Digital marketing is a pressing topic; its popularity among businesses, regardless of their industry, has had unprecedented growth over the last decade. Its importance in our society, how it affects our lives, how it has affected traditional advertisements, are all great starter questions to get the ball rolling on such a rich subject.
As with any panel, it is essential that you make the topic appear engaging and thought-provoking. As a panelist, the last thing you want is an audience who is bored of your subject because you have made it seem drab and dull.
Starting the Panel
A great introduction to a panel on digital marketing is to ask the audience what they think digital marketing is and take a few answers. Most people will say something along the lines of adverts on Facebook or Instagram or those adverts that run before a YouTube video. While these are correct examples of digital marketing, this is a great place to jump in and expand on the breadth of digital marketing.
From here, an interesting question to ask is what they think of digital marketing. Digital advertising affects every part of our lives; in today’s society, we are always online, so we are always exposed to digital advertisements.
The Ethics of Digital Marketing
Leading on from what the audience thinks of digital advertisements, the ethics of the practice is an interesting topic. Some people think that digital advertising, because of its targeted nature, is intrusive and borders on the invasion of privacy, simply because of the accuracy that some targeted ads may have. Research on this topic and having statistics to back up these views is essential, and they will give your other panelists and the audience something to mull over.
It’s important that you discuss the opposite opinion on this as well. Some consumers find targeted advertising extremely convenient; perhaps they have been looking for a product for some time only for the perfect one to appear in their Instagram feed later that same day.
Both of these views give an intriguing insight into the state of digital marketing and the internet space as it stands today. You could even pose the question of whether we are sacrificing our privacy for convenience.
Of course, the data that companies share is detailed within the terms and conditions you agree to when you sign up to a platform or service, so the question then is, do consumers who sign the agreement have the right to complain?
Digital Marketing from a Business Standpoint
Those who stand to benefit the most from digital marketing is, of course, the businesses behind the campaigns. Everyone is a consumer, but not every person is working behind a business in marketing. Your audience and fellow panelists will most likely be a mixture of solely consumers and both consumer and marketer. Elevating the view of digital marketing from a business perspective should form the rest of your panel.
You should briefly reiterate the types of digital marketing that exist, referencing what you mentioned at the start of the panel. This can include SEO, website designs, email campaigns, targeted advertisements, and much more.
Next, you should begin to discuss the advantages of using the strategies, particularly over traditional marketing such as radio and television. The most obvious benefit is that digital marketing is much cheaper than producing a television advert.
A great point to make is that there is a market for digital marketing itself; it has created a large demand, and therefore professionals in the field are sought for. For businesses to make the most of their digital advertising, experts are their best solution. You should research examples of digital marketing agencies, those with specific audiences such as www.justlegalmarketing.com, and those who offer more general marketing services. SEO specialists and social media executives are more needed than ever; not only is the business of marketing changing but so are the careers.
The Future of Digital Marketing
Marketing has changed so much over the last 30 or more years with new ways to advertise being constantly created. The future of marketing is shaky and makes a great discussion topic for you and your fellow panelists. Where do you think marketing will be in the next 30 years? Do you think that businesses will still be using social media to advertise and grow a following? Will radio advertisements still exist in the next decade or two? There are so many questions to ask about this subject and to think about that will leave both you, your fellow panelists and the audience with some food for thought once the panel ends.
A creative way to end the panel is to showcase some innovative examples of digital marketing that you have discovered while researching, whether it’s through videos or screenshots.
