Marketing functions converge, transform

Social media: is this a function of PR? Ecommerce? Advertising? Management? Its part of all the above. And as digital marketing and e-commerce are converging, Facebook can be both a marketing AND a distribution channel with “f-commerce” capabilities on fan pages.

This blurring and blending of marketing functions is creating new marketing disciplines, and is leading to new jobs and titles such as “community managers,” “content managers” and “relationship leaders.”  Traditional marketing disciplines and their roles need to be redefined. Hats off to the Public Relations Society of America, which just launched a major initiative, with the help of crowd sourcing, to redefine public relations for the 21st century.

Companies will also need to think about hiring a different way, looking for marketing staff with more varied skills. They’ll need people with solid, versatile, editorial skills; who can write blogs, white papers and slide presentations; that can conceptualize and perhaps even edit video. Brands will need content marketers who match their demographic. Those in social media roles most likely need to be like the customers they’re serving, or at least must be able to walk comfortably in their shoes.

For more marketing trends that we foresee dominating 2012, click here.