it’s now up to you to keep up with it! Every day we are introduced to new marketing statistics and data that show us just how significant social networking has become.  Many of our students are Millennial’s- products of the baby boom also known as “Gen Y’s” and this puts them at the center of this new trend in technology.  The internet has become the center of most media consumption for the Millennial age group and this presents significant opportunities for us as marketers.

A snip from a demographic profile released by the eMarketer in March suggests that over 90% of this age group is online and almost as many of them are using social networking sites.  If you haven’t seen the info you can check it out here @ http://www.emarketer.com/Article.aspx?R=1008382.

So what does this mean for the digital era, and how significant really is this information?  The increases in social media consumption are clear to me as I sit in the middle of this age group.  But while many are actively part of this social networking trend, there are still plenty that have accounts that remain dormant and unused.  While older generations remain skeptical to the security and privacy of social media- younger millennial’s tend to embrace the concept, using the networks to share tastes and preferences and furthermore as a platform for opportunities.  

Businesses are still learning how to use social media in a way that can create opportunities and boost credibility- many have done well, some have failed miserably, and others are just not there yet. This is where we see the shift in digital marketing beginning, as certain businesses solidify their presence in online and digital marketing others find themselves becoming left behind.  An interesting question arises, what will happen when one the most powerful cities in the world goes digital and according to a new TechCrunch article- New York City is looking to be that city sooner than later.  Check out the post here @ http://techcrunch.com/2011/05/16/ny-digital-city-road-map-2011/.

Interestingly enough, there is one social networking site that has however had an impact on older generations.  LinkedIn has produced several studies that show that older generations (like boomer’s) have found benefit in the LinkedIn network as a place to both find opportunities and showcase their achievements.  A recently published infographic suggests that the demographic on LinkedIn is dominated by the age groups of 25-34 and 35-54; a likely result of the professional image of the network.  The data also suggests that the major industries on LinkedIn are in Tech, finance and manufacturing- check it out below or @ http://www.vincos.it/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/state-of-linkedin-0311.png

       

To gain a better insight on the growth of LinkedIn in Canada I looked to a QuantCast traffic report to see what kind of increases had occurred.  The numbers were impressive showing users had almost doubled since January, and have not stopped growing at that rate since! So if you haven’t made the step into social media, a great place to start may be LinkedIn- and while you’re there don’t forget to become a member of our Humber OCMC 2011 Group @ http://linkd.in/ffJCkG .  To see the full Quantcast report, check it out here@ http://www.quantcast.com/linkedin.com?country=CA#traffic .

Google Helps Find Families With “Person Finder”

As a student with a passion for marketing, from time to time I will be blogging about newsworthy marketing topics - this week with Japan top of mind, I look to this topic and the marketing giant Google's involvement in the relief effort.

In an age where the world is run by technology- we still remain vulnerable to the conflicts and tragedies that damage our society.  This is why as marketers we must remember we are people and in times of hardship we must remain responsible for the well-being of our international society.  In these times of misfortune our true industry leaders have the opportunity to demonstrate their social responsibility and talent in innovation.  Google a leader in both technology and innovation is at the forefront of these movements launching support resources like “Google Person Finder” in times of crisis.  This is a prime example of how a successful organization can use its competencies to make a difference through its non-profit sector.  From time-to-time we will take the opportunity to profile various organizations and their use of new and interesting marketing approaches!  If you haven’t seen it yet- check it out @ http://www.google.com/crisisresponse/japanquake2011.html#personfinder.

On the day of March 11, 2011- A part of my history changed when Japan fell victim to a colossal tsunami, the result of a record-breaking 9.0-magnitude earthquake off the North-East coast.  The devastation has been catastrophic as just over a week later the anxiety continues as thousands are missing and the death toll rises.  Fortunately any “known” family of mine living in the Tokyo region have survived and are doing well- but there are still many who remain curious and are concerned for their families. 

Google Person Finder originated after the earthquake crisis in Haiti and was launched just 2 hours after the disaster in Japan.  The user-friendly application gives both individuals and NGO’s (non-governmental organizations) the option to search for someone or provide information on them.  The application is using advancements in digital communications to create an effective tool that is available in multiple languages.  The Person Finder software was developed after the Haiti crisis 2010 and took roughly 12 hours to create- the same technology has since been used for tragedies in Christchurch, Chile and now Japan.  As Google is a leader in the search engine market- they have placed a convenient link on the Google site under “Resources” that directs you to the page. 

The online person finder works with shelters on the ground across the nation to help spread the information on its site.  Google receives photographs of written letters via email from shelters showing thousands of people that are being housed as space is filling up.  Those who are interested can see detailed lists @ https://picasaweb.google.com/tohoku.anpi and see the many families that are homeless, hungry and need help.  I encourage everyone to do their part to make a difference- please stay up to date with our Facebook Page and see how you can get involved!