The online marketing landscape has changed dramatically over the last couple of years. Because of the paradigm shift, it is likely that what worked well for you in the recent year will not cut it this year.
There are several new and improved digital marketing trends, which are evolving in our current high-tech era. As a business owner, you need to leverage them to succeed in your efforts. The important thing is to stay up to date on these trends and then determine what is best for your organization today.
Meaningful Content
Experts think that articles and blogs are a more suitable and cost-effective marketing tool compared to paid ads. So, develop new content for your different platforms that can enhance and strengthen the connection between your brand and your customers.
Strive to engage your customers in a story with videos or words that establish a comforting and warm relationship with your services. Keep in mind that the goal of any content you create is to make it meaningful, engaging and memorable for your customer.
Chatbots
In 2018, your brand needs to start thinking seriously about social media bots. Although there is no denying that chatbots have been present for several years, they have seen major AI improvements in the recent past.
This is why more brands are working hard on using these chatbots for customer support as well as perfecting their unique chatbot marketing strategy. As of now, chatbots are primarily used for customer service—more than 60% of total customer-chatbot interactions center around customer service-related questions.
That being said, the future of chatbots is looking very bright, too, with about 85% of total customer interactions expected to be handled by chatbots by the end of 2020.
Launch your website or Facebook chatbot to engage with the prospects. Find something engaging or fun to start the conversation, since the prospect has to initiate the chat.
Reviews
Organic traffic mainly from SEO is still one of the most effective sources of online traffic for many businesses. Although there are plenty of elements involved in online ranking, keep in mind that the number of reviews that you have is often a key factor.
Note that Google considers your Google reviews, Yelp reviews, Facebook reviews, and more. It is unlikely that Google will prioritize a business in its search rankings, which has a single-star rating?
Although your online reviews are important when it comes to search engine rankings, they could also make or break a prospective sale for you.
It is worth mentioning that as per research more than half of the adults who are under 50 years old regularly check online reviews before purchasing a new product. What would they find? We hope a significant number of positive reviews, which makes the decision simpler.
Therefore, you should put together an effective plan to get reviews for the business. Be careful and do not incentivize people (since this isn’t allowed); rather have a system which asks for reviews.
Algorithms Would Orchestrate the Consumer Journey
Machine learning leverages algorithms, which work on huge datasets and develop incrementally improving propensity models. Keep in mind that based mainly on the likelihood to convert these propensity models can help score leads. Artificial intelligence applications perform tasks that human beings executed previously. These include responding to behavior, writing new content or answering customer questions.
Note that advanced marketing automation is usually a combination of all three aspects of artificial intelligence. AI, as you may know, is an integral part of consumer journey management. This is especially true in digitally or tech-savvy companies.
In digital marketing, AI is an excellent tool for more precise and timely delivery of the best experiences when they resonate with your customers the most.
More Social Media Spending
78 percent of retailers would spend more on social media marketing in 2018. And while 67 percent said they would use mobile conversion and email marketing as a way to secure more customers, many (10 percent) of the biggest retailers stated they will keep their financial budgets the same as in 2017.
Keep in mind that most brands are looking to use social media not only for brand building. They also want to use it for acquisition and performance media.
In the recent past, marketers were setting aside social budgets for brand building; however, brands are now making more investment in social media as they can see a lucrative return on their investment.
Final Thoughts
Social media, chatbots and AI will dominate the online marketing landscape in 2018. However, meaningful content and reviews are still very relevant. You need to stay on top of these key online marketing trends to stay competitive in this tech-driven marketplace.
