If you’re in marketing, odds are good that this week’s issue of Ad Age is sitting on your desk, in your briefcase, or in your mailbox. It’s the annual Digital Issue, a special (and  widely-read) edition of Ad Age, focusing exclusively on the fast-moving world we live in every day, known as interactive / digital / web / online marketing.

Raidious put a special message in this year’s Ad Age Digital Issue: just a little reminder for all you CMOs, VPs of Marketing, Social Media Managers, eMarketing Managers, and other digital marketing junkies. Turn to page six please. Then contact us!

The website for the 2010 Masters of Business Online conference went live, signifying the opening of registration. I am a featured speaker, conducting a session on developing a digital content strategy.

2010 Masters of Business Online Conference

The Masters of Business Online conference is a one-day intensive conference focusing on utilizing the internet as a prime marketing channel.

From their website:

MBO 2010 brings together marketers from business and industries of all types. From Fortune 500 companies on the bleeding edge of innovation to small businesses breaking into the social arena, this year’s agenda is chock full relevant case studies and practical tips on how to use the internet as your best marketing channel.

How easy is it for customers and prospects to find your site when they do research? Are prospects connected in a way that convert their leads into sales? The web can be a powerful tool, but only if you know how to use it! That’s what this intensive one-day conference is all about!

At MBO 2010, you will:

• Learn how to maximize your company’s sales and leads with internet marketing and social media.
• Understand the relevant analytics to evaluate and test your campaigns.
• Create a bridge between your business’ brand and online goals.
• Connect with other marketing professionals and industry experts.

Other speakers include Amy Baker, Director of Digital Solutions for Fusion Alliance, Dave Morse, eMarketing Manager for Delta Faucet Company, and Ryan Mull, partner at Imavex. The keynote will be given by Mark Roberge, VP of sales, Hubspot.

If this all sounds like it’s right up your alley, read more or by all means go and register right now. It’s sure to be a day filled with great insights.

In a study released by the Participatory Marketing Network and Pace University’s Lubin School of Business’ IDM Lab they found that Generation-Y likes social networks, but still prefers e-mail and text-messaging to communicate.

The study evaluated time spent and the communication preferences of Gen-Y consumers using e-mail, social networks,  texting, visiting (non-social-net) websites, talking on the phone, reading a magazine and watching television. Most notably, 26% of people surveyed said they wouldn’t give up e-mail or text-messaging if they could only use one of the above tools for one week. And only 9% said they wouldn’t be able to give up social networks for a week.

Chart About Generation Y's Preferences

I don’t think it is any surprise that Gen-Yer’s need their e-mail and texts (an average of 740+ sent each month), but what is interesting is when you go further in the study. The research found that the average Gen-Yer spends 33 hours a month on social networks compared to 31 hours on their e-mail. I think this highlights that social networks aren’t competing so much against communication tools as they are competing with media consumption, which means that brands need the content to compete.

Why should marketers care? Why not just plug your online budget into e-mail campaigns and mobile promos?

The study actually evaluated the interest Gen-Y has with mobile marketing promos and the interest is rather low. 59% of people studied had no interest in receiving mobile promotions.

Generation Y Interest in Mobile Promotions

Marketers get so caught up in the buzzwords of the day: Twitter, E-mail, Facebook, Corporate Blog, etc. And they think we need to be on there; we need to be doing this; but what marketers really need to do is evaluate their consumer. Go where they are and use what they are using.

If your product or service is geared to Generation-Y, then I would propose a broad mix for your online strategy. Each product and service strategy will be different because of what they offer, so I am not going to propose a specific mixture. But, mark my words, marketers that find a balance in online presence and a concrete content strategy will reap the rewards of this generation.