What’s gonna be hot in the world of digital marketing in 2018?
The following trends promise to make an exciting impact in the world of marketing and advertising. We take a look at new technologies and topics of interest for the coming year, with an eye to customer experience, personalisation and mobile use. Hold onto your devices, here we go…
Mobile
It seems like yonks since mobile-use overtook desktop for web browsing and shopping (in fact, it was 2014), and yet marketers are still playing catch up. With mobile use continuing to grow year-on-year, we’ve well and truly entered the mobile-first economy. In 2018, marketers will need to implement mobile-first strategies that go beyond simply building responsive websites and apps. Mobile needs to be at the forefront of your digital strategy, from advertising, content creation and design.
Voice Activation
Not only are 20% of mobile search queries done using voice commands, 2017 saw a rise in home-based digital assistants like smart speakers and Google Home. Amazon has even used voice recognition to sell to customers, meaning that they’ve cut out the opportunity for competitors to promote their products. It’s now time for marketers to take voice recognition seriously. More emphasis on branding might be necessary, so that consumers say your brand first in a voice search query.
Trust
According to world-famous research and advisory firm Forrester, trust between brands and consumers was at its lowest point ever in 2017. Today’s savvy consumers are interacting with brands more than ever, providing them with more opportunity to be …well, dissatisfied. Brands will have to respond to their customer experience rating in 2018 if they want to see a turn-around in this two year-long trend
AI & Machine Learning
AI has been a hot topic in marketing for a number of years, but it seems we’re finally going to see businesses putting this technology to use in 2018. Now the technology is more affordable, so that even small businesses can utilise algorithms and off-the-shelf machine learning services to gather data on their audiences and customers. Machines will also begin to act as gatekeepers between marketers and the consumer, another thing that will make branding an increasingly important step in digital marketing strategies.
Blockchain
Made famous as the technology behind bitcoin, blockchain has wide-ranging applications unrelated to cryptocurrencies. In marketing and advertising, it can be used to increase the accuracy and measurability of data. For example, blockchain can now be used to gauge whether your ads are reaching the right audience— technology that will save advertisers millions of dollars each year.
Chatbots
Long-awaited, chatbots have finally hit the scene, allowing users to ask questions, make bookings or get their concerns addressed faster than ever. For example, a chatbot on facebook can be used to walk customers through an online restaurant booking. The instantaneity of chatbots is just what we need in the digital age.
Personalisation
With Amazon set to disrupt the digital retail landscape in Australia this coming year, retailers and marketers are going to have to push their digital strategies in order to keep up. By collecting more data and analytics on their audiences and tailoring experiences to their customers, personalising your campaigns and collateral is one way Aussie retailers can combat the Amazon-goliath.
User-Generated Content
If there’s anything that works better than engaging content for brand-building, it’s user-generated content. Just as you find yourself sceptical of ads, so too are your audiences, favouring authentic content when liking, clicking and buying. Include user-generated content into your strategy using social media competitions that encourage people to promote your product with their very own photos.
Shoppable Video
We knew that consumers are up to 80% more likely to make a purchase after viewing a video, and we knew that social media is one of the best channels for customer engagement, but we didn’t know how the twain would meet. That was before shoppable video, set to make an impact in 2018. Shoppable videos allow shoppers to view products and pricing, and click directly through to purchase. Now, brands can use use their social channels to make more direct sales—at last!