Digital marketing basics are a combination of different online strategies. It is a holistic approach to all kinds of marketing activities in digital platforms. Each day these methods are upgraded with the advent of several new technologies worldwide. Hence, internet marketing has witnessed significant growth over the last few years.
Do you want to know how to improve your Digital marketing trends in 2018? Read along and find out the internet marketing strategies for overall growth.
Every digital marketer needs to be aware of the constant change in online marketing. Research projects that there will be an industry-wide spend of around $120 billion in 2018. Hence, a modern marketer should be extremely agile.
He should continue to find out relevant ways to communicate with his target customers effectively. One must understand that a customer is different at each specific stage of the funnel. Therefore, a marketer has to spawn creativity to meet his client’s needs.
Although, there will be changes in technologies, yet the goals of marketing will remain constant throughout.
But, marketing techniques that worked a few years back wouldn’t work today. Every day the online marketing platform needs to adopt newer methods to woo their target customers.
Review online the critical marketing elements to solve following issues:
- Getting more traffic to a website.
- Increasing website conversions.
Marketing excellence is a prerequisite for success in any business. To increase brand awareness, raise loyalty and improve customer engagement. An entrepreneur should review online some of the marketing basics.
Let’s take a look at the 10 digital marketing basics you should be reviewing in 2018.
1. Reconsider investing in artificial intelligence and machine learning
When you think about all the digital marketing basics, your stress point should be on artificial intelligence and machine learning. This year AI and machine learning will become more prominent in the marketing world.
Although Chatbots have been around for years, they were mostly used for customer service. This year and shortly there will be a change in the Chatbot strategy.
Social media bots will take over as chief instruments to connect with customers efficiently. Brands will need to focus more on social media for effective customer communication. It is estimated that by 2020, 85% of customer interactions will be managed by talking bots.
There was a time when only big enterprises had the opportunity of putting AI technology in use for marketing. Today, things have changed and even small business owners can apply for machine learning services. Using AI will generate useful insights and take your brand ahead of the curve.
AI will have the upper hand to shape your digital marketing trends 2018 and later. Hence, you’ll need to update your strategy and harness social media bots to reflect changing consumer desires. Follow digital marketing reviews to earn kudos for your business.
2. Focus more on sharing live video on social media
Live video usage will be on the rise this year as viewership will continue to increase.
A well-presented video is always eye-catching compared to written contents or images. Hence, whether you’re marketing on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or Snapchat share more and more live videos of your brands. Digital marketing reviews will allow you a clear picture about the status of live video consumption.
Research says that 80% of users prefer to watch live videos, Here’s a statistics to prove social video engagement:
- YouTube viewers watch a billion hours of video on the platform.
- Facebook users consume over 8 billion videos every day.
- While about 82% of the audience on Twitter views video content.
Live video has been around for quite a long time but in 2018 it is expected to reach newer heights. An organization needs to plan to create live videos for the promotions of its products and services.
This year a company can plan to add some unique elements in live videos to increase more of customer engagement. Marketers can use a wide variety of Video formats and they can use these with increased flexibility. An entrepreneur can use live videos to show holiday season sale to motivate its potential customers.
One can also introduce new company employees to customers through video ads. Whatever a firm’s motto is, with effective digital marketing reviews include live videos.
However, keep in mind that target audience view videos on mobile. Live video on smartphones will be one of the profitable digital marketing trends 2018.
3. Rethink and create mobile adaptive and responsive webs
Your website and your marketing strategy will broadly depend on mobile technology this year. According to Google’s recent algorithm, if a company’s site isn’t optimized for mobiles, search engines will penalize the organization.
At present mobile has become a device for the masses. This year it is anticipated that mobile video consumption will grow by 25% with a decline in laptop and desktop usage. It will hence be among the most powerful internet marketing strategies.
So to get ahead of the competition, make your website both responsive and adaptive. With responsive web design (RWD) provide the optimal viewing experience for your users. While with adaptive web design (AWD) give the best viewing experience available on a particular device to the users. Unlike RWD, AWD creates multiple version of the layout for each of the screen-sizes (mobile, desktop, laptop etc.).
Launch digital marketing reviews and plan a productive mobile strategy to succeed in business this year.
4. Mobile apps will have a crucial impact on businesses
Mobile technology is one of the biggest and newest innovations in the digital marketing world. It is among the best digital marketing tools today.
The use of cellular technology can help ensure your company’s prominent presence amidst competitors. No doubt, developing a mobile responsive or adaptive website is an excellent start for your businesses. But, if you want to stay at the forefront develop a branded mobile app.
Additionally taking advantage of the recently launched Whatsapp business app (ideally for small businesses) will also help you move farther. It is expected that mobile app could generate around $88 billion in revenue in recent years. (Source)
5. Focus on customer experience for increased B2B sales
Whether it’s a B2B company or a B2C organization, customers are the lifeblood of all enterprises. It is necessary to target more to increase consumer experience this year. Improving customer experience is one of the core digital marketing basics.
Satisfied consumer experience will help a team to retain and acquire more and more clients.
Therefore, businesses need to be more aware of making it a priority to :
- build customer relationship
- align marketing and sales to meet customer needs
- finally enable exceptional customer experience with different marketing tools
Famous copywriters like Eugene Schwartz, Joe Sugarman and John Caples said: “To sell your products, you need to focus on the benefits to your readers.”
6. Reassess Advertising Campaign through social media platform
Advertisements are the new-way of storytelling. Advertising will be one of the major game changer digital marketing trends 2018.
Social media advertisement has more effect than any other form of advertising today. Every top brand establishes high-end social media advertising campaigns for reaching out to the target audience. Therefore, one must plan an effective strategy to face the fierce competition.
However, social platforms like FB, Twitter, Instagram and other social media networking sites continuously update their platforms. A marketer needs to keep oneself updated with the latest developments in the social media space.
Launch digital marketing reviews and plan your advertising campaign depending on the customer behavior trends.
7. Review your content marketing fundamentals for better profits
Among many other marketing trends, organizations need to review content marketing techniques to get an edge over their competitors. Content marketing is among the most effective digital marketing tools today.
Content marketing has traveled a long way and now it has witnessed a massive technological evolution. Marketing experts state 2018 will be the era of the 4th wave of content marketing.
Detailed digital marketing reviews shows that after fourth wave came into being, Scott Brinker stated, “the fourth wave of content marketing, now emerging, is the proliferation of interactive content with responsive web marketing apps.”
The fourth wave of content marketing emphasizes on using more interactive features to engage more prospects. Hence, in your marketing app include the fourth wave of interactive content on a mass scale.
Interactive content is a type of document that involves visitors’ participation. Instead of just reading and analyzing content, a visitor can take part and complete required action. This kind of initiative in marketing has excessive benefit for a business. Review your content marketing basics and focus on creating interactive contents.
8. Incorporate integrated influencer marketing to increase brand experience
Influencer marketing is also on the rise today. In recent times social media advertisement is mostly influenced by the marketing influencers or key opinion leaders (KOI). There are several advantages of social media influence marketing on the customers. These KOIs create an impact on the buying process of a product throughout the customer journey.
Three main categories of influencers exist: mega-influencers, macro-influencers and micro-influencers. 2017 was the year of micro-influencers, but 2018 will be a period of integration.
Integrated influencer marketing strategies will have higher sales benefits. Weave together mega-influencers, macro -influencers and micro-influencers to create combined influence marketing trend. Marketers can also merge other approaches such as loyalty, referral programs or advocacy to offer better customer experience.
9. Focus on Voice Search SEO more
Voice queries are the present trend in the world of SEO. This voice query feature has re-invented SEO and now it will be not the same again. Today, a majority of users-between the ages of 18–43 prefer voice search.
Voice queries will become dominant for two primary reasons-
- It is a natural and conversational way of inquiring information
- Users prefer direct answers to impersonal approaches.
Voice Search SEO has essential characteristics to help a business grow. Hence, focus more on this technology and intensify voice query facility for your business.
10. Enhance offline marketing as well
Last and not the least, enhance your offline marketing skills for better client acquisition. Although online marketing is the best and the most efficient way to reach target client base, yet offline marketing techniques also provide essential benefits.
Among a plethora of offline activities – networking, speaking engagements, print publications, cold calls, print advertising and trade shows choose a few techniques that suit your business style.
Take advantage of these methods to build your brand’s name. Take advantage of both offline and online methods to create a well rounded multifaceted approach.
Rounding Up
To summarize, the marketing world is ever evolving. Every entrepreneur needs to devise newer plans to keep up with its pace. Hence, people should review the most prominent marketing techniques of the current year. Using these overarching principles will amplify business success.
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