Annual Reporting and Digital Marketing

I am on a roll. To date my blog posts have been about social media/digital marketing being integrated in different facets of life. This week is no different. I came across an article while reading the WSJ about annual reporting and social media. Apparently, the Goldman Sachs' annual report is new and improved and the MD&A report is delivered by Lloyd Blankfein via YouTube....go figure. The author goes on to note in the article "Today's annual reports and public communications are rapidly moving to video clips, infographics, animation, and more. The variety of presentation platforms must be leveraged to attract and engage investors, analysts, media and others who can potentially move the revenue needle. This endeavor needn't break the bank." Companies need to think about how to utilize the annual report in a more impactful way - not just for analysts to develop a view on earning or investors to understand what is going on at the company. The annual report can attract new investment that will in fact "move the revenue needle" - otherwise the 100+ pages are a huge waste.

 The last three paragraphs in the article sum up in my mind our first few classes and why digital marketing is even a class in business school (keep in mind this is coming from someone who didn't know and still doesn't fully understand the business of search marketing).

"Executives who are bottom-line oriented may not immediately recognize the value of marketing and "object" to its perpetual struggle to show return on investment. This longtime struggle to "prove" marketing is becoming a reality as digital channels offer the ability to measure engagement. Firms who are first movers are reallocating their marketing budgets toward digital channels.

The socialization of marketing platforms has led to a greater ability to niche and target your audiences as well. Building personal brands weaves a tapestry of touch points for engagement and interaction. Whereas once there was only the corporate brand and a media spokesperson, today's best practices involve many becoming the "face" and "voice" of a larger corporate profile and brand.

Goldman Sachs' annual report is no longer a "telling" piece - it has crossed over into the digital age, to become an engaging piece of creative, interactive dialogue rather than a soliloquy. Here's to seeing many more follow in its trail-blazing path."

To view the full article please see link below. 
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/april-rudin/youve-a-come-a-long-way-b_b_3416249.html