Sunny Lenarduzzi is a contributing writer at Huffington Post. Here are her thoughts on digital marketing:

1. What are the biggest changes you’ve seen in marketing teams in recent years compared to ten years ago?

   The diversity of roles and the expansion of the tools available! It’s incredible to think Twitter was founded less than 10 years ago and now marketers can’t imagine a world without it. Marketing roles used to be quite clear, but with the digital evolution, marketing professionals need to be well versed in both traditional tactics as well as digital. There is also so much more time that goes into staying ahead of industry trends. As a team, you need to research and ensure you are aware of new platforms, analytics, and case studies.

2. In your experience, what are the top success factors for a marketing campaign?

   The competition is so fierce and people are inundated with more messaging than ever before. I still revert back to the book ‘Made to Stick’ and the S.U.C.C.E.S (simple, unexpected, concrete, credible, emotional, stories) acronym, as I think those factors remain relevant in seeing success and having your ideas permeate the noise. However, I think we’ve seen so many examples of campaigns that tug at your heart strings, and those are always the most effective. People want to feel something. And now more than ever, brands have to come across as human and transparent in order for consumers to buy in. Combine that with the technical factors of outreach and pushing your message to the right influencers, and you have a winning combination.  

3. What have been the most successful campaigns you’ve seen and why?

   I don’t think we can talk about social campaigns without talking about the ALS Ice Bucket challenge. What an incredible movement. It was a groundbreaking initiative that bridged cultures, all ages, and sexes. I’ve never seen anything like it, and marketers have a lot to learn from the virality of that campaign.

4. What excites you the most about your industry?

   It’s always changing! You have to stay on your toes, and I love that about the digital space. Every single day and on weekend, I learn something new and that keeps it fresh, exciting and challenging. I know I’ll never be bored!

5. What do you see as the biggest challenges for marketing professionals over the next year?

   The biggest challenges for marketing professionals over the next year will be similar to the challenges they already face. Staying on top of the constant change and evolution of the industry (Stephanie Frasco from Convert with Content also thinks the same!), is a reality that can’t be ignored. Another challenge that is constant is rising above the clutter and making your message stand out. Marketing professionals have to push their creative boundaries in order to make an impact. It makes it exciting, and I can’t wait to see what the next year holds in this industry! (Attend Smartt's P.A.C.E. Digital Marketing Training Workshop to stay on top of the latest digital marketing best practices and trends.)
   
   
   
    

   

   Sunny is a TV host, digital media correspondent, Huffington Post blogger and social media strategist. Sunny has been working with clients on their social strategy and execution for 4 years. You can also find Sunny's series #SLTV on YouTube  where she covers the need to know news in the social space.You can  reach her on Twitter at @SunnyLenarduzzi.