The document discusses digital marketing trends for 2017. It predicts that customer-centric and conversational marketing will continue to grow in importance. Companies will focus on personalized relationships and customer advocacy. A new generation of marketers will be generalists that can handle diverse tasks rather than specialists. Technology and data will be more integrated. Successful engagement will combine inbound, account-based, and paid media optimization techniques. There will be a focus on quality over quantity for content and the rise of video and mobile-optimized content across channels.

1. DIGITAL MARKETING
2017 TRENDS

2. 2016 has passed by in a flash and most of us are
still wondering what we all achieved but instead of
reminiscing, World of Digits prefers to look at the
horizons which lie ahead. Those that are prepared will
be more aptly equipped for the core, transformative
marketing changes, disruptive digital technologies will
more than likely invoke in 2017.
2

3. Customer-centric marketing
5 Key Predictions
Executive SUMMARY
3
A New Generation of Marketers
6 Digital Native Insights
Technology & Data
1 Fundamental Wisdom3
Techniques
Balancing Your Method is
Essential
Content & Channels
4 Unmissable Trends
2
1 5
3
4

4. 4
In the following slides we will shortly discuss the
continuous evolution of customer-centric marketing,
share with you the knowledge of a new generation
digital marketeers, elaborate on the importance of
technology and data in a marketing context, propose a
balanced approach that should characterize your
digital marketing efforts and convey several content &
channel developments that require your attention.
Of course if you need any help or more in-depth advice,
World of Digits is here to help you achieve the digital
growth you desire.
http://www.worldofdigits.com/

5. I. Customer-centric
& Conversational marketing
5

6. Are here to stay
We believe 2017 will be subject to another
increase in customer spending. The cost of
switching is low and customer choices are
high, making customer retention strategies
all the more essential for growth and market
share maintenance.
1
6

7. 7
Will focus on personalized relationship-building at
every stage of the customer lifecycle.
2
Invest in teams that are willing to invoke adoption,
cross-selling tactics and who believe in customer
advocacy.
Invest in building engagement, brand loyalty and
advocacy with current customers as well as finding
new customers.

8. Will take a more active role in driving change.
However, organisations will transform at different
paces. Mid-size companies will be the first to
innovate as smaller companies are often too
focused on acquiring new customers instead of
retaining them. Large global corporate enterprises
will realize the urgent need to change but will take
longer to implement policies given their immense
corporate structure which slows things down
considerably.
8
3 Will transform

9. Technology is fundamental to digital
transformation. New marketing leaders
will need to be aware of these disruptive
technologies and preferably, will also
need to adopt social listening tools to
help them analyse product usage patterns
and customers’ digital signals.
9
4 Will inspire leaders

10. Will place an increasing focus on building
authentic, real-time connections. More and
more companies, small or big, will
therefore use customer advocacy as a very
potent strategic weapon. This requires
building relationships beyond a formal
transactional relationship. Simply put, it
takes more than merely asking customer
advocates for their financial support. You
have to become an integral part of their
lives.
10
5 Will be conversational

11. II. A new generation
of Marketers
11

12. 12
Believe specialization is no longer essential to
success
1
The marketer of tomorrow is a chameleon. Able to
adapt to client needs. Building a team of so-called “full
brain marketers” is fundamental to growth. Of course,
specialists will still have their place for analytical
functions such as SEO but multi-talented “expert”
generalists can handle complex challenges more
effectively, from creative to brand design to digital
content and product marketing. In other words, new
age marketers blend both art AND science.

13. 13
Have to be interconnected within broader company
structures
2
Traditionally this has been a difficult feat, but,
nowadays there are technologies that can reinforce
and help inter-departmental communicative efforts.
Driving and implementing change necessitates
collaboration between various teams. Challenge your
own referential framework and approach. When
critically looking at your own method, you
simultaneously evaluate if it’s still the right one to
utilize.

14. 14
Will find the ideal intersection between fulfilling
customer needs, passionate storytelling and digital
interactions
3
This requires building deep expertise across three
functions: thinkers (analytical data-nerds), emotive
feelers (narrators that make your audiences laugh, cry
or buy) and executers (those that bring them both
together). All three are crucial to success. Companies
should aim to make them work in synergic harmony in
order to formulate

15. 15
Specialisation was a hot topic back in 2000 but the
dominance of so-called experts will moderately
decrease outside of marketing as well in 2017
4
Digital marketing is integrating a design-thinking
approach in many areas and will continue to do so in
2017.
Contemporary designers, just like their marketing
colleagues, have to be multi-versed; visual to graphic to
product design, UX to UI, photography to video. World
of Digits concludes that designers will be naturally
inclined to develop other skillsets. Furthermore,
technological advancement will aid the creation of a
seamless creative outpouring producing quality with
speed and scale.

16. 16
Design-centric culture?5
Because design has historically been equated with
aesthetics and craft, designers have been perceived as
artistic bohemians. But design-thinking transcends
design as a role and offers principles that can transform
a business within the digital realm;
- Focus on users’ experiences, especially their
emotional ones.
- Create models to examine complex problems.
- Use prototypes to explore potential solutions.
- Tolerate failure
- Exhibit thoughtful restraint

17. 17
Need challenges6
- Accepting more ambiguity > introduction of
technology represents a massive capital
expenditure meaning there is pressure for a
guarantee of a healthy return. Design,
however, doesn’t conform easily to estimates.
Calculating the return on investment of
creativity is difficult if not impossible.
- Embrace risk > requires the creation of a
culture that allows people to take chances,
make the most of opportunities given to them
and move forward without a complete, logical
understanding of a problem.

18. III. Technology & Data
18

19. 19
All systems should work together and be
interrelated
1
Reliance of digital marketers on technology and
data implies that if it is not optimized or not done
well it can be very expensive and inefficient. This
means you’ll need to get your marketing
operations in order, investing in resources and
technology not only drives data enrichment but
also advances data governance activities.

20. IV. Techniques
20

21. 21
Incorporate techniques to immerse customers at
every stage of the lifecycle
1
World of Digits believes successful customer
engagement in 2017 will rely on;
Inbound
+
Account-based marketing
+
Paid media optimisation
+
Direct marketing
A combination of these strategies will entice
prospects and customers helping marketers
build long-term relationships but also bridge
advertising and marketing technologies to show
affirmative ROI.

22. V. Content & Channels
22

23. 23
Return of value over volume in both content and
content distribution channels
1
Listening to and understanding the target
audience and customers is fundamental in 2017.
Creating content just for the sake of it does not
add value but merely creates unwanted noise.
World of digits therefore predicts that all
marketers will start listening to the content they
already have circulating the digital sphere. What
works and what doesn’t. What resonates and
what not. Adequate content strategy is all about
mapping customer needs and the ability to
deliver a personalized journey while not
forgetting about SEO is paramount.

24. 24
User experience (UX) is an essential pillar,
especially for mobile marketing efforts
2
The main reason for this is because Google is
splitting their index to rank mobile sites
separately. The Accelerated Mobile Pages
project will favour quicker loading websites.
Adding structured data and valuable content
which can be crawled by Google’s algorithm is a
key-preparation while you should also be keeping
an eye on user-behaviour.

25. 25
More ways to target audiences as a result of
integrated technologies
3
Unified cross-channel marketing is the way
forward. Additionally, contextual video content
will continue to rise and play a much bigger role
than they do already. Not only Mobile-optimized
video content but also mobile emailing is crucial
to your MRM. If your emails aren’t beautiful
across every device you’re bound to fail in 2017.
Machine learning will help automate marketing
efforts. World of Digits believes the personalized
communication this will engender can only
optimize marketing efforts.

26. 26
Social Media advertisment is mature.4
Social Media advertisment is mature and will
deeply redefining global marketing strategies for
companies.
Social Media in 2017 will be :
- Video booming, because 2016 was only
the beginning.
- Immersive formats to engage.
- Mobile more than ever.
- Conversational to be close. With or without
robots...
- Always Creative.

27. 27
Who are we ?

28. MAXENCE
28
Staying as perfect
as I was in 2016
& probably, I’ll try to stop
smoking too...
LORENZO
Usually, I set myself the target to
enrich my knowledge of a certain
topic but I've been too busy to
even pick one.
My main resolution would be to
increase my company's efficiency
regarding sales & development.
Founder & Manager Founder & Manager

29. GAËLLE
29
I’ll be doing sports more often.
Trying to eat more healthily,
and regulate my sleeping
pattern to vitalize my life.
ADRIEN
Resolutions are made to fail.
So I would like to say :
stop thinking & start doing.
#TheSkyIsNotTheLimitBro
Graphic Designer Social Media Wizard

30. MAXIME
30
Organize tasks
more efficiently
and grow as an individual
QUENTIN
Never stop to learn and to always be
critical in all I decide to do.
Pursue self-development in my daily
tasks and commit fully to my
engagements so I can accomplish them
without struggling.
Project Manager Business Manager

31. 31
KEVIN
I'll be reading more, training more
and elevating my mind in the
process.
Trying to flick the success mode
switch.
UX Design Consultant
ARNAUD
To not repeat the same
mistakes I made last year
and help my friends achieve
their dreams
Content Architect

32. 32
VALENTINE
I stopped believing in
resolutions a long time ago
so I usually don't make them
anymore, but, if I were to
choose one it would be to work
on the ones I didn't achieve in
the past.
Social Media Strategist
YOU
?

33. Sources
http://www.gainsight.com/your-success/importance-of-customer-retention-strategy/
http://www.smartinsights.com/ecommerce/web-personalisation/what-is-lifecycle-
marketing/
http://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/marketing-and-sales/our-insights/the-
consumer-decision-journey
http://www.immr.org/tuning-into-consumers-digital-signals.pdf
https://www.salesforce.com/blog/2016/07/customer-advocacy-the-time-is-now.html
file:///C:/Users/Maxime/Downloads/Creating-Your-Mobile-Marketing-Strategy.pdf
file:///C:/Users/Maxime/Downloads/Give-Your-Consumers-The-Omni-Channel-Experience-
Marketo.pdf
http://contentmarketinginstitute.com/2016/12/tools-strategy-planning-measurement/
https://hbr.org/2015/09/design-thinking-comes-of-age
http://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/how-to-build-your-creative-confidence/
33

34. 34
Maxime Van der Aa
Digital Project Manager
mvanderaa@worldofdigits.com
+32 472 29 62 27
THANK YOU !