Fast-evolving technologies, such as pay-per-click (PPC), analytics, and social media, have made powerful capabilities available to agencies and marketing teams. However, this has made it increasingly difficult to keep up with the necessary skills to stay competitive. Ad agencies and in-house marketing teams have the opportunity to bridge this gap by upskilling themselves in the latest digital technologies and best practices. To do this, an effective eLearning program that uses a blended learning methodology has been proven to be the most effective way to achieve desired corporate training outcomes. Recently, Simplilearn’s Josh Pfister, along with Learning & Development researcher Dan Biewener, discussed these technologies, as well as the theories and practices behind blended learning in a webinar. If you missed it, the half-hour recorded webinar can be viewed now or at your convenience. Additionally, a written wrap-up of the main points of the webinar is available.
Challenges Facing the Agency Industry
1: Clients Are Going digital
The digital economy has had a drastic effect on the agency industry, causing a shift in the way large consumer packaged goods (CPG) brands are marketing their products. According to Adweek (March 1, 2018), two of the biggest CPG brands in the world, Procter & Gamble and Unilever, have been making drastic changes to their digital marketing strategies. This shift has caused many large marketing agencies to redirect their budgets to training their own staff in digital marketing skills, rather than outsourcing the work. As a result of this new approach, many agencies have seen their budgets cut by half. To illustrate this trend, Procter & Gamble was able to reduce their digital ad spend by $200 million while still increasing their reach by 10 percent.
2: The Digital Marketing Knowledge Gap
We have discovered that there is a gap between understanding digital marketing concepts and actually implementing them into campaigns and strategies. Many sales staff understand what digital marketing is, but have difficulty creating a multi-faceted solution that achieves customer goals. We need an education program that gives them the ability to combine different digital marketing tactics and create a comprehensive solution. By combining disciplines such as social media, content, and PPC, they can create powerful digital marketing strategies that bring results. Without this understanding of how different digital marketing tactics work together, it will be difficult to maximize customer satisfaction and ROI.
3: Talent Needed to Fill Digital Skills Gaps
According to Burning Glass Research (August 2017), the demand for digital marketing skills in marketing jobs has grown to 40%, demonstrating the need for qualified professionals in this field. Mondo.com has also reported that the demand for digital marketing professionals will rise by 38% in the current year, indicating a continuing need for skills in this area. The US Digital Marketing Forecast, 2014 to 2019 predicts that digital marketing spending will exceed $100 billion and account for 35% of all marketing spending by 2019. The LinkedIn Workforce Report (May 2018) states that the US is currently in need of an additional 230,000 people with digital marketing skills. Deloitte’s The CMO Survey (2017) highlighted the fact that demand for Content Marketing has risen by 450% over the past five years, with Digital Analytics demand increasing by 152%. Finally, Upwork.com (2017) noted that 35% of hiring managers feel that hiring has become more difficult in the past year, further demonstrating the need to fill existing digital marketing skills gaps.
Why Blended Learning Improves Digital Marketing Skills
The blended learning process is a great way to close the skills gaps that have been created due to the digital shift. Blended learning combines instructor-led classroom training with online content, often in the form of on-demand videos, enabling learners to review material outside of class. This method of learning allows for each aspect to be taught using the most appropriate medium for the topic of that particular stage in the training. Additionally, blended learning takes into account the different learning styles of individuals, in accordance with the VARK modalities theory developed by Fleming and Mills in 1992. Through the combination of visual, auditory, reading, kinesthetic, logical, social, and solitary (self-study) modes, blended learning provides a means to engage all types of learners.
In order to properly deliver blended learning training programs, one must also take into account the engagement preferences of different generations currently working in the same offices. Blended learning offers structure and predictability, independent study and practice, group interaction, and fun activities, providing something engaging and effective for all generations of learners. Studies have shown that learning is significantly improved when different activities are combined with passive study, and redundancy through multiple delivery modes helps to ensure better learning and retention