Digital Media Planning - Insights & Opinions

Below is a really interesting article on digital media planning, with 10 slideshows providing insights and opinions on how to successfully plan digital media.

10 presentations to help you become a digital planning genius

Re-post of the article posted18 April by Jake Hird (original article here)

What makes a good online media planner?

Planning an online PR campaign doesn’t necessarily require the same skills as a paid search one, or developing a social media strategy may not need the same proficiencies as that of an email one.

However, I’m beginning to think that lateralisation is of major importance. Without becoming too technical, this is the concept of the functions between the left and right hemispheres of the brain: The left side is associated with analysis and logic, the right with creativity and context.

Using both sides of the brain is a major element to successful digital planning, especially given that there is a growing importance to understand how best to influence and engage users, whilst simultaneously being calculating and analytical.

That’s not to say either/or doesn’t have a place – I’m conscious that both the objectives and channels used have a bearing on this – but from a general perspective, the best of both will likely be more beneficial.

Below, I’ve dug out some thought-provoking presentations which I think help to support my current wobbly line of thinking around this. They’re also great in helping to isolate and understand any planning or strategic activity, from objective through to execution.

I’m sure this might kick off a decent debate, so I’d love to hear your thoughts and comments, if you have any.

Account Planning in Digital Age

What is media planning?

The brief in the post digital age

Why planners and creatives should become best friends

Planning Needs Some Planning

Seven Deadly Sins

AdAge Digital 2010 6 Foundations of Great Digital Creative

The Birth Of A Grand Strategist By Waqar Riaz

The future of advertising, a conversation

Digital Media Planning 2010

Learn, consolidate, grow

Organisations have forever struggled with growing pains and issues associated with rapid change. Changes in structure, culture and responsibilities can lead to difficulties in developing consistency and understanding organisational culture and processes, and can often result in problems with delivering a consistent product or service. To reduce the issues associated with rapid growth, a pragmatic approach that relies heavily on planning is recommended.

Parallels can be drawn with the rise and rise of digital media and the explosion in ways businesses can connect with their customers. A recent article from eMarketer notes that while small businesses are broadening their approach across more multiple digital marketing platforms, there is also an increasing dissatisfaction at the performance of these channels.

"Website, email and search were rated most effective for customer acquisition, but even these had dropped since the prior year."

However eMarketer asserts that this is likely due to the inexperience of using new channels as well as a lack of resource to properly manage them.

The solution then, it seems, it to take a pragmatic approach to these new digital channels, based on thorough planning, a solid basis for decisions and a measured approach to assessing performance.

At Carat, we take this approach when planning digital activities for our clients. Rather than jump headlong into tactics that have no long term direction, we thoroughly assess our clients' customers to understand their behaviour and motivations, understand what success for their business looks like and formulate a solution that addresses their issues and allows us to understand what is successful and what requires further thought.

The result - a consistent approach across channels relevant to the audience, that we know will deliver a solution that matches the business objectives.

While the temptation is rush and embrace every new technology as it emerges, sometimes stepping back and considering the reasons behind it can make for a much better result.

Nokia & Microsoft Partnership

“Today in London, these two companies announced plans for a broad strategic partnership that combines the respective strengths of the companies and builds a new global mobile ecosystem.

The partnership increases their scale, which will result in significant benefits for consumers, developers, mobile operators and businesses around the world.

While the specific details of the deal are being worked out, here’s a quick summary of what they are working towards:

• Nokia will adopt Windows Phone as its primary smartphone strategy, innovating on top of the platform in areas such as imaging, where Nokia is a market leader.

• Nokia will help drive and define the future of Windows Phone. Nokia will contribute its expertise on hardware design, language support, and help bring Windows Phone to a larger range of price points, market segments and geographies.

• Nokia and Microsoft will closely collaborate on development, joint marketing initiatives and a shared development roadmap to align on the future evolution of mobile products.

• Bing will power Nokia’s search services across Nokia devices and services, giving customers access to Bing’s next generation search capabilities. Microsoft adCenter will provide search advertising services on Nokia’s line of devices and services.

• Nokia Maps will be a core part of Microsoft’s mapping services. For example, Maps would be integrated with Microsoft’s Bing search engine and adCenter advertising platform to form a unique local search and advertising experience.”

Read more here