The Future of Digital Marketing

Top 20 New Marketing Trends

Being a digital era, it isn’t hard to predict how new marketing trends and future innovations will affect the digital marketing landscape. In fact, digital marketing is expected to take complete control over consumer experience. Here are some technologies that are anticipated to impact digital marketing:

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1. Internet of Things

Also known as IoT, the concept behind it is that a network of physical objects (things) will be used to collect and exchange data with little to no human-to-human or human-to-computer interactions. This technology will be the epitome of convenience in the days to come. Digital marketers will use it to track consumer location awareness, customized targeting, purchase funnels and much more.

2. Augmented Reality

This is the ability to view things in real-time with augmented elements that are made possible by computer-generated sensory inputs such as audio, video, and graphics. A good example of this technology is Pokémon Go. This technology will help marketers to create strong brands as well as improve how they interact with their target customers. With Microsoft’s HoloLens, you can expect far reaching changes in digital marketing thanks to augmented reality.

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3. Smart Wearable Technology

Although we have seen a good number of wearables such as the Google Glass, Apple watch, and Moto360, there is still so much more that is yet to be discovered in this industry. Wearables will make it possible for real marketing as opposed to just online marketing. This is because these wearables are interwoven in the daily lives and activities of consumers. Therefore, digital marketers will be able to track and capitalize on a wider range of consumer trends, behaviors, attitudes, and patterns.

4. Mobile

The mobile device is the most popular digital gadget of all time. Smartphones, for instance, are very handy with an increase in features making them a fundamental choice for most consumers. Therefore, digital marketers should focus heavily on the mobile industry and invest in mobile-focused digital marketing. They should strive to create user-friendly material to communicate with mobile users easily.

5. Balanced Advertising and Marketing Mix

Since time immemorial, advertising has been about communicating to an unknown audience and marketing has been about handling a familiar market. However, thanks to advanced marketing tech, digital marketers will be able to advertise and market to a known audience.

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6. Mastering Consumer Intelligence

This is the ability to foretell a consumer’s need and creating the product before the demand shows up. Thanks to digital analytic tools, digital marketers will be able to predict and understand what is relevant to their consumers and will, therefore, be able to create touch points of engagement.

7. Hybrid Cloud Technology

Data dumping has been a persistent problem in the industry. All data that is not relevant at the moment has been stored without a practical forward moving strategy. The hybrid cloud technology will enable all relevant data to be picked up and used to the scalability of businesses.

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8. Content

There is an enormous amount of data flooding the internet each passing second. Search engine algorithms keep changing to decide which content gets top priority in search engine result pages. Therefore, marketers should strive to create original, informative and helpful content for their audience. Content will remain “King.”

9. Online Marketing Will Become More Expensive

Digital marketing has grown tremendously over the last years. This trend is expected to grow even bigger leading to the competition for online space and dominance. As a result, people and companies will have to pay more for online advertising. Also, there will be more optimized advertisement alternative on the web in case PPC dies in coming years.

10. Niche Marketing

Digital marketers will learn how to segment their target audience using Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO). The CRO will help digital marketers track consumer behavior on their sites and landing pages. Hence, they will be able to identify which elements are producing numbers of conversions. Therefore, they will only allocate budgets to specific audiences that funnel their traffic into sales.

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11. Growth Hacking

Digital marketers will have to quickly grab their consumers’ attention through viral marketing, organic ads, and social media channels to grow their market base.

12. Social Conversion

Social media platforms have been used as a company-consumer conversation platform and a place to attract new consumers. In the future, these platforms will provide opportunities to improve conversion rates. They will offer tools that will convert prospects into buyers.

13. Dedicated Apps

There will be a development of dedicated apps that will create new marketing trends. These apps will act as mobile optimized websites that are more intuitive, convenient and easily accessible.

14. Video Ads

Although YouTube and Facebook have been using video advertisement, Google’s in-Serp Video advertising is set to change the entire spectrum of video advertising. Therefore, marketers should strive to tap into this trend to stay on top of their competitors.

15. Voice (Speak Up)

Unlike the type and read searches, the hands-free search will become the new frontier for SEO. Digital marketers should begin tackling the idea of voice-driven search results.

16. Data Visualization

Interactive data visualization is an affordable and powerful marketing tool. It can be used to engage potential stakeholders using visual narratives that lead them to insight or as a marketing content. Marketers should strive to create visual content to generate tons of engagement from consumers.

17. Chatbots

Today, chatbots can read and interpret messages as well as recommend appropriate responses. For instance, they can guide you on where to shop, travel or eat. Therefore, digital marketers should strive to partner with popular chatbots or create their chatbots to understand and guide consumer behavior.

18. Live Streaming

Live streams have been pushing and will continue pushing the boundaries of online marketing. According to Facebook statistics, live videos are watched three times longer than those that are not live. Therefore, marketers should tap into these new marketing trends by finding new and exciting ways to market through live videos.

19. Purpose Driven Marketing

Giving your story a feel good element is a great marketing tool. Hence, marketers should tap into this trend by partnering with non-profits or charities that give back to the community. This gives their brand a stronger presence because their story resonates with the hearts of consumers.

20. Prioritize Personalization

Today, consumers are turned off by blatant sales pitches and marketing come-ons. Consequently, digital marketers should strive to target consumers on an individual level. They should create personalized and relevant content that captures users’ attention. This can be done by tracking customer browsing histories, interests and habits.
The online marketing industry is large, complex and volatile. From these new marketing trends, it is clear that marketers should adapt and scale their strategies based on the future technologies that their target consumers are presumed to use.

In conclusion, it is evident that there are many ways through which digital trends affect how the marketing of products and services can be done. Companies should find ways through which they can take up the new trends into marketing for their goods.