Big changes are coming for digital marketers. As new technologies advance, we need to start planning strategies to implement them in our campaigns and practices.
1. Lower budget and higher goals
This is one of the most challenging digital marketing trends in (post) Covid-19 world.
One way the majority of CMOs at the companies worldwide managed to deal with economic turbulence caused by COVID-19 crisis is by decreasing their annual marketing budgets. This is an approach that makes harder to reach marketing goals.
Find more trends that emerge in this global pandemic by downloading the report called: The Impact of COVID-19 on Marketing.
On the positive side; we live in tech-oriented world and tech skills will become even more important. By embracing tech ourselves and encouraging young generations to gain tech skills we can change our fortune.
2. User-Generated Content (UGC) lets your customer be brand ambassador
If your brand isn’t using UGC, then you’re missing out on key opportunities to let your customers promote it.
User-generated content helps your most passionate customers become your brand advocates, building communities around your products and services.
Marketers that allow their customers to be the voice of their brand would be true winners.
3. Voice Search is changing SEO
The way people search for information online is changing. People are using voice search on their mobile devices (Siri for Apple users, Google voice search on Android devices, and Microsoft’s Cortana is on your PC and smartphone using their app).
Unlike search keyword phrases that you type into your computer, voice search is more conversational so marketers would need to use more long-tail keywords. Voice search is also typically mobile and often locally focused.
4. Interactive – 3D experience, 360 videos, and live streaming let you further connect with your customers
The video has escalated as not just a medium but as an advertising medium and its statistics continue to impress and scale new heights.
Live streaming will be the best way of connecting with the customer most appealingly. It will be useful for showing the more human side of a brand. Think about including interviews, Q&A’s, behind-the-scenes video content, and live events. And with tools like Facebook and Instagram Live streaming is 100 percent accessible for every type of marketer.
360 video is here to stay as the customer seeks the ‘360 experience’ and the static image is no longer enough to start buying cycle.
5. Use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to understand customer patterns, behaviours and needs
The crucial areas where AI can break in and create a significant impact are:
Social media – AI software will look for images in social media and compare it to a large image library to understand consumer demographics such as age groups, gender etc. and behaviours, and needs. This will help align marketing strategies to achieve greatest ROMI.
Chatbots are another example of AI interference in enhancing customer service and customer engagement. With Chatbots the company can automate their entire customer service process by providing a ‘virtual assistants’ who are programmed to interact with customers by data that they receive. It helps customers in decision-making and brands to improve sales cycles. Both customers and brands are on the winning side.
6. Internet of Things (IoT) helps in tracking the sales funnel and enables personalised marketing
IoT devices such as wearable monitors or smart TVs are becoming a part of everyday life for regular consumers and a significant importance for B2C marketers. For B2B marketers the IoT contribution is of equal importance.
So, which areas should the B2B marketers be looking at investing in when it comes to IoT tech? IoT will be very useful for the B2B marketing in tracking the sale funnel, customer location awareness, and personalised marketing,
IoT also affords marketers the opportunity to get access to product usage data that was before done via customer surveys. Marketers will have instant access to where, when and how a customer is using their product.
7. With 5G multimedia and interactive content will be in huge demand
The first mobile phones supporting 5G is expected to be available this year.
With 5G the internet speed will skyrocket. Therefore multimedia and interactive content will replace text-based assets and web pages.
As with all technology advancements, there are also challenges that marketers must address. It is about how much of collected information about the customer is ethical to use. We can overcome these obstacles and reassure customers by recognising their concerns as opportunities to establish personal strategies for customers, use quality incentives, and provide transparency about the sharing of data.