To maintain a successful social media marketing strategy, organizations must monitor their tactics and plans closely, re-evaluate them constantly, and make adjustments based on the latest trends and developments. With the new year fast-approaching, now is a good time to review some social media trends to watch for in 2017.

Consumers prefer more personalized communications from companies they interact with.  As marketers, if we stop for a moment and think of ourselves as consumers, which we are, we prefer it also.  As consumers we tend to feel more positive about brands that reach out to us in a way that shows they know who we are and what we want.  A survey conducted by Responsys found that personalization in digital marketing increases both consumer good will and engagement rates.  The infographic below depicts some key findings of that survey.

When it comes to email marketing, the most effective emails are those that are targeted and personalized.  This concept of personalization is equally important when it comes to websites.  Web personalization refers to creating a personalized, highly relevant website experience for your visitors based upon their behavior, profile, interests, and needs.  Tailoring your website to provide a more meaningful experience has been shown to generate better business results.  We have found an article, written by Ellen Gomes at Marketo, that explains in more detail what web personalization is and 7 benefits to be gained by personalizing your website.

On December 1st, the HighRoad Team joined in on a memorable night with DC's most prominent Association CEO's, Management Teams, and many more high profile names in Crystal City, Virginia. HighRoad took the stage as a distinguished sponsor at Trending 40 2016 Association Leaders for an evening of honoring and celebrating those of influence. 

Among the guests in attendance included; American Gas Association, Consumer Bankers Association, News Media Alliance, National Head Start Association, Dangerous Goods Council, Entertainment Software Association, and a host of other influential associations. 

The say people don’t read nowadays.  But boy are they wrong.  Recent studies confirm that people indeed prefer written content over every other type of content.

Today consumers expect to be offered personalized content.  They want content and communications that directly pertain to their interests and needs.  The technology now exists to provide this, and they know it.  What are your organization's marketing capabilities? Are you still sending bulk emails to everyone on your list?  Is your website not yet optimised to provide interactive content?  If so, now is the time to learn how to capitalize on current technology to provide a better customer experience in order to grow your organization. This month at HighRoad U we will be focusing on personalization, how to do it and why you need it.  Be sure to join us each Friday at 3pm ET as we explain how to incorporate personalization into your marketing strategy and why it is so important to do so.