As any marketer will say, it always pays to look into the future. Being able to predict the future correctly can mean the difference between being miles ahead of the competition and playing second fiddle. Technologies are constantly changing and what worked five years ago may not be relevant to today’s market. This is why the digital marketer needs to remain on top of the most recent digital trends (it’s also worth noting that the digital marketing industry is currently booming with many taking up digital marketing internships). The top 5 include the following;
- Using Video to Boost Conversions and Brand Visibility
When crafting your digital marketing strategy in 2019, you can’t afford to ignore the video aspect of marketing. 3 out of 4 people say they share a brands video and a majority of consumers say that they have watched a video of a product prior to purchasing it. Zappos found that by adding videos to their product pages, they increased sales from 6% to 30%. There are several things to keep in mind when creating a view for marketing purposes. They include the following;
- Keep the video brief; most customers will click away after 8-10 seconds.
- To prevent them from clocking away, make sure the video is entertaining. This entails knowing your target market’s needs and appetite for entertainment and information.
- Creating s story makes it easier for customers to remain engaged with the video to the end
- Create content that is highly informative
- Optimize the video for mobile and SEO optimize it by using keyword-focused descriptions.
- Creating High Quality and Authentic Content
Content marketing is another component that must be present for your digital marketing campaign to be effective. But content must be relevant, engaging and authentic. Your audience will be able to easily share content that resonates with their needs, is familiar and is high-quality.
- Influencer Trends
Influencer marketing has continued to be a desirable marketing tool for most brands. A celebrity endorsement can drive up brand visibility and even lead to more sales of a particular product. But most small enterprises cannot afford the cost of a paid celebrity influencer. They however have the option to create a team of micro-influencers who can collectively have the same effect as a celebrity endorsement.
One advantage micro-influencers have is that they are more likely to have followers who are more likely to engage with your messages. Also, when chosen correctly they can become engaging brand advocates who can reach new audiences.
- Artificial Intelligence
Although marketing often relies on human interactions, in 2019, businesses can no longer ignore the impact of AI especially in customer engagement. AI resources like chat bots help a business engage with customers, answering their questions and even helping to solve any technological problems customers may encounter. When using AI, it is important to note that AI can help a business in various ways which is why it is important to determine which area of the business can benefit from AI. For example Netflix saved nearly $1 billion in 2016 by using AI to predict what customers will want next.
- Use Voice Search
With Siri, Alexa and Google Assistant it is getting difficult for Digital Marketers to ignore voice search. In fact when compared to regular text searches, voice search may prove to be more effective in terms of Click through Rate (CTR). This is because a voice search will often present fewer, more targeted search results. This means that SEO can now become even more targeted, reaching customers who are more likely to engage with your content and buy your products.