As marketing professionals, staying updated with the latest trends and strategies in the industry is crucial for success. Recently, I had the privilege of attending the virtual 2023 AMA Content Marketing Conference, where I gained valuable insights and knowledge from some of the brightest minds in the field. Here are a few key takeaways from the conference and our fellow marketing peers.
Key Takeaways:
Be Bilingual…Not Necessarily in Spoken Language:
- Today’s content leaders must be fluent in both creative design thinking and boardroom communication.
- It’s essential to bridge the gap between creative teams and business goals to build trust and credibility with both types of stakeholders in the boardroom and in the creative suites.
- Do your research to understand KPIs, ROIs, and make the case for bringing your team’s creative ideas to life. Package this up and share it with your leaders to show the value of the team’s work.
Collaboration and Trench Work:
- Effective leaders roll up their sleeves and work alongside their teams. Collaboration across departments and across levels is vital for creating experiences that drive content.
- To remain relevant, engage with younger generations and take the time to understand their needs and points of view. This will help your content resonate if you are including younger audiences.
- Transformation within teams is essential for content marketing success. You must be willing to adapt to be successful, and as a marketing leader, you need to know your team in order to lead them.
- Stay informed of your team’s challenges and wins, and use that information to help you all reach new heights.
AI in Content Marketing:
- AI can assist in content curation, content ideation, customer engagement through chatbots, analytics and more! It can be overwhelming, but no one said you have to do it all.
- Start by ensuring your team has an understanding of AI, and then proceed with gradual, phased implementation in the areas where it makes sense for you.
- AI cannot replace humans in the marketing world, but can help us all work smarter.
Conclusion:
The 2023 AMA Content Marketing Conference provided a wealth of insights and strategies to sharpen the tools in our marketing toolbox. If the content wasn’t new learning for attendees, it definitely provided a jolt of energy and inspiration for all those who attended. As for me, I was reminded that if your work feels like it is becoming routine, think again! There are actually endless possibilities for content that you can bring to your organization. If you keep your eyes open for outside influence, and your ears open to those on your team, there is inspiration and creativity everywhere! Stay tuned next month for more insights from this conference.
