Every industry evolves and changes its best practices and trends. Although the fundamentals might remain the same, there are many things that can alter. Anyone who works in marketing needs to be able to keep up with how things are done. The field changes a lot, especially since marketing has become a lot more digital. It’s essential to be aware of what clients are looking for and how to follow good ethics in the industry. If you want to keep up with everything, there are some essential actions you should take. Keeping an eye on the news and expert opinion are both important.
If you want to keep up with best practices in marketing, you should go back to the beginning. Although marketing has evolved a lot, it still has the foundations of traditional marketing. It’s important to learn things like the “four Ps” of The Marketing Mix so you can understand how marketing has developed. You need to have an understanding of where the practices of today came from and what informs them. Traditional marketing techniques still play an important role in modern marketing. But they are now delivered in more contemporary ways.
The people who can help you keep up with trends in marketing are those with insider knowledge. The experts in your field are those with a keen eye for spotting trends and an influential voice. You can know what’s coming next by reading and listening to their opinions. One expert on their own won’t necessarily be right all the time. But you’re sure to be able to spot patterns emerging and hear similar things from different people. You can identify influential voices by looking for the most popular blog on marketing. Use social media to find people to follow too.
You can use a number of tools to make sure you don’t miss the best content. You can often subscribe to people’s content on their site, so it comes to your inbox. Setting up an RSS feed is another popular option to ensure you see what you need to. Many people use social media to create groups and lists of important marketing people, so they don’t get lost among others. If you want to ensure you get a variety of content, you can also set up Google Alerts.
Remember that blogs aren’t the only places to find valuable contet on marketing trends. You should also look for media like podcasts and video series. People in many industries are beginning to produce podcasts on different topics and marketing is no exception. Audio content can be excellent to listen to while you’re doing other things. You don’t necessarily have to give it your full attention, so you can listen on your commute or while out for a run.
Don’t forget to follow any major industry changes, such as new Google rules. It’s important to know what’s essential to do and what’s optional.