Paul Lewis Director of Operations Society of Digital Agencies

The digital marketing revolution is clearly under way, and yet we’re only at the cusp of possibilities. Where is the industry, with all of its myriad tools, such as social media, headed? The Society of Digital Agencies’ (SoDA) “2010 Digital Marketing Outlook” report offers plenty of answers. But for even more behind-the-scenes insight, CMO.com recently spoke to Paul Lewis, SoDA’s director of operations. Read on to learn which survey results interested him most, how brands need to evolve their thinking, questions CMOs should be asking about digital infrastructure, and much more.

CMO.com: Give us a little background about SoDA.

Paul Lewis: The Society of Digital Agencies was conceived when a number of leading digital agency CEOs got together to discuss the future of digital marketing. As we started sharing experiences and challenges, we were struck by the number of common problems that were not being addressed elsewhere. Everything from legal and process issues, to workforce skill sets, documentation, standards, and the need for better education and information—not just for digital agencies, but for educational institutions, CMOs, vendors, and everyone working in the field of digital marketing and communication.

Adobe, our founding sponsor, helped get the ball rolling in those early meetings, and we eventually turned into a trade group striving to benefit the entire digital marketing industry. SoDA now comprises more than 40 of some of the world's most respected digital agencies, with member offices on five continents. Our mission is to serve as a worldwide voice for digital marketing professionals, with a goal to advance the profession through best practices, education, and advocacy.  

CMO.com: As you think about the 2010 survey, what findings were most surprising or impressive to you?

Lewis: The majority of respondents indicated they are shifting more of their budgets to digital—no surprise—but the interesting aspect is where they are investing. Important priorities for this year include social networks, mobile, and blogger outreach, so it seems like the dollars may finally start to follow the buzz in 2010.

Also, while we aren't out of the economic woods yet, people feel more settled. Last year many marketing initiatives froze while everyone wondered how bad it might get. Today most think we have seen the worst and are now getting back to the business of executing on the current situation. I was also pleased to see fairly close alignment of expectations between agencies and brands who took the survey.

CMO.com: How will the impact of digital media and marketing in the next decade differ from its impact during the past 10 years?

Lewis: I think the past two decades of digital marketing have primarily been about taking traditional advertising models and trying to figure out how to apply them to the digital world. However, the digital world of today is not simply an extension of our physical one, and even the concept of advertising is diminishing in effectiveness. Consumer digital communication in the form of blogs, online reviews, tweets, text messages, and more has balanced out the one-sided conversation of brand advertising.

So brands need to evolve their thinking and spend as much or more time listening to and dialoguing with consumers as they broadcast their marketing messages. The good news is that for forward-thinking organizations, this is an unparalleled opportunity to reinvent their strategy and gain market share.