There’s no way around it. The face of marketing is changing. Traditional methods have fallen by the wayside in favor of online efforts. Nearly everyone has access to a computer and mobile phone, and online marketing is more visible than any other form. Digital marketing is essential to taking your company to the top in the modern era. Digital content creation, social media promotions, and streaming content are major keys to reaching your customers.
One of the challenges here is that technology and our use of it is changing so quickly that it’s hard to keep up. The digital marketing strategies that worked last year might be past their prime this year. This is one of the reasons that it’s so helpful to work with digital marketing consultants, as they can help you keep abreast of the changing landscape. But, to help you tune in to some of the newest changes, here are a few trends that have come into focus in 2019 and that point to the direction of future digital marketing success.
1. Facebook is Moving Past Its Prime
Although Facebook is still the most popular social media platform worldwide, the demographic is aging. Global statistics show that user engagement rates have leveled off for all age groups except for 55+. So, while it’s not out of the game yet, if you focus all of your social media promotions through Facebook, you’ll miss a huge chunk of your potential customer base. Platforms like Snapchat and Instagram are becoming increasingly popular, not only for the younger generations but across the board. A number of services have come out that allow you to consolidate all of your social media platforms and manage them from one central location. However, since this can be an art in itself, the best bet is to find a social media management agency to handle your posts and comments.
2. The Use of Chatbots is on the Rise
This is one of the marketing trends which reflect our current shifts in technology and computing. Chatbots are automated responders that communicate with site visitors and engage with them just as human operators would. They communicate either through verbal interaction or text boxes and help users to meet their goals. Chatbots increase user engagement and reduce the need for constant online operators while personalising the site experience. They are especially important when your business is focused on eCommerce, though their use in other areas has risen significantly in the last year alone.
3. Video Content is Becoming More Important Every Year
Videos can be embedded directly onto a website or posted on social media channels. It’s one of the most popular ways of engaging with content. Video allows you to you showcase products or services far more effectively. You can deliver much more information in a short amount of time, while adding personality and connecting with the customer. In addition, it’s now paired with sophisticated metrics that let you see how effective your marketing is and how it can be refined to improve your reach and boost sales.
4. Content is King, but the Key is the Right Content
Content marketing has always been an essential part of digital marketing. Keywords have been a key part of this, though refinements in the search algorithms are favoring higher quality and information that’s tailored to the target demographic. It has to be valuable to the customers, adding value to your site and brand. This requires a more in-depth understanding of the target market. Know your customer, know what they will want to know or questions they are likely to ask, and then create targeted content to address these questions.
Metrics are also used to determine the effectiveness of blogs and site content, offering valuable feedback for tailoring the site to the target demographic. Plus, fresh, relevant content is essential for improving your search ranking. Since this requires constant content creation, it’s another great reason to work with an online marketing company so that you can focus on other aspects of the business.
5. Email Personalisation is Becoming More Important
Email is one of the most vital forms of communication for professional and commerce purposes. But, since there are loads of messages dropping into a person’s inbox each day, it’s important that the messages are tailored. Using email to connect with a repeat customer is helpful, especially when personal touches like the name and a written signature are added. Generic, across the board emails are as likely to be discarded unopened. Plus, with email marketing, you can target specific offers based on previous client behavior or interest. This is ideal for remarketing or creating a targeted sales funnel with a call to action.
6. Voice Searches and Other Voice Interactions
Voice interaction with devices is still relatively new and as yet being explored, but they have huge potential in terms of connecting with customers and boosting conversions. When it comes right down to it, it’s more natural for us to communicate verbally. Now that Siri, Alexa, Google, and a range of other applications have made it available, voice search is on the rise. However, a voice search is different from a text search. It will often result in only a few search results, perhaps only one. Plus, spoken keywords are different than written keywords, since we speak and write differently. This means that the meta descriptions of the site should be optimised for verbal interaction. This is one aspect of marketing which requires a higher level of technical understanding to set up effectively.
If you’d like to connect with a local marketing expert, or look into how to revamp your marketing efforts, feel free to contact us. At Reputation by Design, we’re dedicated to helping you to find the right marketing strategy for your company.
