Alex Atzberger: Now that you have taken over as CMO, what are you trying ahead to?
Shafqat Islam: It is wonderful to tackle this function as a creator and class chief. What number of manufacturers could be leaders in nearly each class (suppose Experimentation and CMS) by which we take part?
And we’ve got loads to stay up for and construct on. We’ve an distinctive group of leaders and advertising and marketing professionals. They’re fiercely clever, optimistic, and care deeply about what our merchandise can *do* for our clients. Not only for the individuals who will discover the advertising and marketing, retail and product experiences we help, but additionally for the individuals who construct them. As somebody who has created merchandise and been deeply immersed in advertising and marketing, I like the attitude our group has.
Alex Atzberger: What makes Optimizely distinctive?
Shafqat Islam: To begin with, we’re class creators in experimentation and content material administration, each CMS and CMP. Entrepreneurs realize it, and analysts realize it, as the highest 7 analyst stories will inform you.
Martech is a really crowded subject, so it is true that there are lots of corporations whose territory overlaps with ours. However present me one other firm that may deal with your complete content material lifecycle like we do. Or present me one other firm that may do each function markup and experimentation.
We even have a legendary legacy within the martech world. Earlier than I joined, I knew that A/B testing and Optimizely have been synonymous, and that the corporate’s roots return to the very beginnings of the apply. And that’s one thing that’s like widespread folklore in advertising and marketing and expertise.
And greater than something, the 1,500 individuals who work listed here are world class.
Alex Atzberger: Being a CMO speaking to different CMOs and advertising and marketing leaders is a bonus. the shopper. Nevertheless it has additionally created technological merchandise. How does that have an effect on your work now?
Shafqat Islam: I spent most of my grownup life creating merchandise for distributors. So I have been fortunate sufficient to spend a lot time speaking to CMOs and entrepreneurs at nearly each kind of firm all over the world. Because the founder/CEO of Welcome, my focus was on fixing advertising and marketing challenges by product creation. However now as a CMO, I get to make use of the merchandise that we construct.
We’re all execs of our personal options, so along with the pure empathy I’ve for entrepreneurs, I am additionally across the distinctive challenges of the job each day. There’s nothing prefer it to maintain you in your toes and near the shopper.
As a product creator, I knew that we must always at all times discuss enterprise outcomes. However as a CMO, I like that we’re not simply speaking in regards to the options, we’re additionally dwelling them.
As a result of I used to be an entrepreneur for thus lengthy, I additionally carry one other distinctive perception: my willingness to take sensible dangers. I like attempting issues, even when (particularly if?) the outcomes are generally stunning. With regards to experimentation, there aren’t any failures, solely learnings.
Alex Atzberger: What are the most important challenges you’re listening to from our clients, present and future?
Shafqat Islam: Progress, particularly given how troublesome it’s for thus many industries. The stakes are excessive with regards to creating experiences that win and retain clients. That is what all of our clients, particularly the heavy hitters in retail, are pondering.
And advertising and marketing and expertise leaders want to do that with tighter budgets. Effectivity is essential proper now, and which means not solely chopping prices you’ll be able to see, like the value tag connected to software program, but additionally prices you’ll be able to’t instantly see, like how a lot money and time it takes to handle. a set of options. That being stated, in troublesome occasions, I imagine that the strongest manufacturers cannot solely survive but additionally thrive. I additionally imagine that when others are afraid, that could be the time to speculate aggressively.
And on the backside of all that is nonetheless the ever-growing listing of buyer touchpoints. That is concurrently an thrilling problem for entrepreneurs and an thrilling alternative. Extra information means more practical storytelling, if you need to use it proper.
I additionally hearken to entrepreneurs after they say {that a} shared house is important for collaboration between us. The function of the marketer is expansive and more and more difficult. Constructing a group the place we will come collectively and admire our shared targets is troublesome, however I’m optimistic that we’re shifting in the precise course.
Alex Atzberger: What’s subsequent in our house? What’s going to advertising and marketing and expertise leaders be speaking about six months from now?
Shafqat Islam: Wanting round now, it is clear that 2023 would be the 12 months AI-generated content material goes mainstream. We’re starting to see the makes use of and penalties of this. There are already rumors about ChatGPT and its capabilities, and platforms are already creating house to combine AI performance into their choices. It could possibly be an thrilling manner for customers to be higher geared up to create and share high-quality content material.
Prospects have additionally turn into very accustomed to customization. Each display they see every day is customized, whether or not it is their Netflix account or their social networks. So after I see a website that is not customized, I scratch my head and surprise why? Now that personalization is the norm, the expectations for digital creators are by the roof.
Learn the official press launch.
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Five questions for our new CMO, Shafqat Islam
