I thought this survey had some very interesting insights and was worth re-blogging.
Marketers Top 10 Wish List for Agencies of the Future
At the very least I thought the survey is a pointer to what marketers are looking for when it comes to digital/social media.
However I’m also in agreement with commenter Jason Baer on his point about the respondents. If they are directly or indirectly involved in managing digital media budgets then it means some of the responses are going to be higher than, say, marketers who are not, who have less involvement, or other senior managers. I am also taking “digital media” to be an umbrella term for Social Media in the article… I actually wish this had been made a little clearer in the survey because I think there is a difference. If you’ve a view on this one feel free to add your comment.
These were my thoughts as I read the survey.
No time to ramp up – Marketers are going to be looking for agencies to be ahead of the curve with social media. Only those who can rise to the occasion will win, and marketers will switch.
Strategy over tactics – Agencies are going to need to be strategic and not simply tactical. Strategy is key with me, not just the Social Media strategy but its fit with business strategy. Tools and tactics are essential but they will fail without the right strategy or worse – no strategy at all. Importantly, they’ll need to know (and show) how traditional marketing and social media marketing strategies work together.
Success Measures – Agencies will need to show marketers how to measure success. So they will not only need to understand analytics, they will need to understand what type of measurements are appropriate for each specific campaign and then how to apply the results to on-going or new campaigns. They will need to be able to convey that learning to their clients and advise on what actions they should take. This is no easy task, especially in such an evolving medium.
But…are agencies prepared?
“More than one-third of marketers surveyed said they are not confident that their current agency is well-positioned to take their brand through the unchartered waters of online digital marketing and interactive advertising.”
It appears not. And that isn’t good news for marketers who rely on their agencies to deliver fresh marketing insights. And it’s even worse news for agencies who are unwilling to acquire the additional and necessary skills and knowledge to service their clients. It also means that agencies probably aren’t recommending social media strategies to their clients… because they themselves are either unaware or unable to do this confidently. The danger is, of course that by the time they do become aware, things will have moved on.
On the other hand it does represent an opportunity for savvy, strategic social media consultants who do have these skills and can help agencies get up to speed quickly to serve their clients better. I see a gap between what’s needed and what’s actually available – and that’s always an opportunity.
Thoughts?
Do you think the survey is representative? What opportunities, if any, do you see for social media practitioners? What key things should agencies do to anticipate and meet marketers’ social media demands?
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
I think you’re completely on-target; agencies who have been in “wait and see” mode regarding digital advertising and interactive marketing, particularly social media, may soon find that they’ve waited too long. There are clear opportunities for both individual practictioners and consultants who are conversant in social media strategy, and for the innovators among agencies who are already past the “early learning curve.”
Kat – Thanks! Agencies really do need to get in there fast and be ahead of the game when it comes to bringing social media insights to their clients. The best service they can bring to their clients is to engage with consultants who understand the strategic benefits of social media and bring these insights to their clients. It’s a win-win and it positions the agency favourably.
I think some smart agencies are doing this, however considering that there are so many marketing opportunities, there really should be more of them doing so. Instead, we have marketers actually frustrated that their agencies are simply approaching Social Media as another broadcast channel… or taking the “wait and see position.” Clearly there’s a lot more engagement and work to be done.