We’ve seen a lot of advances in the digital marketing
industry in 2016, and though the year is not quite over, it’s time to start
thinking about how your business will need to shift in 2017 to stay ahead of
your competition online.
Online marketing requires the foresight to plan ahead,
anticipate changes, and jump on trends before your competitors do, so while you
don’t need to use all of these trends it’s always good to be aware of their
existence.
#1 Expansion
of Live Video Streaming
Between video advertising and live video capabilities such
as Facebook Live, video is officially taking over.
Though video advertisements are certainly nothing new for social media giants
like YouTube and Facebook, their popularity and effectiveness is increasing
among users. In addition to social media video advertising, there has been news
that Google will start offering in-SERP
video advertising, which would change the whole spectrum of online
advertisement.
2017 is also predicted to be the year of live video. Social
media users are beginning to demand more in-the-moment content; giving them a
view into companies or pages they love that they’d previously been unable to
access. Thanks to faster Internet and advancements in mobile devices, live
video has become it’s own trend, with more and more platforms adding some kind
of “live streaming” functionality. Even this year’s first Presidential debate
was streamed live, drawing in millions of viewers.
#2 Proliferation of Internet of Things
and Smart Devices
In the past few years, we have seen the unveiling of the Amazon
Echo, Apple Watch, Google Home, Connected Refrigerators and even the new Snap Spectacles. Gartner projects 6.4 billion connect things by the end of 2016. In 2017 we
will continue to see smart devices and innovations in wearable technology that
will inevitably change the way your marketing efforts will reach users.
Ultimately it will blur the line between “online” marketing and “real-world”
marketing.
#3 Growth of Content Marketing
and Native Advertising
Native advertising is one of the oldest trends on the list,
but in an online world where business are trying to stay ahead of ad-blocking
technology, it offers a low-key (but effective) way to get customers to pay
attention to your brand or message.
When writing for your own business, the key to staying
competitive is to write unique, high-quality, and interactive content that
readers can connect with. Content can include anything from a blog article to
an engaging quiz to a customer video testimonial.
#4 Adoption of Conversion Optimization Tools
Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) is not a new
term, but the tools to help you achieve it are becoming more and more sophisticated and effective. Now is the time to utilize some of these tools to help better understand visitor behavior and optimize your webpages and landing pages if
you haven’t already.
Conversion optimization tools allow you discover what is helping or hurting the conversion rate on your website, landing pages and sales funnels. By tracking user behavior and identifying the elements that are producing the highest number of conversions, you can optimize your site in order to convert more visitors and achieve a higher ROI from your existing advertising budget.
#5 Increasing Levels of Personalization
Big brands are investing in personalization more and more. A
great example of this can be seen with Amazon. As you search, they will show
you items based on your search behavior. We all don't have the budgets of Amazon and Google, however, you can look for ways to segment your audience and tailor the experience for your visitor.
Personalization is a big part of improving the customer
experience. A certain level of personalization will enhance customer loyalty,
increase conversions, and better your customer return rate.
An excellent way to create personalization in your business
is through a marketing automation system, such as Infusionsoft. With this type
of system you can create funnels based on customer’s actions, similar to how
Amazon or other big brands do.
As a new year approaches, many businesses start to think
about how to make the next year even more profitable than the last. If you’re
looking to build success with your website and marketing efforts, now is the
time to talk to one of our highly skilled digital marketers. Contact us or give
us a call at (407) 682-2222 today.