Interactive Day 2011 Recap

Interactive Day is always one of the industry’s most highly anticipated events and this year didn’t disappoint. In attendance were thousands of esteemed executives, marketers, and representatives from major companies like Google, Facebook, Groupon, Pandora, and more. They met to address the ever-changing medium, shared best practices for improving brand engagement, and discussed how to implement campaigns on both established and budding mediums like email, Facebook, Twitter, and mobile. At the end of the day, conference goers heard how they could leverage key tactics to improve their marketing efforts and increase their ROI.

My first takeaway – not necessarily key, but a sign of the times and entertaining enough to share – is that digitally savvy, “connected” people make for an interesting audience. While every session was full, attendees paid little attention to presenters. Instead, their eyes were glued to their mobile devices. They were sharing key insights the moment they were uttered by presenter, they were checking email, and they were even responding to tweets being projected on a big screen, which tracked conversations around #IDSD (some hilarious and others borderline inappropriate). I give kudos to the presenters that maintained their focus despite it all and managed to provide a number of key takeaways, three of which are outlined below.

1.   Authentic social marketing – Consumers are constantly bombarded by advertising and it’s tempting for them to tune it out altogether. You can remedy this situation by being a “social” brand – provide valuable content, participate in conversations, and build authentic relationships with your customers. Tap into their passions, develop the story, and inspire them to share your products and/or services.

2.   Social media didn’t kill email – Joel Book from Exact Target explained how “How Smart Marketers Use Email Marketing to Accelerate Social Media ROI.” During his presentation, he emphasized how the two channels work together to maximize results as well as how social media is the most effective way to find new customers and boost brand exposure. For example, you can use social media as a platform to encourage users to subscribe to your newsletter, continue the conversation by aiding the buying process, and establish brand loyalty. According to MarketingSherpa, 75% of social media users say that email is the best way to communicate with them. Maybe more importantly, individuals who buy products marketed via email spend 138% more annually. Understanding how the different channels work together can improve communications with your customers and increase your ROI.

3.   Multi-channel marketing fuels the funnel – In a fragmented media landscape, it’s crucial to understand how your marketing tactics – social media, local marketing, mobile, email, and more – are working together to reinforce your brand identity, boost your conversions, and increase sales. Get back to the fundamentals of “being where your audience is,” maximize the digital space, and communicate with them at multiple touch points during the sales cycle. While there is no “one size fits all” solution, every brand should work towards establishing a “24-7” dialogue with their customers.

If nothing else, conference goers had the chance to see executives from Google, Facebook, NBC Universal, and Specific Media do the “YMCA” dance. Overall, the day was a success. Marketers traveled from all over to discuss best practices, tips, and trends, as well as share examples of successful campaigns in social media, mobile, search, and display.  The year ahead looks promising, which should make for a great Interactive Day 2012!

Are there any key insights that we didn’t cover? Tell us in the comments below.