• by Jason Heller , April 12, 2011

We live in exciting times. The impact of cloud computing on media distribution, the nascent emergence of Internet-connected TVs, tablets firmly established as a new connected device category, the proliferation of digital OOH, the convergence of mobile, social and the physical world with location-based services, and the ubiquity of social actions across all digital media slowly moving the term "social media" into the same coffin as "color TV" -- all are enough to bring out the inner futurist in all of us.

Take a Deep Breath
It's easy to get caught up in the excitement over emerging trends in consumer behavior, as we are always trying to predict which of these trends will gain the critical mass to become a vehicle that may impact our businesses. Early statistics always show exponential growth and consumer engagement, which can often be misleading and/or taken out of context. After all, you can't fall off the floor. There's also an ecosystem of eager stakeholders with a vested interest in highlighting the growth of new markets -- including non-biased research companies and trade publications. Pay attention to the research and take it in stride. Every new channel has somewhat of an incubation period, where consumers discover how the technology fits into their lives. The value of a new channel must take hold in order for it to become a viable marketing platform. The assessment of this value is often overlooked by marketers. We must immerse ourselves in the incubation journey and try to understand the relevance to the consumer prior to developing strategies and tactics for entering the new channel. As digital channels become more engaging, our marketing programs must strive to add to the experience.

Back to Basics
The sexy emerging channels and new technology will never create the base of most digital marketing programs. It is in fact the tried and true digital staples that continue to shape the digital ecosystem.

Mastering the ability to plan, execute, and manage "traditional" digital media and marketing programs based on clearly defined objectives is a prerequisite to venturing into the emerging media world. Granted, today social and mobile programs are leaving emerging status and becoming a standard part of the mix, but without a proficiency rooted in best practices surrounding reaching, engaging and influencing consumers, optimizing discoverability, and measuring and optimizing these activities, any efforts into the emerging media world will inevitably be shallow and incomplete.
 
Emerging media is not a replacement of traditional media, but rather a complement. This is as true for non-digital channels as it is for the Internet and all of its evolving sub-channels.

Agencies, Take Heed
Most digital and integrated agencies make their bread and butter from "traditional digital services":  digital strategy, web development, creative, media planning, buying & management, SEM, SEO, and analytics. Only with a mastery of the basics can you truly maximize the impact of emerging platforms on business objectives.

Successful agencies have established specific processes to combat the labor intensity and lower margins associated with certain aspects of providing digital services. The margins for emerging programs are often higher, and the motivation to push these channels on clients is significant. The competitive pressure of a dense crop of new agencies focused solely on social media and consumer engagement also seems to foster hasty recommendations of bright shiny objects to clients. But remember - clients' digital spending will increase at the pace of understanding of how digital marketing impacts their businesses. The ability for agencies to generate significant revenues and profit will increase accordingly. Focus on developing this understanding for your agency and your clients.

Challenge Yourself
Times have changed. The evolution is exciting. Challenge yourself to keep up with the trends and to understand how consumers are using new technologies -- but even more so, to stay balanced, to keep your feet on the ground and manage your digital investments to yield the biggest impact on your business. It's a difficult balancing act at times, but one that is well worth the personal endeavor.