Social media has changed the way we communicate and conduct business these days. The digital marketers are now pressed with the task of restructuring their marketing initiatives towards targeted advertising, and that too without ever losing their brand uniqueness. At the same time, increased automation in digital marketing has helped marketers in streamlining their daily activities and their interactions with the end-user, keeping it very personalised and aligned with their brand voice.
Needless to say, 2018 will see a paradigm shift in digital marketing with personalised communication on one end of the spectrum and automation on the other.
Here are top 5 of the trends that are waiting to happen in 2018.
- Videos Will Gain More Traction
Videos are already so famous and will gain more traction in 2018. In fact, if predictions are to be believed, by 2020 as much as 80% online content will be video-based. However, with increased popularity, it has also become a highly competitive space for the marketers. To create video content that keeps the follower hooked, marketers only have the first 3-seconds to make a difference. The experience of video-viewing should be convenient and enjoyable for all users, keeping in mind that for most of this content, the sound will remain off until a user clicks on it. Hence, the trick lies in keeping it fun, even without the sound. But most importantly, the content should have some value to it.
- Consumers are more receptive to realistic content than staged and designed ones
Airbrushed travel locations and photoshopped models are a thing of the past. What consumers are looking for these days is something more relatable and realistic. With features like Instagram Stories and Snapchat, marketers can include their users in their day-to-day operations, behind-the-scenes etc. Brands that don’t go overboard with editing can expect organic followers and genuine likes on their content.
- Liaison with Brand Influencers
Marketers are working with influencers to get their brand message out to more potential customers in a voice that is trusted by the audience. A celebrity-endorsed product advertising has run its course. It is now time for the industry to find influencers amongst common people who are realistic brand ambassadors of products or services.
2018 is all about maintaining key influencer liaisons. Marketers should invest time looking for these brand influencers who are trusted by followers and help build a long-lasting relationship with the end users.
- Be a Storyteller
Content marketing is getting fiercer by the day. Your regular copywriting will not make the cut. If you want to grab and sustain your target audience’s attention, then you need storytellers to do the writing for you. Many digital marketers use journalists to tell their brand stories that benefit from not only compelling content, but also well-researched material. Brands will now have to step-up their content game as 2018 will continuously need high-quality, engaging content.
- Be Prepared for more Automation
2018 will see increased use of chatbots to interact with consumer and provide quick support. In fact, millennials have already reported using chatbots in their interaction with many brands. Chatbots shoulder the burden as they free up resources to do other important tasks, such as creating innovative content. Many big brands are already using chatbots in their marketing strategy, so expect to see them make a huge impact in 2018.
2018, for marketing teams, will be all about keeping the content personal, realistic and relatable. All the mundane tasks will be automated to free up resources who can create engaging, high-quality content for the users.
