Did you know that the digital marketing industry is one of the fastest-growing industries in the United States? It continues to grow and change, seeing new trends come and go with each passing year.
If you’re a business who wants to take advantage of the benefits of digital marketing, you need to stay on top of these current marketing trends. This helps you know which methods you can use to enrich your brand. This will also allow you to know which trends to discontinue since they’re obsolete.
Are you ready to learn the 2019 marketing trends? Read on and find out.
Importance of Following Trends
It’s sometimes hard to predict the marketing methods that will help you connect with consumers effectively. The marketing landscape is ever-changing, that’s why your business needs to adapt. There are always new technologies, new behaviors, and new sets of audiences that change how businesses market their brand.
With that, it’s important to start reflecting on last year’s patterns and start looking at the growing marketing trends today. Doing this will ensure that you know which ones will impact your marketing success next year. Here are some:
1. People Trust Reputable Content, Not Ads
It’s a known fact that people shy away from traditional ads for the past years. It’s proven that consumers trust people they know, branded websites, editorial websites, and reviews more. As for ads, they’re near the bottom of that list, and it hasn’t changed ever since.
The low trust rating of ads even made about 30% of all internet users use ad blocker apps. What this means is that your traditional ads can’t even reach that audience group. But that doesn’t mean that you should abandon ads completely.
Ads still have a place in digital marketing, as long as they’re relevant and valuable to your intended consumers. It’s the primary reason why businesses invest more money in content marketing, influencer marketing, referrals, and more. As long as your methods deliver some real value to your audience, you’re going to get more people to trust you.
As the years go by, this shift will not stop. That’s why it’s important to make sure that your ads become valuable for your target audience.
2. Content is Everything
To captivate your audience, you need to make them feel inspired. Everything from your landing page to blog posts should motivate visitors to subscribe, purchase, share, or like.
Your brand should provoke their thoughts, make them excited, or appeal to them emotionally. Your goal isn’t to put content out and hope that they will respond to it.
What you should do is to give them content that encourages them to engage with it. Whether it’s a text post or a social media video, your content should be open for two-way communication. It’s critical if you want to build trust and let people know you appreciate them.
3. Chatbots are Here to Stay
Some people feel uncomfortable talking to real people regardless of the outlet. To cater to these people, your customer support platform should include chatbots. These AI helpers can help answer various customer questions and complete requests.
The best part is that chatbots can do the job without sacrificing your brand’s personality. In this current age, around 45% of consumers prefer talking to chatbots for customer service. That means it’s likely for you to gain more customers that enjoy using these programs.
4. AI’s Growth Continues
Artificial intelligence is becoming more prominent as a part of digital marketing strategies. It helps in making efficient data analysis. That enables it to make rapid potential lead targeting and do tasks most humans find difficult.
AI nowadays have a form of advanced machine learning. A good example is Netflix’s recommendation system. It tracks their viewers’ behavior and helps them understand their routine in real-time, making it easier for them to give out relevant TV shows.
The only problem is that some people have concerns about whether this method is ethical. Regardless, it’s always smart to look at how your consumers react to AI. Check whether your competitors use it and make your decision based on these facts.
5. People Care More About Security
You need to ensure that your business has thorough security. Your customers deserve the best protection for their privacy, data, and other financial details. It’s important to do regardless of whether they’re aware of it.
It’s a vital part of your marketing strategy since customers can now notice when their security isn’t a business’s priority. To get started, make sure to have a dialogue with your consumer about security. It will help them feel assured that your business is safe from hacks, leaks, and theft.
6. Voice Search Continues to Become More Popular
Voice-based commerce sales in the United States reached $1.8 billion two years ago. But the best part is that it’s expected to grow to a whopping $40 billion within the next three years. What this means for your business is that 2019 is the year you should get on with it.
You can’t go wrong with voice searches since it’s an innovative technology. It gives people a feeling of empowerment when they can get instant answers by saying it out loud to their nearest smart speaker. It’s a convenient method of finding online information while reducing screen time.
What this means for your business is that you need voice search optimization as soon as possible.
Stay on Top of New Marketing Trends Today!
These are the best digital marketing trends that you need to look out for. It’s important to get on board with all of them since it can give you the competitive advantage you need over your business rivals. Don’t hesitate and take a leap of faith—the rewards offered by these trends outweigh the risks.
But if you want to make the most out of your digital marketing strategies, you’ll need some expert help. You can contact us today and we’ll help you get started.