The year is 2019, and technology continues to innovate. Digital marketing is continuing to rise, and new trends and beginning to surface. Seeing as we’re now more than halfway through the year, we thought we’d highlight some of the biggest trends to hit the digital marketing scene so far.
1. Social Media is Changing Its Relationship Status.
The social hubs that are social media
sites are ever-changing beasts. Yet, recently they’ve been changing more than
ever. One such example is a shift in what and how people are interacting with
their social media accounts.
Recently, it’s been reported that Facebook users are engaging less with posts onto the site. Some reports even state that Facebook has peaked to some degree. But, sites like Instagram may be the trendy site that people are flocking to. This of course effects where your business should focus its attention, depending on your target audience.
With recent events involving personal
information on social media sites, people are less trusting of them in 2019
than they once were. So, it’s best for your business to carefully plan out your
digital marketing approaches via these sites. Rather than throwing money at
them because some of your audience use them.
In 2016, there were around 500 million users on the online social media site. Now, there are over 4 billion ‘likes’ a day.
With technology both old and new evolving
daily, personalisation seems like a small touch. This trend can bare
astonishing results.
This trend does need a bit more skill than others but will reward any business with a higher percentage of engagement. In fact, 98% of digital marketers agree that personalisation boosts the customer/business relationship. A better relationship between these usually leads to a higher chance of a conversion.
Of course, this requires data from a potential lead. You must ensure that any method of acquiring personal data your business uses is GDPR compliant. But, if it is, your business could see a rise in leads willing to convert. Especially considering less than 28% of marketers use personalisation in their mobile apps. A lower number personalise in their web applications at around 19%. Yet, around 44% of people are more likely to become repeat buyers according to a recent survey.
Another survey (this time of more than
7,000 online customers) showed that over half were willing to part with
personal information in exchange for a personalised experience.
So, could 2019 be the year of your business by focusing your digital marketing efforts on the personalisation trend?
It’s widely considered that any website
should take no longer than 0.5 of a second to load. Any more than this, and it
will begin to affect a website’s bounce rate.
Now consider that recent studies show that, in 2018, mobile traffic was responsible for 52.2% of all online traffic. A rise on 2017’s 50.3%. These numbers are expected to rise again for 2019. So, if your website isn’t optimised for mobile use, you may be missing out on large chunks of potential traffic. You may also earn your business’ website a high bounce rate.
It looks as though this trend is here to stay. Having a website optimised for mobile use may be the difference between your business treading water and excelling in 2019.
4. Conversations with Robots.
Chatbots may not be new, but the way they
can interact with customers and visitors to your website certainly is. 2019 –
the rise of the chatbot!
Ok, so it may not be that dramatic. But they’re certainly on the rise and becoming very popular with more and more businesses. In 2016, there were a reported 33,000 chatbots used by businesses on Facebook’s messaging service. Now, there are more than 300,000 bots on the social media website.
These automated concierges are part of a trend that most businesses can enjoy. Grand View Research recently reported that almost 45% of people preferred to use chatbots for their customer service needs.
The beauty of a chatbot is the ease it
presents for customers and businesses alike. From a customer’s perspective,
they offer the ability to quickly access the information they may need. From
offering directions to the suitable website locations, and more. From a
business owners’ perspective, it allows the freedom of having to staff such a
position. Whilst also keeping customers happy.
So, why wait? Get your business a chatbot to be the cream of the 2019 digital marketing trend crop.
5. Audio, VIDEO, Disco.
Video isn’t a trend, but what is a trend
is the huge success businesses are finding with the use of video for marketing campaigns.
Last year, Forbes reported that YouTube
is the most popular social media platform [9]. With Instagram, Facebook, and
Twitter also offering video ads can reach your target audience. Regardless of
their choice.
These videos can show a range of content. From what your product does or compares, to testimonies and endorsements. Being more engaging than static images and just as easy to send leads to a landing page, it’s easy to see why this trend is on the up.
The beast that is digital marketing is
everchanging. Some trends come and go. Others become sensations and necessities
overnight.
The best thing to do to ensure your
business stays on top of these trends is to research. Finding out what’s new,
what’s working, and what’s engaging with your target audience allows you to
ensure your business stays on top. If not, your business could soon be left
behind by sticking with outdated digital marketing techniques.
So, now that you know what trends are big in 2019’s digital marketing scene, it’s time to act.
YMG are a full-service digital marketing agency based in Chelmsford, Essex. We specialise in the sporting and fitness market. However, our elite sporting principles and services can be used to enhance any business.
YMG are home of the Jargon Buster series,
helping business owners to understand the technical terms of digital marketing.