User generated content(UCG) marketing is any type of content that has been put up by unpaid contributors in the form of pictures, videos, tweets etc. rather than the brand itself. It has proven to be a great tool to increase customer engagement. Around 76% social media users think UGC brand is more trustworthy. People who actively participated in UGC campaigns are in the age groups of 25-54. Moreover, sometimes videos created by users on YouTube get 10 times more hits than the actual brand. Even in the digital age word of mouth referrals are the best kind. A successful UGC campaign Increase authenticity, app engagement, app reach and brand loyalty. Read more at : https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/289838

Social media is important to every business and relationship with customers. According to a research customer's expect to get a response through social media got doubled since 2013 and still 7 out of 8 messages to companies go unanswered for 72 hours. Customers want all their queries to be answered which include marketing information and customer service which marketing managers are not trained to answer. To solve this query teams need to be cross functional and follow these steps -: • Develop a social care team which can address all social information effectively and efficiently

• Create brand guidelines for standards, tone, and style of social media communication

• Assign specific employees from each department to social media tasks

To know more, please read the article written by Keith A. Quesenberry ( writer at Harvard Business Review ) -: https://hbr.org/2016/04/social-media-is-too-important-to-be-left-to-the-marketing-department

B2B companies currently utilize social media platforms to enhance their content marketing strategies. Nowadays, B2B marketers are utilizing these platforms effectively. This has helped to improve customer engagement and brand relationships. To know more, please read the article by "The young entrepreneur council": - http://smallbiztrends.com/2016/04/b2b-social-media-tips.html

Proximity marketing is becoming popular nowadays. It is a way of reaching in-store shoppers, trade show attendees, and other consumers through their smartphones with beacon technology. Beacons are devices that push messages to mobile apps when smartphones are within a certain distance. This technology meshes well with customer relationship management tools. It is another way to collect behavioral data and customer information. This article states some ways by which you can use CRM and beacons together. They are - Permission-Based Marketing, Customer Engagement, In-Store Product Recommendations, Loyalty Program Connection, and High-Value Customer Targeting. Read more at: http://it.toolbox.com/blogs/insidecrm/5-ways-crm-tools-and-beacon-technology-work-well-together-70216

Through Predictive analytics, customer behavior can be predicted to learn engaging with them and improve their experience. Mobile on the other hand is making marketers refocus their analytic efforts. Thus, predictive mobile analytics enable organizations discover consumer behavior by looking at data of how apps are used and finding their acting patterns. Using this information, marketers can focus on their marketing and advertising initiatives, looking at customer engagement during a promotion in real-time to facilitate greater targeting. Through predictive analytics, one can find the targeted customers. Digital tags enable to create a digital dossier where browsing history can link to a particular unidentified individual helping maintain their privacy. Thus can establish repeat behaviors that lead either to a purchase, or a rejection. Read more about it at:  https://channels.theinnovationenterprise.com/articles/why-you-must-invest-in-mobile-analytics

The sole motive behind existence of social media is that it helps to bring people together. Mostly people do not use social media for purchasing goods and services but for boasting about festivals. The ideal media campaigns provide the customers with the relevant and valuable information. Social media analytics helps enterprises to interact with customers and this is highly beneficial in regard to targeting content and promotional activities. In case of directly selling to the existing customers there is comparatively less pressure than selling to new customers and hence there is a sublime line to walk upon while dealing with them. However the most crucial aspect of sales in social media is building trust through engagement with customers, creation of a personal account and sharing quality content.

 To know more about customer engagement, please follow the link: https://channels.theinnovationenterprise.com/articles/what-are-the-most-effective-ways-to-engage-with-your-customers

Employment of analytics professionals into the marketing world goes far behind the usage of visualization techniques and data processing. Marketing enterprises are keen on hiring data and analytics professionals. It's a well-recognized fact that analytics not only help companies to take profitable decisions but also provides them with opportunities to build strong relationship with customers, increase sales volume etc.  Daniel Kehrar (VP Marketing, MarketShare) in his article on Forbes listed out the five ways in which brand marketers can innovate with analytics and they are as follows:

1. Use insights to enrich what you offer.

2. Perfect your programme.

3. Eliminate digital and channel silos.

4. Be predictive.

5. Merge brand measures with direct response.

Read more at: http://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesinsights/2015/06/29/5-ways-brand-marketers-can-innovate-with-analytics/

In this competitive world, where technology and social platforms are most used mediums to engage customers, companies usually pursue digital marketing strategies that engage by leading conversations. Rather, they should engage customers by providing them an opportunity to lead the way.

According to Robert Hegeman, digital creative director at Siegel+Gale, a global branding firm, engagement goes beyond simply responding to and talking with consumers.

Peter Gasca, Founder, Naked Cask, in his article at entrepreneur.com, has given four simple tips to engage customers and hence, improve digital marketing strategies. They are:

• Focus on mobile first
• Stop annoying your customers
• Make engagement painfully easy and obvious
• Stick to a website experience

To understand them in detail, please visit the following link:

http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/245487