If you’re an advertiser, you already know this. I’ll reiterate anyway:
The Realm of Digital is Ever-Changing
Thus, you’ll never truly catch a break, nor will you ever be 100% fluent in digital channels forever (ever wonder why your certifications expire so soon?). Now you know that the digital landscape will never stay stagnant, so what can you do?
Stay up to date! When the digital channels change, you too must change the way you work to adapt as quickly and effectively as possible. Take Instagram for example — how many times has it been updated with new layouts in the last few years? Did you realize there was a September update that drastically changes the user experience? If not, it’s time to hit the books, and by books, I really mean social media. Or if you’re subscribed to an advertising magazine such as Adweek, those are great resources too.
Why is Staying Up-To-Date Important?
You can’t truly maximize your digital advertising efforts without paying attention to the platforms you’re using for said advertising. Looping back to the Instagram example, have you heard about the latest TikTok drama? Is it really a coincidence that Instagram released a new feature called Reels so quickly? More importantly—did you notice that Reels are becoming increasingly popular? While the effectiveness and reputation of Reels are open to discussion, it’s pertinent to keep tabs of the happenings of digital channels to create effective content and strategies. Without knowing what is going on with digital channels, you cannot determine how you will adapt your advertising or marketing strategies to maximize their potential.
By now, the SWOT analysis is nothing new—but it’s still a necessary, integral component of public relations and advertising campaigns alike. Now, the SWOT analysis is composed of four things: strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. When conducting an audit of your digital communications or company, it’s important to be able to outline these four tenants. Are opportunities arising from a new feature in a digital channel? Perhaps a threat has been noted from an updated digital channel. Or an unfavorable audience behavior has been realized as a result of an update to a digital channel. Without keeping tabs on the channels you’re working with — or even those you may work with in the future — you risk your deliverables not delivering to their fullest potential.
What Can I Do?
Start by monitoring the channels you care about through social media or frequently-updated news sources. You can even conduct your own research by manually checking the channels often, especially if you are a casual user. Create professional accounts, such as on Twitter, and subscribe to credible news sources like The Associated Press.
As an advertiser, it is your duty to stay in the know about everything digital — after all, your career depends on it!