Technology has created a great impact not only on the lives of every individual but to many industries as well. One of the sectors that have seen and felt this dramatic change in its landscape is marketing. The world has seen how traditional marketing that dominated the market for a long period has been slowly integrated with the digital advertisement or online marketing.
These days, if you want your business to thrive, you need to adopt digital marketing in your game plan. It has become a vital part of every business no matter what its size is to gather new leads, increase sales conversion and grow the brand into a household name.
But as the years’ progress, so does technology thus affecting industries that rely on it. Digital marketing continues to evolve and it is important to keep track of its trend to make sure you are not left behind in the competitive pit.
As we welcome another era this year, let us discuss what the future has for digital marketing.
Table of Contents
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
In recent years, we have seen Artificial Intelligence (AI) slowly integrate into our lives. From Siri that can be found in our phone to Alexa that in your living room and your use of ride-hailing apps daily.
Marketers have seen the impacts of AI in digital marketing. One of the most notable aspects of online marketing where the contribution of AI can be felt is customer service. Chatbots have made it possible for companies, brands and marketers to respond fast at any given time. It can help answer simple questions even in the middle of the night and can help promote sales.
Machine Learning (ML) on the other hand can help turn responsibilities less complicated. ML can automate things that are done manually these days like forum posting, social bookmarking, article posting and other link building activities.
Video Content Marketing
All – text type of content may still be an effective way to do your marketing tactics however it is slowly being replaced by video content which makes it one the promising and most important trends of today. Though it is a tedious job which requires hours of filming and editing, it can give you outstanding result if done correctly.
As per the study, 52% of consumers said that product videos affect their decisions before making any online purchase. Videos have also become an effective way to introduce products to your consumers.
When you hear video content marketing, you may think about YouTube as the only platform to do this kind of strategy however, it is not the social media channel that you can incorporate video marketing. Other social media powerhouses like Facebook and Instagram have also seen impacts of videos and how it can engage more customers that can be converted into sales.
Voice Search
As people lean more on their mobile phones a lot have been doing searches with the help of voice-activated search. Many houses are now also opening up to cloud-based voice service platforms that can run an entire household like Alexa.
While many marketers are still adamant to join this bandwagon, it is one of the trends that will continue to rise in the coming years. To make sure you leverage on this emerging trend, always make sure that your website is voice-search ready and optimized to match a customer’s voice search.
AR Integration
You might have heard about VR but then you might want to know more about AR. Augmented Reality has been one of the strategies big companies are leaning is in to. It has given a new meaning to the customer experience while shopping without leaving the comforts of your home.
Big companies like IKEA began adapting this trend. It launched its AR strategy called Ikea Place, where it allowed its users to put furniture in their living rooms virtually. In this way, customers can see how their chosen furniture can fit in their home and help them in their decision making. Cosmetic companies are also using this tactic to have customers try on their products virtually.
Influencers
You may think that influencers have now passed their prime and are already a thing in the past. It may be true as people are now starting to see that influencers sound inauthentic thus trusting less and less on their recommendations.
This situation birthed to a different niche called micro or Nano influencers. This type of influencers has only become one of the most effective ways to promote a brand, product or service these days. Given their small number of followers, they share a more intimate bond with their followers that is more genuine and less conspicuous than those with bigger followings. They are also more cost-effective but can give a higher return on investment and sales conversion.
Personalization
Considered as one of the most effective ways for your investment to return is to bank on personalization. Personalization is the way you prioritize your customers’ needs and keep in mind their preferences before making any offer so you can deliver the product and experience tailor-fitted for your target audience.
Personalized campaigns especially in email marketing generate higher click-through rates and open rates. It can also produce a higher conversion rate which is your primary goal in your business. Most buyers see brands to be an extension of themselves and they tend to trust brands who offer them personal experiences.
Try reaching out to customers using their first name and you will most likely earn their trust.
Interactive Content
Digital is more than just posting photos, videos and content. With the influx of users and companies that can be found online, it is quite a tough competition. It is therefore essential that your post should valuable and interactive to make you stand out.
If you want to catch the attention of your target market and elevate your engagement with them, make them feel involved in your brand. Conduct quizzes, polls, surveys and tutorials. You can also do live streaming that has been proven to be effective as this promotes two-way communication and engagement with your customers.
Feature Snippet in SEO
If your goal for your website is to top search engine results, you have to aim higher by being in Google’s Featured Snippet. Featured Snippet is a special box found on top of search results that contains a summary of the answer from a user’s query that is extracted from a webpage and included the page’s title and URL.
Featured Snippet allows a page to have more clicks compared to other sites on the search result. To achieve your goal to be in the Featured Snippet you have to know the usual question people try to find answers to and use tools to help you find keywords and phrases that can help you with your goal.
Final Thoughts
The shift in digital marketing in recent years has dramatically changed how we see a product. It has reshaped the definition of many things and continues to grow over the years. It continually introduces new channels, new strategies and methods that can be crucial in your business’ growth and success.
Technology is forever changing and together with online or digital marketing it holds a brighter future for many small businesses.
Author’s Bio:
John Ocampos is an Opera Singer by profession and a member of the Philippine Tenors. Ever since, Digital Marketing has always been his forte. He is the Founder of SEO-Guru, and the Managing Director of Tech Hacker. John is also the Strategic SEO and Influencer Marketing Manager of Softvire Australia – the leading software eCommerce company in Australia and Softvire New Zealand.
