The insights you need to formulate an unstoppable digital marketing strategy for the new year.
“Just follow me and run like your life depends on it. Because it does.”
Have you ever seen The Maze Runner? A group of people fights for their lives in a world where they may never get out, unless they think and act differently.
Associating the constantly changing world of digital marketing to a maze in a movie may be a slight exaggeration, but the same principles still remain true. Those bold enough to make swift and cutting-edge decisions will be the ones to make it out alive and those who don’t will struggle. Our industry is evolving nonstop and technology that has been recently released is already strongly impacting the market. Organizations that are meeting the needs of society are appearing at a faster rate than ever thought possible, which is disrupting the world we previously knew.
At this point, the clock is ticking and 2019 will be here before you know it. Use the remaining time we have to re-strategize and formulate a new strategy that will allow your brand to grow stronger than you ever thought possible. Since 2018 began, we have been religiously monitoring the trends of each facet of the marketing spectrum and have narrowed down those that we believe will make the largest difference for your business. We care so deeply about your success as a small business and because of this our team at Adapting Social established this list.
Authenticity will always win
As each day passes by, more and more consumers are losing their trust in basic advertising and marketing techniques due to some organizations not coming off authentically enough. According to the Stackla Report, 86% of consumers state that authenticity is important when deciding which brand they should support. Amongst the millennial generation, this number is even higher. Younger social media users can spot false advertising from a mile away, which is why you must keep it real. Your followers will love witnessing how much you care about your business, learning more about what you can do, and how you can help them. Never hesitate to take photos or videos of you, your staff, and your customers (with their permission), and share it with those who venture to your website of social media profiles. In 2019, having an authentic presence is not just something that you should do, it is essential for your success.
The rise of voice searches
Are you ready to be freaked out? Approximately one-third of all searches performed on Google are voice searches. Each day brings a new wave of consumers searching the web via Amazon’s Alexa, on iPhones, and on Google Assistants. On a desktop, hundreds of search options will immediately pop-up on your screen, but the same does not hold true for voice searches. Many fewer options will show up, which is why your business showing up could be a rare occurrence unless you are prepared for this shift. In order to take advantage of this evolution, make sure that your SEO is tailored to meet this search approach as well. Voice recognition technology is only expected to grow in 2019, so get with the program and take advantage so that your business can reach new potential customers.
In the world of marketing, artificial intelligence (AI) is a scorchingly hot topic. Everyone wants to learn about it, talk about it, and most importantly – test it to see if it really works. The most widely utilized form of AI as of now is chatbots. They are much quicker than humans when it comes to answering data related questions and taking requests. Chatbots can be added to a website, an application, or even to a social media platform. As of now, Facebook is leading the way when it comes to users having the ability to utilize chatbots in order to grow their business. They are fantastic when it comes to obtaining information and gaining a new look into those that travel into the realms of social media. After doing some deep digs into the world of AI, we can firmly say that chatbots and AI will not be leaving the world of digital marketing without leaving its mark in a big way.
Micro-moments
Being a consumer in 2018 can be overwhelming at times, with advertisements, offers, and emails constantly lighting up phone screens around the world, we are never safe from being targeted by either a product or service. In order to completely obliterate these overwhelming moments, consumer behavior experts, like us at Adapting Social are thinking outside of the box. And our thoughts are moving towards micro-moments. These moments are a new type of consumer behavior, which takes place when people reflexively move toward a phone. These micro-moments involve the “I-want-to-go” moment, the “I-want-to-do” moment, and the “I-want-to-buy” moment. Now you may be questioning, “why are these moments important?” Well, we have the answer. People make instant decisions all the time about what they would like to purchase, where they would like to go, or where they would like to eat, and because of these rapid decisions, marketers must provide consumers with the information they want right when they need it. The consumer decision journey has changed in recent years and it is only going to change more in the coming year. Thinking differently now is unbelievably necessary.
As you have seen, the digital marketing scene is always growing and changing. New trends fight their way to the surface and change the industry and others sink into the deep. Given our expertise and constant research, we have had the opportunity to distinguish which trends are legit and which are nothing more than a “cool idea.”
Adaptations are needed for 2019. Make the changes you need to make it out of the maze we all live in successfully.