10 Things We Learned From IMMAP DigiCon: The Power of X

In its tenth year, the IMMAP DigiCon is bigger than ever with ten breakout sessions for each of their topic categories, including Branding and Marketing, Search and Social, Content, Creative, Media, E-Commerce, Loyalty, CRM & Analytics, Research and Measurement, Start-Ups, and Marketing Technology.

Here are some of our takeaways from the different sessions:

Brands have to adapt to digital ASAP

Advertising in traditional media still works but brands that don’t go digital risk losing the much-valued interaction with their clients. Brands that set up social media accounts can personally connect with their consumers and answer their inquiries in real time. They have to be present and fast so they won’t lose opportunities on leads, sales, and even establishing loyalty.

The sky’s the limit with digital innovation

One of the talks the team attended was about AI-CD β (AI-CD beta, the world’s first artificial intelligence (AI) creative director. Currently, AI-CD β works for McCann Erickson Japan and has proved helpful in shortening the creative process for the team. They simply need to input keywords and other data into AI-CD β and the AI provides its ideas such as the look and feel of an upcoming video production.

Measurement is the key to improvement

If you cannot measure it, you cannot manage it. If you cannot manage it, you cannot improve it.

Platforms are great, but you need a strategy

No matter how awesome your platform is, the heart of your digital campaign is still the strategy. Having a strategy makes sure you have goals and that you are maximizing your resources well.

Optimize to delight

In the world of Search Engine Optimization, you have to continuously optimize to retain your reader and visitor base. Old tactics do not work as good as before. Don’t focus too much on backlinking and only index quality pages. Make sure to invest on tools. Improve page speed. SSL boosts rannking and CTR also boosts conversion.

Innovate based on customer’s needs

Brands should remember to be customer-centric if they want to innovate an aspect of their e-commerce site or app. They are your end user, after all, no matter how great you think your new feature is.

Use “omni-channel” wisely

Omni-channel is such a buzzword and most marketers perceive it simply as the platforms that people use. Brands and marketers need to start seeing “omni-channel” as customer touch points, based on the conversion funner. It’s not enough you’re present in all types of devices. The question is — are you present on the right devices and where your customers are?

Big data = big opportunities

All this talk about big data can be intimidating but simply put, they are data that would help digital marketers target the right people at the right place and at the right time. Consumers’ behavior and spending patterns would determine who is likely to buy where and when. And as a consumer yourself, won’t you like to be targeted by ads and messages that are relevant to you?

Create stories

To connect with consumers, it’s not enough that you create an advertisement. You have to tell a story. Gone are the days when you promote a product and wave it in front of your consumers’ faces. Now, you have to create content and stories that will connect with consumers, to create an affiliation with your brand and increase engagement.

Constantly disrupt yourself

Keep improving, innovating, and moving forward. Disrupt yourself… before someone else does.