With the growth of technology and specifically social media, digital media in 2014 is full of promising ideas and technological advancements. Whether in fashion, food or travel, trends this year favor a love for life and the “simpler things.” Here is a look at 2014’s digital media stats and facts.
Growth in Mobile Revenues
In 2014 retail sales via smartphones and tablets more than doubled to 13.5 billion.
“Consumers want anytime-anywhere computing that allows them to consume and create content with ease, but also share and access that content from a different portfolio of products. Mobility is paramount in both mature and emerging markets,” said Carolina Milanesi, research vice president at Gartner.
Desktops Taken Over by Mobile Devices
According to Mashable, by 2015 mobile web browsing will be more common than desktop Internet use. Naturally, with this move from desktop to mobile devices it is important for businesses to have digital design solutions for their mobile sites and a compatible, user-friendly interface for mobile viewing.
Interacting on the World Wide Web
With the increasing number of mobile devices sold, interaction of all types on the World Wide Web has greatly increased. Studies by Business Intelligence found that the sales of mobile enabled objects went from just under $1.4 billion in 2013 to over $3.24 billion in 2014 and is projected to reach $6.94 billion by 2018 when they will account for half of all internet enabled devices.
Interactive Society
With more access to interactive media, society is shifting to a more virtual economy. More and more businesses are joining the movement and transitioning from traditional to digital advertisements in their marketing and communications strategy because developing your company’s digital media and social media strategy will ultimately boost revenue.
Triple Threat: Mobile, Social and Video
These three mediums proved to be the triple threat in 2013 and they continue to be powerhouses in 2014. Collaboration amongst these three mediums has created the newest trend of “visual sharing.” From the development of go-to meetings and sharing videos on all social media platforms, this trend is definitely one that we would all benefit from “jumping on the bandwagon.”
Digital Marketing
Companies are moving from costly ad campaigns to utilizing social media and other digital channels. Simple things such as creating a Pinterest account can increase engagement and website traffic.
Technology as a Fashion
With digital devices growing smaller and smaller we have seen the convergence of technology and fashion on a whole new level. Software companies have designed digital devices that are embedded into clothing or are wearable accessories. Nike for example has developed the Nike+FuelBand smart watch NikeFuel, a bracelet that syncs with your phone that provides a single, universal way to measure all kinds of activities—from your morning workout to your big night out. Uniquely designed to measure whole-body movement no matter your age, weight or gender, NikeFuel tracks your active life. Sales are expected to exceed $125 million units by 2017.
The Pursuit of Happiness
Not that this trend should ever come as a shock to people, but 2014 is seeing an increase in people’s desire for their happiness and well-being. Mood of the nation found that brands played a role in improving people’s level of happiness through being ethical, empowering people to be more active and performing unexpected acts of kindness.
Internet Currency
Currency is also joining the digital movement and venturing away from mere paper and plastic. Bitcoin is a new de-centralized currency that allows for the flow of transactions that can be made without going through a private bank or any trading fees. Other Apps have been created to perform the same actions such as BitGo and AirCoin.
For more information on trends in digital media or insights on how your company can benefit from adopting any of the above, contact our Atlanta advertising agency today.