Faster = better, better = faster, faster + better = the new standard
For a lot of big brands today, a well-considered web marketing campaign can take six weeks just to tune the messaging. Sample messages are sent, results are analyzed, and messages are tweaked. Then the process repeats. What emerges is pretty solid messaging -- assuming the market hasn't moved on in the meantime. More resources won't make it go faster because the serial process is the constraint.

Think of this as the static model of advertising.

The static model can't keep up with today's fast-moving trends. Fortunately, within reach is a new approach that can accomplish in days or hours what used to take weeks. Welcome to real-time advertising. Where more money can't compress the static model schedule, the real-time model inherently compresses both time and money. 

Putting this level of capability into action takes more than new technology and tools; it takes new thinking regarding risk, objectives, and measurement.

1. Risk
   The static model is carefully and methodically tuned to minimize downside risk because few brands can afford a big failure. At the same time, there is little upside in overachieving to those supporting the brand. (Not really a recipe for game-changing behavior.)
   
   If you want to change the game, you have to change the rules. Near real-time development combined with real-time data encourages lots of short experiments rather than fewer big ones.  Managing the downside risk need not be a function of cautiousness. Real-time data and control means a campaign can be terminated at any time.  Brands can now do and try things they would never have dreamed off before. The economics also are changing to reward upside performance as well. The combination is going to rock the advertising world from top to bottom and everywhere in-between.  But you have to play by the new rules.
   
   
2. Objectives
   The new rules are going to drive new thinking throughout the planning and execution process. This extends beyond the how to the why.  With new ways to engage customers with fast-acting, interactive campaigns, everyone from the brand manager, to the creative director, to the media buyer must be re-aligned in how they work together.
   
   
3. Measurement
   Traditional metrics only tell us that we've touched someone. The new standard of engagement calls for new measures as well. New types of engagement measures allow us to differentiate between eyeballs and true engagement.

Better data ultimately drives better decisions. To leverage the new data, however, we need to re-think the overall process of how campaigns are developed and deployed.

There is also a qualitative component to good decisions. Social media expert Tara Hunt likes to point out that social capital is what makes online communities flourish, not money. Those that help you strum the social graph are very conscious that their tweet or stream of your content needs to build their social capital or they won't engage with you. Use data to understand when and how people are engaging with your content in ways that continues the conversation. If you are getting eyeballs, but not this type of engagement, it's time to shut it down and try something else.

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