This was my first year attending the Zenith Digital Marketing Conference, which took place last week here in Duluth. Let me start by setting the stage for you. Two hundred creatives gathered in one space to learn, voice their opinion, and have a good time. Imagine that many brilliant minds are all in one room conversing with one another. If those walls could talk…
Luckily, we don’t gatekeep here. Let’s discuss the conference, who was there, and what was discussed.
What is the Zenith Digital Marketing Conference?
The 11th annual Zenith Digital Marketing Conference was held on Thursday, April 11, 2024. Designed for marketing pros of all levels who want to engage in meaningful digital marketing programs. They strive to provide attendees with the strategies, tactics, and tools necessary to make more money through digital marketing.
Who presented?
Twenty-one world-class speakers, from CEOs and Directors to Managers and Designers, presented cutting-edge strategies to bring digital marketing campaigns to the next level. Check out the complete list and bios of those who presented here.
Keynote #1
The day started with a presentation on AI & Search from keynote speaker Michal King, founder and CEO of iPullRank. King shared his analytical data and insights to prove that despite recent claims that Google search is dead, most people still use Google. Specifically, people use Google to fact-check the information they read on AI channels or to find links to short-form videos such as TikTok. He also shared his three laws of AI:
- AI is not an end-all-be-all
- AI should be used as a force multiplier to improve workflow
- Use AI as awareness content
Breakout Sessions
There were five breakout sessions scheduled throughout the busy day. Attendees could select the breakout session they attended. Here are the key topics discussed by various speakers:
- AI
- SEO
- Small Business Growth
- Social media
- Online accounts
- E-commerce
Keynote #2
After lunch, Purna Virji, an author, content strategist, and marketer (aka Queen) currently working for LinkedIn, presented how to make inclusion the default. She discussed how, as a society, we understand the importance of accurately representing everyone. However, some companies have FOMU, which is the fear of messing up. To help avoid this, Virji gave us three checkpoints to ensure inclusion is integrated the right way.
- Focus on accessibility
- Identify and remove any barriers
- Mind your language
- Use everyday language that is easy to understand
- Consider your creatives
- Font, color, size, etc.
Virji encouraged us to consider whether anyone is feeling excluded. Am I making assumptions? What language does my target audience use?
If we weren’t already feeling motivated to reflect on our work, she left us with a powerful ad that left the crowd in tears. Watch the Cadbury ad here.
What’s next?
Overall, the Zenith Digital Marketing Conference was a smashing success. We are excited to see what’s in store for the conference next year. Want to learn how Creative Arcade approaches the key topics discussed at the conference? Connect with us; we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise.
