In what is probably a world’s first, I’m going to open this blog post with a joke from the future. And to pile on the excitement, Future You is in the joke! Here goes…
Future Me: Knock, knock
Future You: Who’s there?
Future Me: The Digital Team
Future You: The Digital Team who?
Future Me: Exactly!
[Future Us laugh knowingly and with gusto; Future Me spills her G&T slightly in the process.]
Present You is probably a bit confused right now, and is definitely considering checking Facebook instead. But stick with me, as we go on a journey through time and space to examine the future of the Digital Team as we know it…
More, more, more!
So, five years ago this was Past Me all the time: “We need more people in the Web Team!”. Two years on and this became: “We need more people in the Digital Team!”.
And then Digital Transformation became A Thing and lo and behold my voice was heard. Thus my small team of Web Officers became a large team of social, email, analytics and content specialists. A well-oiled hub of digital expertise, fit for future.
Or are we?
No more!
You see, Present Me has gone all Mystic Meg. I find myself wondering what the Digital Team of the future should be, and I’ve come to the conclusion that it shouldn’t be. It is an ex-team.
My vision for the future is threefold…
1. Marketing
You’ve got marketing and you’ve got digital marketing. Maybe at one time it made sense to split the two, to give the newer discipline time to grow and to take shape. But actually isn’t the best marketeer one who thinks about audiences and messages first rather than channels?
It’s time to blend digital skills into core marketing skills. Move the digital marketeers into the marketing team, and eventually stop dividing the two up entirely.
Boom, job done. Next!
2. Content
Digital content. It’s different, right? You have to know about short paragraphs and bullet points for a start.
But maybe your organisation has print writers or editors too – look, there they are, over in the corner by the window. They’re writing the same stuff as you, but with more semi-colons.
Let’s take a different approach to content creation across the whole organisation: go ahead and create a content team that spans print, online and any other media where people read words.
Zing!
3. The rest
So, what’s left? How about UX, IA, innovation, developers and project managers?
In a truly digital organisation (ie every organisation, eventually) these skills should sit outside Marketing and Comms in a central team that spans the whole organisation. Why? Because digital will be everywhere, delivering everything. It will need cross-organisation planning and management.
And finally – controversy alert! – maybe the organisation’s websites (yes, there should be more than one) will be managed by this team too.
Ta da!
Handy summary
Digital marketing and content skills should be mainstreamed – into existing expert teams like marketing and even to a certain extent out into all staff.
Control of the digital landscape should move out of Marketing and Comms and should concentrate on user experience, integration and innovation.
Find out more
Future You agrees with me (I refer you to the hilarious joke we shared at the start). What does Present You think?
If you would like to learn more about how we can help your cause or you have a general query, please get in touch using the contact form below and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
“I've worked with the Platypus team multiple times. They're the agency we always go back to because of their broad range of skills, consistently great team, good sense and pragmatism and the fact that hey are always a joy to work with."
Lynn RobertsAssistant Director - Digital & Innovation, Action for Children
"Platypus is the best search marketing agency I've worked with in over 20 years. No other agency has the level of paid search knowledge than they do."
Kim WatsonVersus Arthritis
“In a sometimes confusing and murky digital world, the guys at Platypus are a breath of fresh air. They know their stuff, they tell us it straight and really care about the work we do together. There’s a true sense of partnership between the Sightsavers and Platypus teams, which makes working together more productive and more enjoyable.”
Ella PierceDirector of fundraising, Sightsavers
"Platypus' social media review was incredibly useful for us. It helped us identify areas for improvement and provided practical recommendations that we could implement right away. The team's expertise and collaborative approach made the process smooth and very enjoyable!"
Sarah CooperCommunications Manager, Motor Insurance Bureau.
“The Platypus team were a dream to work with on this campaign. They clearly didn’t just use a boilerplate approach with us – they were flexible, adaptable, and quick to respond. What’s more, they are true Facebook Ads experts. It was the combination of their approach and expertise that made this campaign so successful. Thanks, Platypus!”
Joanna Sullivan, Head of Community & Events FundraisingDementia UK
The Rise and Fall of the Digital Team
In what is probably a world’s first, I’m going to open this blog post with a joke from the future. And to pile on the excitement, Future You is in the joke! Here goes…
Future Me: Knock, knock
Future You: Who’s there?
Future Me: The Digital Team
Future You: The Digital Team who?
Future Me: Exactly!
[Future Us laugh knowingly and with gusto; Future Me spills her G&T slightly in the process.]
Present You is probably a bit confused right now, and is definitely considering checking Facebook instead. But stick with me, as we go on a journey through time and space to examine the future of the Digital Team as we know it…
More, more, more!
So, five years ago this was Past Me all the time: “We need more people in the Web Team!”. Two years on and this became: “We need more people in the Digital Team!”.
And then Digital Transformation became A Thing and lo and behold my voice was heard. Thus my small team of Web Officers became a large team of social, email, analytics and content specialists. A well-oiled hub of digital expertise, fit for future.
Or are we?
No more!
You see, Present Me has gone all Mystic Meg. I find myself wondering what the Digital Team of the future should be, and I’ve come to the conclusion that it shouldn’t be. It is an ex-team.
My vision for the future is threefold…
1. Marketing
You’ve got marketing and you’ve got digital marketing. Maybe at one time it made sense to split the two, to give the newer discipline time to grow and to take shape. But actually isn’t the best marketeer one who thinks about audiences and messages first rather than channels?
It’s time to blend digital skills into core marketing skills. Move the digital marketeers into the marketing team, and eventually stop dividing the two up entirely.
Boom, job done. Next!
2. Content
Digital content. It’s different, right? You have to know about short paragraphs and bullet points for a start.
But maybe your organisation has print writers or editors too – look, there they are, over in the corner by the window. They’re writing the same stuff as you, but with more semi-colons.
Let’s take a different approach to content creation across the whole organisation: go ahead and create a content team that spans print, online and any other media where people read words.
Zing!
3. The rest
So, what’s left? How about UX, IA, innovation, developers and project managers?
In a truly digital organisation (ie every organisation, eventually) these skills should sit outside Marketing and Comms in a central team that spans the whole organisation. Why? Because digital will be everywhere, delivering everything. It will need cross-organisation planning and management.
And finally – controversy alert! – maybe the organisation’s websites (yes, there should be more than one) will be managed by this team too.
Ta da!
Handy summary
Find out more
Future You agrees with me (I refer you to the hilarious joke we shared at the start). What does Present You think?
Matt Collins
Other posts by this author
Share on social
Matt Collins
Other posts by this author
Share on social
Recent Posts
What to do about Meta’s new advertising restrictions
Optimising for AI Search: A Comprehensive Guide For Charities
How our pro bono work for Simba Charity smashed fundraising targets on Meta
Find out how we can help your cause
If you would like to learn more about how we can help your cause or you have a general query, please get in touch using the contact form below and we will get back to you as soon as possible.