9 Insights Into Customer Experience, Content Marketing and More: E-commerce Link Digest

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Howdy, Big Thinkers! Hope you’ve had an amazing week. What do you say we close it out with these 9 insights into customer experience, content marketing and more as this week’s entry into the E-commerce Link Digest series? Enjoy:

1. In an article on Forbes, Lauren Friedman looks at “Millennials And The Digital Experience: Getting Your Digital Act Together.” Really good stuff.
2. Of course, millennials represent a significant change for your business. But Paul Daugherty, Accenture’s Chief Technology Officer, looks at what might be an even more profound shift: “The Changing Face of Business – and the Part Artificial Intelligence Has to Play.” Fascinating post and well worth your time.
3. Some changes are painful. Chris Isidore reports on CNN Money that “JCPenney Will Close up to 140 Stores.” But it’s worth noting that this represents more a shift in who’s winning rather than a trends away from retail altogether. For instance, in the article, Chris notes that Amazon “…expects to hire 100,000 US workers this year,” some likely for its new retail outlets like Amazon Go. One thing’s for sure. Retail will continue to see significant changes over the next few years as customers and companies alike navigate this new environment.
4. For additional insights into how these changes might shape your world, don’t miss these 9 Great Posts Focused on Digital Transformation, Strategy, and AI from the E-commerce Link Digest series.
5. Another great entry into the E-commerce Link Digest series offers up “13 Key Insights About Mobile Commerce, Payments, and Content Marketing” that you won’t want to miss.
6. Hey, speaking of content marketing — see what I did there? — Arnie Kuenn has a fantastic piece over on Brand Quarterly that walks you through “Successful Content Marketing In 8 Steps.”
7. Let’s follow that up with an entry from Thinks Out Loud, our e-commerce and digital strategy podcast, that looks at “Trends for 2017: What Your Content Marketing Strategy Looks Like.”
8. But, wait, what’s content marketing got to do with the changes we’re seeing in the marketplace? Well, for starters, it needs to adapt, as Jayson DeMers from Forbes explains “How Content Marketing Could Change In A Wearable Technology Era.” Also, as somebody said recently, “Content is King, Customer Experience is Queen” — and both play a critical role in helping you connect with your customers.
9. And while we’re on the topic of connecting with customers, don’t miss this look at “Improving Customer Experience in 2017: The Conference Board’s 13th Annual CX Conference” for even more insights to improve your business all year long.

If you want learn even more about how your customers’ changing behavior shapes e-commerce and marketing, be sure and register to receive a special report I’ve produced in conjunction with hotel marketing firm Vizergy, “Digital Hotel Marketing in a Multiscreen World.” While it’s targeted specifically at hotel and resort marketers, the lessons apply to just about any business. You can get your free copy of the report here.

You can also check out these slides and video from my recent webinar, “Digital Marketing Directions: Three Key Trends Driving Your Marketing Next Year”:

Finally, you might enjoy some of these past posts from Thinks to help you build your e-commerce strategy and your digital success:

• 6 Mobile Commerce and Strategy Insights: E-commerce Link Digest
• Content is Still the King
• The Digital Strategy Myth
• Why Mobile Payments Will Rule
• Driving Seamless Experiences in 2016 (Thinks Out Loud Episode 149)
• Mobile is So Much Bigger Than You Think (Thinks Out Loud Episode 140)
• It’s Not “Mobile First.” It’s “Customer First.”
• 8 Killer Entries About Improving E-commerce Experience: E-commerce Link Digest