The 21 Major Digital Marketing Trends for 2018
In 2018, brands will fight to provide the best possible omni-channel and personalized customer experience, based on the data collected.You will find at the end of the article a beautiful infographic summarizing these 21 digital marketing trends!
1. Custom content
The main trend in content marketing for 2018 is the distribution of personalized messages to perfection. Customizing your content is not just about sending messages like "Hello $ First Name $".Modern marketing automation tools create content that is relevant to precise timing based on customer history and behavior .
Headspace recognizes customers who have not used their service for a while, and sends them a personalized email to re-engage them.
2. Data protection
As mentioned above, a personalized approach can bring excellent results for a large number of companies with different profiles. The flip side however is that some people may worry about their personal data and their privacy.To address these concerns, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will come into effect in May 2018.
Consumers demand more transparency regarding the processing of their personal data. Companies that are already ready to deal with this change have a huge advantage.
But how does this regulation affect you directly?
It concerns you because excellent data protection will soon become an essential selling point.
3.The success of video content
In 2018, adopt video marketing!Facebook has been promoting video content in news feeds for a long time, and LinkedIn has recently adopted the same approach. The number of people looking at Instagram Stories has exceeded the number of Stories views on Snapchat.
Consumers of digital content want a variety of formats. This is where the video comes in.
See for yourself :
79% of consumers prefer to discover a product in video rather than read about it.
84% of consumers say they have made a purchase after watching a branded video.
Special attention must be paid to the mobile. Cisco predicts a 39 (!) Increase in the number of mobile live video by 2021.
One of the main marketing trends for 2018 is live video on mobile.
4. Marketing influence, it still exists?
Yes ! the popularity of influencer marketing shows no signs of slowing down, as this search on Google Trends shows.Influence Marketing: Google Trends Research
There are, however, a few things to keep in mind to make the most of this trend. To identify and collaborate with influencers , do not forget the following:
Measure the ROI of your collaborations with influencers. It's crucial!
The use of video in influence marketing works much better than text-based content.
Respect local laws: In 2018, we risk seeing more cases involving illegitimate product placements.
5. Artificial Intelligence
Many companies are already exploiting AI in their marketing. Pinterest, for example, unveiled its Google Chrome search search extension.Visual recognition on Pinterest
Pinterest relies on visual recognition to facilitate the connection between online content and shop visits.
We are convinced that AI will play a very important role in 2018 in many digital marketing activities. AI will influence the development of marketing technologies, whether in their visual appearance or by adding new features.
We understand the importance of this new technology, which is why we have established an AI research department . Ultimately this will help us make the most of the technology behind AI, including improving our segmentation.
But that's not all !
In order to develop the integration of AI into content marketing, we joined an ambitious research project on AI at Aalto University.
Specifically, this project will develop AI algorithms that will be used to determine the personalized promotional content with which B2B users are most willing to interact.
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| Artificial Intelligence |
6. Collect and analyze Big Data
What happens every minute on the Web?Amazing is not it? And the amount of data will not stop growing in the future. This presents a huge challenge for marketers when they need to collect and analyze customer data.
In 2018, brands will fight to provide the best possible omni-channel and personalized customer experience, based on the
7. IoT and marketing
Do you have trouble collecting your Big Data systematically?
So we have good news for you!
The development of IoT will enormously facilitate the collection of customer data. Consumers will have more opportunities to leave their fingerprints because more and more devices will be synchronized.
The development of integrations between the multitude of available devices is already well advanced.
For example, Uber has partnered with Pandora's streaming music service to allow users to choose the song they want to hear before they even enter the vehicle.
Music on demand in Uber journeys thanks to the fusion of services with Pandora
8. Return on Investment (ROI) Measurement
As the volume of Big Data increases at a fast pace, marketers must allocate their budget intelligently and efficiently.Measuring the ROI of your marketing efforts will help you better manage your budget, as it will prove the value of your investments. ROI reveals which marketing channels should be exploited more deeply, while pinpointing your less powerful channels and tools.
Did you know that the ROI of email marketing surpasses that of other marketing channels?
9. The 5G revolution
Marketers, however, should start now to prepare for it.
Web sites composed mainly of text can be replaced by more interactive and engaging pages. With connection speeds increasing, media-rich websites and engaging formats will be in great demand.
Take a look at the site of Black Negative , exemplary in the field with its interactive elements of great beauty.
10. New SEO factors
According to the latest SEO study by SEMrush , the following factors are the most important factors in SEO today, and their impact will grow in the near future.17 Most Important SEO Factors by SEMrush
Do not forget that the world of SEO is constantly boiling and that it regularly brings its share of novelties and unexpected solutions.
For example, the rise of digital assistants has given birth to a booming market today: voice search. According to Google, 1 out of 5 searches is done by voice .
That's why any good marketer should constantly follow the latest SEO trends.
11. Live Chat
How to provide real-time answers to your customers' questions?Start a live chat.
The number of companies investing in live chats will continue to grow as it has become an important channel of communication.
To improve the customer experience, Ahrefs has introduced a chatbot on its website.
When you arrive on the Ahrefs website , you are greeted by an assistance chat.
For 2018, consider investing in a Live Chat to enhance the customer experience on your website.
12. Chat-bots
You want to book a flight, order food or get musical recommendations?There must be a chat bot for that.
One of the biggest digital marketing trends of 2018 is chat bot-assisted shopping in your email.
Pizza and new technologies, with the Chat bot Pizza Hut.
Custom chat bots in messaging applications play a crucial role in the customer experience. Chat bots allow brands to simplify the ordering process, resulting in more sales than necessary.
13. Micro-moments
Have you ever made a last-minute purchase on your mobile or searched for a quick response on Google?You belong to the category of micro-moments.
The main goal of marketers is to identify micro-moments in order to act in time. To satisfy customers in this category, marketers must take into account a number of things:
Ensure a smooth user interface - easy and responsive mobile browsing is essential.
Display custom content on a website based on the customer's purchase history.
Identify the best searches done from a mobile: 75% of searches are done from a mobile .
14. User Generated Content
Do you remember the Ice Bucket Challenge, which even Bill Gates participated in ?This is an excellent example of user-generated content that has increased the awareness of the ALS association in the space of a few days.
"User-generated" content refers to the use of your audience as a means of creating content related to your organization, and which will promote this content by itself with its network. This trend should continue to gain popularity in 2018 as personal recommendations are as trustworthy to consumers as reviews on the web .
Monitoring social networks is essential to help marketers to follow the "user-generated" content and participate in conversations about their brand, product or service.
15. Monetize ephemeral content
The ephemeral content concept is no longer new to the marketing world. However, this is a term you will hear even more often from 2018.How can marketers benefit from ephemeral content?
In addition to improving brand engagement, you can now direct users directly to your website or landing page by including a link to your Instagram Stories.
16. The rise of augmented reality and augmented reality
It is sometimes very difficult for a marketer to create commitment and develop a reputation.
Augmented reality and virtual reality help overcome these challenges with new technologies that help companies stand out from their competitors.
Some brands are already using these technologies in their marketing. John Lewis has experimented 360 videos with Facebook that allow customers to examine coveted products from all angles.
17. Social Commerce
The concept of Social Commerce will reshape the way we consume content and make our purchases online. The development of mobile applications ensures fluidity between social activities and transactions.The best success story in this area is We-Chat in China.
Social Commerce on We-Chat
Originally a platform invented for communication purposes, We-Chat has now been enriched with an e-commerce solution.
18. Take care of the Z generation
Generation Z is expected to account for 40% of consumers by 2020 .In other words, it is not recommended to neglect this category.
Marketers should keep in mind that the buying behavior of a Generation Z individual varies a lot from his predecessors, millenials.
Generation Z is characterized by a mobile-first state of mind . Research conducted by Global Web Index revealed that Generation Z people spend more time on the smartphone daily than on all other types of devices combined.
This Global Web Index study shows the importance of Generation Z for years to come.
The red color represents the data for the Z Generation, while the blue represents the Millenials results.
In short, now or never you should invest in the development of a mobile application.
19. Cross-device marketing
The days when you could use the same device to read your news, chat with friends and shop online are over. Criteo even found in a study that 41% of post-click computer transactions (after clicking on an ad for example), come from a different device.Therefore, in this age of cross-device consumer buying behavior, marketers must ensure a consistent and seamless digital experience across all device types and screen sizes.
Take a second to ask yourself:
"Are my newsletters displayed correctly on all types of screens, is my website as aesthetically pleasing on iPhone as it is on a connected TV?"
20. Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) and landing pages
According to Word Stream , only 22% of companies are satisfied with their conversion rate.It is quite possible that we will see an increase in investment in A / B Testing and landing page optimization software in 2018, with a view to obtaining a greater number of conversions.
As far as we are concerned, we have taken the lead in terms of CRO. We found that concise landing pages worked better for the guides and white papers we offer, in terms of conversions.
Take a look at the landing page style we are currently using for our white papers.
Landing page of white paper for Liana CEM. A brief and concise landing page brings a better conversion.
Have you tested your landing pages?
21. Mobile payments have the coast
The exponential growth in the number of mobile devices in use is unlocking a huge potential for mobile payments.More and more companies are integrating mobile payment options into their stores, with Apple Pay and Google Pay being two of the leading providers of this type of service.
Do you have to offer a mobile payment option in your country? Without a doubt, yes.
According to Global Web Index , the penetration rate of mobile payments is shaking all regions of the planet!
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