Internet is no longer the "New Media".

I have noticed that many seem to ignore the fact that the digital space has been around for more than a decade. Really it is no longer the "New Media" as what traditional marketers, agencies or media owners are trying to "convince" in the corporate world. There is a new generation of digitally savvy users out there who are ready to take the digital world by a storm. All so ready to experiment, explore and be part of the global online citizen.

I remember having my first computer when I was between 6-9 years old. It was an old cluncky, brownish looking thing which I didn't think you can hook on to the internet with. But all the computer then did for me was..yes..GAMES! I enjoyed playing the "limited" games on the computer so much that one day the computer gave up on me. Oh well..

Then when I was bout 14 years old, my father brought home a beautiful laptop from the States and I was in love. I was in awe with the power of technology and yes was in love with the internet. I spent all my free time on the ever so famous IRC chatroom. I was hooked. There was no looking back after that.

Comparing the technology we had back then..gosh so much has changed. Who cares about IRC when we have MSN, Gtalk, Twitter and Facebook! 

The maturing digital community has created a critical mass that is so large, large enough for us marketing profesionals to market, measure and to understand the different behaviors aspects of the different segments within the market. 

This is the insight which is sadly not practiced (as much as we would like) in the marketing profession as measuring and analytics is not a discipline which most practicing industury marketer prefer to engage (sadly but true).

Is there a reason why?

Personally, I feel this lack of using the technologies we have available to our fullest will come back to haunt us as the digital space (moving forward) offers the best and most effective means to target our customers with the lowest possible cost, to measure and access our customers' preferences. I believe it is only through this insight that the marketing professional can make evolutionary changes to their products and services to match their customers’ changing needs.