The digital ecosystem is a greedy one. In every second 52,625 GB of Internet traffic is being consumed, and more than three billion Netizens are surfing through terabytes of web content. This presents a huge opportunity for promoting and advertising products and services on the Internet. Even as I write the digital world is a new one as it has transformed over the years. We don’t text anymore, but video call. We don’t type anymore but dictate and our smartphone’s virtual assistant writes it down for us. In this ever-changing digital scenario there are a few trends that will dominate 2018. Digital marketing professionals in Charlotte NC, should take note of them if they wish to stay ahead of competition.
Mobile use is here to stay
The use of mobile phones is increasing by the day. Stand in line anywhere and you will see people immersed in their mobile devices. This will be a continuing scenario for years to come, and smart marketers will play to the gallery. It is important for companies to have a mobile strategy in place to engage with prospects and customers. Charlotte Web Design Companies like Animink can help you design a site. Depending on your business, mobile elements might include the ability to send text messages to your customers.
Media will help us reach customers
The media affects us in our private and professional lives. We discuss headline stories with our colleagues, friends and acquaintances. Whether we read the news online or still read a paper copy, news controls the conversation for the day, week or month. If we want our products and services dominating our customers’ conversations then we should get in front of them with quality content. We should launch one media platform that is 100% focused on providing helpful and authentic content to our customers. We could send out a podcast, a well-written and thought-out blog or even a livestream video that can be recorded on a weekly basis.
Chatbots are a rage
Chatbots are being famously used as of late in digital marketing in Charlotte N.C. and elsewhere, and for great reason. They are used for engaging customers, solving, customer service issues, responding to customer queries and even closing business. And if you set up the bot correctly, it is almost as if you are talking to a human. By 2020 it is expected that 85 per cent of customer service interactions will be handled by bots. The trend is taking industry by storm already as 27 per cent of people are unable to ascertain whether they spoke to a person or a chat-bot in their last customer service interaction. Financially speaking, savings made from opting to virtual assistance, will also reach up to $8 billion by 2022.
Social Media Influencer Marketing
According to industry experts, Social Media Influencer Marketing, which involves a social media influencer which has access to a large audience and can persuade others by virtue of their authenticity and reach will be a trendsetter in 2018. Seventy one per cent of people will make their purchases based on social media referrals and, more importantly, 94 per cent of marketers will tell you that influencer marketing has positive results.
Reviews will bring in web traffic
Organic traffic from SEO continues to pull in most web traffic for businesses. Though there are other elements involved in ranking, the number of reviews a company has, will play a key role for bringing in web traffic. Google looks at a company’s Google reviews, Facebook reviews, Yelp reviews and more. Surely Google wouldn’t want to give a one-star rated business a top ranking in its search results?
While reviews are important for search engine rankings, they can also influence others positively or negatively. Research has revealed that more than half of adults under 50 regularly check online reviews before purchasing a new item. Companies must therefore have a solid plan for getting reviews. They must have a system in place that will facilitate reviews.
Live Video is for real
Livecasting or livestreaming is the process of broadcasting real-time, live video footage or video feed to an audience accessing the video stream over the internet. The viewing device can be a desktop computer, laptop, tablet, smartphone or digital screen at home or at the office or elsewhere. Industry experts predict that $70.05 billion is the revenue live streaming will reach by the time we celebrate 2021, which means people today are more inclined toward live videos and 90 per cent of them want quality in them. If you’re a part of digital marketing or do it for a firm, then live videos have a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 18 per cent as per a recent report. Also advertisement views on a live video have a 113 per cent year-on-year growth.
These trends are going to be the driving force for brands looking to grow their audience and improve sales through digital marketing. Pay heed to them and stay ahead of competition.
