Emerging and evolving digital trends continue to change the marketing and media landscape. Companies are faced with a decision: maintain their current pace and undoubtedly fall behind the pack, or pick up the speed and stay ahead of the competition. Adapting your company’s marketing strategy to incorporate these seven digital marketing trends in 2016 is a must.
- Mobile Will Dominate Desktop
With more and more users adopting smartphones and tablets, the percentage of Internet visits via mobile platforms is skyrocketing. Mobile searches surpassed desktop searches in over 10 countries in 2015. With an increasing number of people resorting primarily to mobile screens, creating smartphone-friendly websites and emails is imperative.
- Eruption of Apps
Mobile apps offer all the same services as mobile websites, but present functionalities in an intuitive and convenient manner. Additionally, an app offers companies better control and customer retention by avoiding the clutter and distraction that ads bring to websites. With Google introducing app indexing in April—which drops app content into Google mobile search results—apps will soon replace the need for mobile websites for many companies. With that said, know your target audience and make mobile adjustments accordingly.
- All Eyes On Social Media
Ad-blocking software is turning all eyes on social media. With ad-blocking software rising 48% over the last year, brands are shifting even more of their dollars to social media marketing to engage and track consumers.
- Virtual Reality
Multiple virtual reality devices, such as the much-anticipated Oculus Rift—a virtual reality head-mounted display headset—will be introduced in the next few years. The emergence of this type of technology will bring about an entirely new form of online marketing that will integrate social media platforms, video channels, and many other forms of direct messaging.
- Wearable Technology
Wearable technology like the Apple watch is revolutionizing the way people digest online information. Globally, the consumption of wearable technology is expected to grow 35% between 2015 and 2019. Given the smaller size of this technology, marketers will have to adapt the format of their content, consider how to best provide “on-the-go” information, and develop keywords easily searched via voice commands.
- Marketing Automation
The use of automated content marketing systems for scheduling email marketing and social media posts to segmented databases will save time while improving quality.
- Demand for Personalization
Consumers are expecting more from their favorite brands. Interaction with customers and knowing what they want next, is now necessary to cultivate fans. Using data to develop strong relationship marketing will set your company apart from its competitors and reward you with more loyal customers.
Staying up-to-date with the ever-evolving world of digital marketing is nothing shy of a test of stamina. But when it comes to online success, the early-adopter of trends is always the front-runner. If finishing first in the digital marketing marathon is on your agenda for 2016, look no further. Contact infinitee today to develop your plan of action.