Marketing's future is in data-rich social Web: Adobe Omniture Summit 2011

The Holy Grail of marketing is the data-driven social Web, which gives marketers the ability to communicate en masse with consumers while tailoring their messages to each individual, Ellen Levy, VP of strategic initiatives at LinkedIn, told attendees of the Adobe Omniture Summit 2011 on March 9.

Levy stressed in a keynote address that social media network members' identities, relationships and activities are data points that marketers can use to maintain relevant conversations with consumers.

“Often times we talk about social networks as things and give summary statistics, yet each data point represents people and dynamic interactions that change over time,” said Levy.

She said data helps marketers serve their customers more effectively because they can use the generated insight to create new products and services and to reinforce the relevancy of consumer interactions.

“All of this comes because people are voluntary spending time in these [social networking] environments,” said Levy. “Our job is to figure out how to actively engage that in a thoughtful way.”

Levy suggested that for marketers to engage consumers on social networking sites and “humanize the conversation,” they need to adopt a “new vocabulary that includes words like participate, engage and contribute.”