Marketing Strategies to Keep Your Eye On
Technology affects marketing strategies now more than ever. Social media, advertising, search engine optimization; it’s likely changing because of an advancement or new tool. With that in mind these are the digital marketing trends we’re focused on in 2019.
It’s that time of the year again where we look into our crystal ball and predict what the year will bring. If there’s one thing I’ve learned from working in marketing and digital, its that you need to be flexible. Things move fast and only the adaptable will survive. That may be a little dramatic, but seriously internet trends cycle through in a matter of days. So before I step up on my soap box and tell you what to do, think about how your efforts can become more versatile.
*cracks knuckles*
Alright let’s do this.
Video
This has been one of the “digital marketing trends” for a while, but for some reason it still feels relevant to talk about. Video is being consumed on the internet at incredible rates. Its estimated that by 2020 online videos will make up more than 80% of consumer internet traffic. Of course marketers and advertisers are wise to that. According to a Wyzowl video marketing study, 27% of marketers said they used video for the first time in 2018, while 73% were already using it.
Technology and internet speeds have gotten to a point where users can stream video on social media uninterrupted. This obviously has changed the way that we consume information because why read when you can sit back and watch a video? When developing marketing strategies and plans these types of user behaviors need to be considered.
When you inevitably decide to video at try, make sure that you invest in quality content. That may mean partnering with a production team or purchasing some equipment, but it will be worth it. Video isn’t one of those things you want to DIY. Things go from professional quality to home video pretty quick.
Seriously, hire a professional videographer. It’s hard to watch.
Voice Search
Voice search is another one that feels like we’ve been talking about as one of the digital marketing trends for a while in the marketing community. Something has recently changed though. Is there a home in the United States that doesn’t have an Amazon Echo or Google Home anymore? We’ve been walking around with Siri in our pocket for a few years, but the explosion of these home smart speakers is pushing the importance voice search to the next level.
The affect this trend should have on your digital marketing strategy is primarily related to search engine optimization and content marketing. Generally speaking the user intent on queries searched verbally are a bit different than when they are typed in. Voice searches are generally phrased as questions and the searcher is looking for a quick(ish) answer. So when developing original content topics consider what questions the information you are providing could answer. Also for you SEO’s out there, the way users search with voice command lends itself nicely to long tail keywords or conversational keywords.
Instagram and Facebook
These two social media platforms have fully pulled ahead in the race for social media relevance. In terms of usage, each has its begun to form a specific audience. Instagram has become the primary social media app for younger audiences (16 – 35 year old range). The image focused platform is breaking growth records and posting insane usage statistics. Facebook on the other had has held strong with slightly older audience (35 years old and up). We’ve heard for years that Facebook is losing its edge and bleeding users. Based on how much advertisers are spending everything seems okay. So for now, I’m not buying it. But be ready to pivot.
Luckily for digital marketers, both are connected to a seriously robust advertising system. While those ad tools are extremely powerful there is still some value in maintaining an active presence on these social media platforms. We now live in a world where it looks weird for a restaurant not to have a Facebook page, or an ecommerce website not to have an Instagram profile. Think of participation on social media as a point of legitimization for a business.
Influencer Marketing
We’re all hot off the Fyre Festival documentaries, so the power of influencer marketing is very well known. For those who may not be familiar with the concept, influencer marketing is the paid promotion of a product or service on social media through individuals who have influence over targeted communities. Any endorsed post or content on Instagram or Facebook could be considered influencer marketing. Generally this practice is done with celebrities or internet personalities and it is very expensive. Like crazy expensive.
You don’t have to spend obscene amounts of money for an effective influencer campaign. As Instagram and YouTube continue to grow, more influential users will rise in niche communities. These influencers will likely come at a lower cost and will have smaller communities, however they will ideally have a stronger connection to these communities. We’ve see these type of influencers referred to as “Nano-Influencers” and “Mirco-Influencers”. This is where the opportunity is.
Unique, Quality Content
At this point SEO’s have been pushing blogs and content out on the internet for over 10 years. Needless to say, there’s a good amount of filler content out there. Moving forward, marketing strategies and search engine optimization campaigns will need to be a bit more creative about how they approach putting original content together. We’ll need to be more unique with what we’re writing. And don’t get me wrong, the irony of me saying while writing this post is not lost. But everyone loves a good listicle, right?