Digital Marketing Trends That Are Changing The Industry

Technology has transformed the definition of marketing. Thanks to innovation and technology, digital marketing is no longer optional but has become the cornerstone of any marketing strategy. With Americans spending 12 hours each day online, the digital atmosphere provides a business with ample opportunities to engage and communicate with its customers. As any marketer will tell you, a key part of any marketing strategy is adapting to the current trends, changing your approach in response to the shifting preferences or new innovations, particularly with digital marketing. 

Make Communications Personal

Personalization of communications and customer experience is quickly rising to become one of the top trends in digital marketing for the year, according to the Digital Marketing Institute. Consumers are looking for a more integrated and individual experience, which makes it the ideal niche to capitalize on. In 2018, Econsultancy’s Digital Trends report highlighted the fact that personalization remains a low priority for businesses, with just 7 percent making it their top priority up until now. 

Start off by implementing email segmentation. Emails remain one of the top communication channels among consumers which means email marketing can prove to be incredibly effective. It is also the perfect canvas to implement personalization beyond the basics. In addition to individual names and taglines, consider adjusting email imagery to suit subscribers tastes. Securing the data needed for the process of personalization begins with your customer list and their details. Their past purchases, names and even birthdays can all provide great starting points and can be obtained by integration of your business functions including your accounting and customer relations systems. If needed, amend your email subscription form to include additional details.

Keep The Conversation Going

Customer engagement has long been known as one of the paramount influencing factors influencing good customer relations. In addition, great customer engagement drives customer acquisition and retention. The key to this is realizing the success in an omnichannel approach. Businesses with a multichannel engagement strategy retain approximately 89 percent of their customers, according to a study by the Aberdeen Group. As a result, we are seeing businesses (and consumers alike) utilize the use of multiple platforms including social media for two way communication in real time. Social media and digital platforms provide the perfect base for customer feedback and answering queries. Complaint Base Business Reviews explains that integrating automation such as chatbots allows for 24-hour response to customer queries. Assigning a dedicated team for social media communications is also a good idea for businesses with the capital. For smaller businesses where owners can wear many hats, setting aside an hour each day to respond to customer comments on social media posts can help to increase brand engagement and build trust.

Capitalize On The Trust Of Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing gained popularity in 2018 and continues to dominate the digital marketing atmosphere. In an industry that is rapidly evolving and changing, businesses must be able to quickly adapt their digital marketing approach in real time. The allure of influencer marketing comes with the trust that a real person promoting their business can spur; 92 percent of consumers trust influencers more than business branding. Keep in mind this can be a costly route but if navigated correctly can be both budget-friendly and effective. Other options for collaborations include user-generated content by sending them free products and creation of campaign hashtags or alternatively, working with vloggers for a review integrated into their routine uploads.

Micro influencers with smaller followings are typically the cheapest option but come with a limited target audience. On the flip side, most micro influencers tend to be highly specialized in their audience and content which means your target audience is much more focused. This feeds into the personalization aspect which is another key trend in 2019.

With the marketing industry constantly evolving, businesses have to continuously adapt their strategies. Continuously assessing the relevance of your digital marketing strategy is the only way you can ensure your content remains relevant. While the trends can change at any point in the future, integrating these trends into your marketing can help you achieve that goal in 2019.