When preparing your company’s marketing plans it’s important to be aware of key marketing trends and changes ahead. Those predicted to shape the marketing world in 2019 and beyond. Recognising these trends will enable you to adjust your marketing strategies accordingly and stay ahead of the competition. Keep them in mind as you formulate your strategy to ensure optimum success.
1. Video marketing
Video and video ads will keep growing in 2019. Cisco has projected that more than 80% of all Internet traffic will be video by 2021. Almost 90% of digital marketers are already using video as part of their online marketing strategy. This isn’t surprising since it broadens your reach and connects with audiences across platforms such as blogs, YouTube and social media.
It’s especially expected that live video feeds will continue to grow. That’s because it helps potential customers make buying decisions and increases their likelihood of buying. However, users are starting to get bored by the large number of video content out there, so originality and creativity will be the key differentiator going forward. And video content needs to become more engaging.
A few ways to get started with video or to up your video marketing game is by leveraging Facebook Live or Twitter to broadcast from cool industry events while attending. You can also show a live demo with your sales reps and include an open Q&A. Using video to tell customer stories is another excellent way to use this type of marketing. Plus, what better way to share a testimonial with prospects than by having happy customers talk about their great experience with your company!
2. Influencer marketing
Consumers will be putting even more trust in people they know as well as high-quality content. They’re becoming more difficult to impress and increasingly resistant to ads or sales pitches because they don’t want to be sold. They just want you to help them buy.
Regardless of the size of your business, there’s an influencer for you. Although you may not need the sway of a big-name celebrity, you should seek someone who has a following of 1,000 to 10,000 followers on social media. Select one who posts about the desired subjects or niches on the platforms where your audience spends their time.
When it comes to influencer marketing, consumers are more aware of influencers who openly endorse brands. As a result, brands need to adopt a more subtle and transparent approach by building long-term relationships with influencers to foster more organic endorsements. Plus a more transparent communication with their customers builds trust.
3. Native ads
Consumers are less susceptible to traditional ads such as banner advertising and the use of ad blockers has drastically increased. That’s why native ads are projected to gain even more importance in 2019. In fact, according to Business Insider,Native advertising will drive 74% of all ad revenue by 2021.
These ads look like other content but have a small disclaimer above them stating that it is “sponsored content.” Native ads can be leveraged through social media or in ways that make them blend in more naturally with other content. It’s vital that this content provide valuable information to the consumer such as videos or articles that offer useful tips or insights around a specific topic or your product or service.
4. Semantic SEO
Search engines have started showing preference for topics or clusters of content around a specific topic instead of keywords. This change in SEO requirements is due, in part, to the rising popularity of searches implemented verbally, instead of through a keyboard. Semantic SEO means optimising for the true purpose of a query, not just the answer to a simple question. It involves providing more depth and value around a topic. As a result, websites and content need to be optimised for topics. Voice Search Marketing is expected to become increasingly important. According to ComScore, 50 per cent of all searches will be voice searches by 2020. And due to virtual assistants such as Alexa and Siri, Google is now able to understand phrases and identify what the user mean by their search. Consequently, optimisation for topics will be essential in 2019.
5. Marketing Automation
AI-powered technologies will take a personalised marketing approach a step further. Marketing automation and lead generation that’s supported by artificial intelligence will enable companies to enhance customer profiling. This, in turn, will facilitate the development of more sophisticated customer-centric marketing strategies. Doing so enables companies to increase customer satisfaction and maintain a competitive advantage. According to research by Forbes, more than 50% of marketers will adopt Artificial Intelligence by 2019. So it will be important to choose the right software to stay ahead of the game.
6. Chatbots
Chatbots are interactive software platforms designed to mimic normal human conversation. They’re often incorporated into apps, live chat, email, and SMS platforms. The use of chatbots is expected to grow in 2019 and it’s likely that consumers will start considering them as ‘normal’. In fact, according to Gartner, chatbots will power 85% of all customer service interactions by the year 2020.
Start leveraging chatbots now by having them answer frequently asked questions or walking customers through the buying process. It’s easy to get started! Just go to ManyChat or Botsify to create yours.
7. Mobile Marketing
Your customers and prospects view your website and content on various devices such as computers, tablets and mobile devices. This makes it critical to the success of your business to have mobile-optimised websites and marketing methods. The importance of mobile marketing shouldn’t come as a surprise, however there are still quite a few firms who are neglecting their mobile strategy. The numbers speak for themselves:
- Consumers now spend more than five hours a day on their smartphones and a recent AdWeek survey found 88% growth year over year in time spent watching videos on a smartphone.
- In 2018, 52.2% of all worldwide online traffic was generated through mobile phones, up from 50.3% in the previous year (Statista, 2018)
- 69% of smartphone users also say that they are more likely to buy from companies with mobile sites that easily address their questions or concerns (BrightEdge, 2017)
- 89% of people are likely to recommend a brand after a positive brand experience on Mobile (Google, 2017)
Getting started with your mobile marketing strategy doesn’t have to be difficult. Start by making sure that you have a message that makes customers want to invest in your product or service. The content you share with them will develop their brand awareness, and ideally pull them into your sales funnel. Since mobile users view your content in short intervals, mobile marketing content should be as brief and easy-to-understand as possible. This will make it quick and easy to consume, so they’re more likely to stay engaged. Remember to optimise your website and landing pages for mobile viewing. Plus, determine where your audience goes online to research your type of product or service. This is where you’ll find the most success in engaging potential and existing customers. That should get you started. Just remember that your mobile strategy will grow and evolve over time.
Conclusion
There is no single ‘best’ marketing strategy and nobody can predict the future with certainty. But watching out and preparing for these marketing trends will help you achieve your goals in 2019 while remaining competitive. If you would like to learn more our CRM please go to our home page the small business CRM of Act! or go to our Australia home page https://www.act.com/au
