Digital marketing has had trends come and go for years now, ever since its inception in the early 2000s.
And seeing as digital marketing is an industry currently worth £15.6 billion in the UK alone, there has been a lot of research into what works and what doesn’t, and how the curve is constantly evolving. Because digital marketing doesn’t stay in one place, and it never has.
There’s always a new trend that companies have to catch up with, to stay relevant in their online spaces, and keeping this in mind can help you to stay ahead of the curve.
Digital marketing is important to your brand and business, after all, and having the right budget and minds at the helm of your marketing team can guarantee success.
However, whilst it’s important to note that digital marketing trends change over time, some of them have had much more impact than others, and are still useful in the online world. Let’s go through some such examples below.
The Use of AI
Artificial intelligence is on the rise; it’s more sophisticated than ever before, and it’s only going to get smarter in the next 5 to 10 years.
AI is keeping businesses ahead of the curve thanks to its adaptable usage, and the relative affordability of implementing such tech into your company to keep you ahead of competitors and the market at large. Some even claim it’s cheaper to make use of than a human counterpart.
And because of these ideas, AI has gotten us very excited. After all, AI doesn’t ever need to ‘clock off’, meaning it can stay on the ball at all times, tracking customer data and predicting what they’ll want next.
Even a Chatbot, something that’s considered relatively normal in current customer service proceedings, is a great way to use this element of digital marketing.
It’ll both free up a good portion of your budget, and allow you to redirect your attention to other marketing techniques.
AI always works best when hand in hand with other methods, such as personalisation and content creation. For now, the communication element shines through the most, so use that to your competitive advantage.
Opening a Dialogue
A dialogue can be an easy thing to create; it’s naturally social, and just by asking a few questions, you can entice a relative stranger into a conversation that flows freely. And when it comes to the marketing world, we need to apply that same principle, simply because it works.
Otherwise known as ‘conversational marketing’, by opening up a dialogue with a potential customer, you can relate to them on a level previously unheard of in the marketing world.
With the rise of Chatbots and instant messaging customer service, it’s clear that such a marketing strategy is working and is here to stay.
Indeed, companies like Creative Jam would highly recommend talking to your customers on a case by case basis. It’s a good way to build a relationship, and a sense of loyalty, with every individual in your customer base.
As a form of inbound marketing, having a conversation adds value to your business via the form of interactions, and helps to solve problems in an ultimately satisfying and profitable way that’s simply impossible when approaching marketing in the manner of a corporate entity.
Personalising Your Customer Portal
Every customer wants to know that your business has them in mind. They want to know you’ve got something to offer them, specifically, and that you can meet them on their level. And via the use of personalisation in your marketing means, there’s a very good chance you’ll attract custom on an unprecedented level.
A customer wants to be seen and heard, and if you offer the evidence that you understand their needs and their shopping history with you, they’ll be much more likely to up your click through rate and convert into a further sale. And this will mostly be conducted automatically, thanks to the use of AI driven data (as mentioned above), and the simple fact that people respond to what they like.
One of the easiest ways to make this happen is via the use of an app of your own; a portal that belongs to your customer, tailored to their likes and needs, will offer up plenty of data surrounding the customer’s personality and shopping habits. Alternatively, an account with your website, and a mailing list they’re a part of, will help you to keep up with how they’re browsing both your content and products.
Never Forget the Power of Video
Finally, it’s important we also mention video marketing on a list of impactful digital trends, simply because people prefer to watch something over reading it! And seeing as short, 60 second videos form a regular part of the current social media cycle, it only makes sense that there’s a big bandwagon to jump on.
And when you present marketing in the form of a video, you do not have to create long form content that is supposed to convert customers, despite the rising number of people approaching product purchase on mobile devices that this is unsuited for. Most people are visual learners, after all, and reading just doesn’t cut it.
Instead, you can present a simple video for them to tap to play and pause, both with audio and subtitles, making it available to watch in a variety of environments. Now that’s convenience in the digital marketing world, and that’s what customers love!
Some digital marketing trends have worked more effectively than others, and the world of digital marketing has always operated on a hit and miss model.
Do your research, identify your customer needs, and then offer a solution in a creative, personalised way – every single one of the above trends has this very idea in common! So, if your current advertising campaign needs a little more ‘oomph’ to it, make sure you keep these trends in mind when you get back to the drawing board.
