Last week we looked at how search intent had surged around popular advertising channels and topics, such as “online video” and “brand safety.” Brands and agencies are navigating a shifting landscape — one that presents unforeseen challenges and opportunities to pivot towards new business practices. We can infer from this week’s snapshot that advertisers are making strides to digitally transform, break down organizational silos, and connect with customers in humanly relevant ways. 

New and emerging technologies have been revolutionizing our ways of working for a long time now, accelerated by COVID-19. It should come as no surprise then that the Bombora intent data that is the basis for this column shows that the topic “Digital Disruption” has been climbing among brands since early May as disruption to global supply chains continue to impact every industry in every region. This trend shows no sign of slowing and we should expect more disruption, as static sectors are turned on their heads.

Digital transformation is breaking down industry boundaries, and so demands a radical rethink in how companies can join the right kinds of ecosystems to reach their customers offering the right products at the right time. Across every industry and sector, speed of transformation is essential, and traditional businesses that understand this recognize that a coherent approach to the customer must be taken. It’s become increasingly clear that no business can afford to stand still. When businesses equip themselves with the right defenses, they can embrace digitalization and supercharge profitability as the world approaches a new tomorrow. 

Interestingly, another important area that has earned the attention of brands is “Lead to Account Matching.” An important, but often under-appreciated process, lead to account matching offers visibility into sales and marketing engagements with all parties at the account level. It also presents a key barrier to successful account-based marketing (ABM). As digital transformations initiatives take place spurring more digital engagement with customers, we have the opportunity to implement the right technology and systems to streamline the process and help address this longstanding issue. 

Another growing area of interest among brands and agencies is “Radio,” which has been at the forefront of generating COVID-related messaging in recent months. Studies have shown the effectiveness of radio ads that highlight the human connection in the current state of “betweenness,” which have attracted the interest of advertisers and led many to rework their ad creative to reflect the new post-pandemic American. This demonstrates the strength of radio during difficult periods and how advertisers can become authority figures during times of crisis.