Membership Update Spring 2023

Welcome to our first update of 2023, and what a year it’s proving to be so far in digital marketing! The biggest news story so far this year may just be an area of technology which is finally starting to have an enormous impact on all areas of society, starting with the world of marketing - AI. We have a look at the true impact below. 

Our content library sees several new items published every week: blogs, toolkits, webinars, and podcasts and all are created to contribute to your continuous learning in digital marketing. It’s a lot to keep on top of so we call out a few highlights for you below.

Central to all that we do is you, our members - of whom we can now count almost 270,000, and it’s growing faster every month! Thousands of you are chatting, discussing issues and helping each other out in many different ways through the community forum. Don’t forget we update our jobs board most every week and we encourage you to submit your own questions, tips and job listings in the jobs area of the forum. 

It’s always a pleasure to see so many of you join us at our ever-popular monthly webinars, and we really value the feedback you give us then, as well as ideas on topics you’re interested in. Here’s a sample of the feedback we get.

• Top job of getting in experts on hot and developing topics, we otherwise don't get access to. AI was today presented well, incl the chaos following quick developments.
• Keep it up. Today was an eye opener. I am extremely delighted. I will re-watch the webinar tomorrow once the link is sent to me, and make one or two decisions.
• As always, DMI presented some very forward-thinking ideas in a way that was approachable for the average marketer and didn't go way over my head. You have such talented and expert speakers.

We want to hear from you with your comments, feedback and ideas for what we can cover to help you, so don’t hesitate to email us. 

GPT and GA4 - what you need to know!

Since our last catchup with you there has been one extraordinary development in the world of marketing (and far beyond that) and that’s the mainstream adoption and widespread discussion of AI. Even Bill Gates has come out to say this phase of AI is the beginning of a new age.

Focus has been around GPT3, which only opened up last November, and, more recently, GPT4. The most evident offspring of this (for now) open technology is the generative entity that is ChatGPT. 

To jump straight to the heart of the issue and understand what it all means for you - digital marketers working in the real world - we invited two people on to our webinar series who really know what they’re talking about. Clark Boyd keeps his finger on the most relevant pulse and can explain new developments very clearly, while Danny Richman was able to show us the ways he’s using GPT to great effect and in such a positive, simple way for marketers. 

• Check out the full GPT webinar here, 
• Have a look at Danny’s (free) GPT3 resources, and 
• Keep an eye on further guidance we can give you in this area through our LinkedIn page and other places. 

Another huge shift that’s happening right now in our world is the move to GA4. There’s no going back now! From July 1st, Universal Analytics will stop processing data and you need to have your GA set up well in advance and know how to use it. The problem is, the GA4 interface and approach are very different to those of UA and not everyone finds it easy to use…to put it mildly. 

To help you out, we’ll be running a live webinar with Cathal Melinn on April 26 where he’ll walk us through some of the key areas of the new interface. It’s tagged as a Beginner’s Guide but it’s for all marketers who are dealing with this new approach. 

In the meantime, you can catch up on some of our other resources on GA4: 

• See the key differences between UA and GA 
• Learn how to start setting up GA4 
• Download our full ebook on the issue
• And, watch our previous webinar on GA4 Essentials.
   

Your career, your moves

One of our core aims is to help you in your digital marketing career path, for the stage you’re at now and where you think you might like to move. If you missed it, check out the super informative webinar we had with Eimear Walsh on how to advance your career in 2023. We also have you covered with ideas on how to create your best cover letter, as well as in-focus guides on managing your upcoming interview in social media marketing, content marketing, or email marketing.

In line with our brilliant, newly refreshed Strategy Specialism we are bringing you insights and guidance focused on issues around management and teamwork: such as how to find the right balance as a manager, understanding emotional intelligence, tips on how to manage and upskill your remote team, and even a downloadable planner to help you manage new employee inductions. Keep an eye out in the coming months for content on developing your soft, or power, skills in the workplace.
 

Some other content highlights

A load of other areas we’ve touched on include what you should know about account based marketing (ABM), how to create content on TikTok, and a knowledgeable breakdown of how digital strategies tend to fail. Our most popular library resources are, as always, our downloadable toolkits so make sure you’ve checked out this year’s social media highlights calendar, the CMO persona builder, and of course our ever-popular Trends forecast. 

An area of learning we wanted to explore and unpack further was market research, and we were delighted to have a passionate educator on the subject, Katrina Noelle, help us understand how it all works today. Check out her webinar with us, and download the accompanying cheat sheet. 

Our podcast continues to get a wide variety of guests speaking about all areas of marketing, such as the story of setting up and running an agency, how to run webinars to help your marketing, and remembering why branding is important. And it’s not just about marketing - Catherine Mooney had a fascinating chat with Will about how her work on the psychological team at a major social media platform echoes her previous experience working with deprived communities. Subscribe to the Ahead of the Game podcast on iTunes or Spotify. 

What’s next?!

Keep an eye on our social channels for upcoming webinars, including one in June that will go live at a time suitable for our members in the APAC region (you spoke, we listened!). We’ll have podcast episodes on the life of a creative advertising director, digital transformation, and tips on how to be a real professional in the world of work. 

Keep your feedback coming, and keep on learning! 

Regards, 

Emma 

Content Editor & Podcast Producer