167: CMO at Hootsuite, Penny Wilson, on Social & Privacy

During this episode of “Marketing Today,” Alan interviews Penny Wilson, the chief marketing officer at Hootsuite, the social media software company that enables users to integrate digital profiles and share scheduled content, run online campaigns, and manage analytics. With a degree in computer science, Wilson offers a unique perspective on social media and marketing that is steered by data.Wilson talks about Hootsuite's growth, going from 10 million users to 18 million users. She also offers her understanding of the importance of being customer-first and helping them add value and mature in their social media usage. Learn why she believes employees are the most important source of information about a company, reasons why marketing will become not just more personalized but also more permission-driven, and what it takes to increase trust in social media.Wilson defines the type of marketer she is by stating, “I am very data-driven as a marketer. So, I look for tying whatever I do to the results I can drive.” She highlights her marketing approach by sharing, “I use an acronym called ‘ACE,'...A.C.E. The ‘A' stands for ‘advocacy.' The ‘C' stands for putting ‘customers' at the center of everything you do, and then the ‘E' stands for building an ‘ecosystem' so you can really use the information effectively.” If you need a reason why customer service is key to your company, take Penny's word for it, “customers have very practical reasons for giving us their attention on social. They have a moment of need. Customer service is typically ranked as the number reason that they want to talk with a company.”Highlights from this week's “Marketing Today”:Penny Wilson introduces herself and explains her career path. (01:32)How does her degree in computer science impact her marketing work? (04:03)What was Penny's transition into marketing? (04:37)While at Hootsuite, what has Penny been focused on? (08:11)Penny shares her perspective on the need for companies to use social media. (09:15)What is driving Hootsuite's growth? (15:09)What advice does Penny have for marketers as it pertains to privacy? (16:52)What does Penny Wilson see as the biggest trends for social media? (18:30)Are there any experiences in Penny's past that have helped define who she is today? (21:59)What advice would Penny give to her younger self? (25:10)What currently fuels Penny to keep going today? (26:13)Are there any companies, brands, or organizations that Penny Wilson believes marketers should pay attention to? (27:18)What does Penny Wilson feel is the future of marketing? (29:40) Resources Mentioned:Consumers Yearn for Privacy, and Marketers Will Need to Respect That in 2019 (Adweek)Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/marketingtodaySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Become a member today and listen ad-free, visit https://plus.acast.com/s/marketingtoday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.