Voice Search

2020 was a year of unprecedented circumstances, with many marketers transforming their approach due to the changing events. People spent more time at home, ordering services and products online and browsing social media, so marketers had to focus on this. According to IBM’s US Retail Index Report , eCommerce experienced a boom during 2020, and this is projected to continue throughout 2021. So what are the top 10 digital marketing trends to look out for? Let’s take a look... We will cover: Google SERP and SEO Voice Search Artificial Intelligence Content Marketing Video Marketing Customer Journeys Omnichannel Marketing 1:1 Personalized Marketing Chatbots Automation Google SERP and SEO For many years now, being listed as high up on Google Searches as possible has been beneficial for many brands. Using phrases that are Search Engine Optimized and tailoring your content to meet Google’s standards is vital to move further up the list. A new feature from the search engine is the ‘featured snippet’ in which Google quotes sections of a website in an attempt to answer the user's questions without them having to enter a website. The challenge for marketers is to offer enough ‘snippets’ of information to rank in this section but limiting the information so that consumers still have to click on the website and engage with the content. Voice Search Optimizing your profile for voice searching can increase brand awareness. It is estimated that around 55% of all American homes will on a voice-activated smart speaker by 2022, and over 50% of searches will be via voice. It is due to these changes that shopping by voice is set to increase to a market of around $40 billion by 2022. Artificial Intelligence Artificial intelligence within marketing has been described by Techgrabyte as the biggest commercial opportunity for companies and is estimated to increase profits by around 14% before 2030. It is therefore important for digital marketers to utilize the technology as soon as possible in order to see the benefits. The Harvard Business Review predicts the proliferation of AI technology, which can help analyze customer behaviour and data to allow the business to understand how they think and shop. Once businesses have a better understanding of customer preferences, they can then tailor their email marketing, content, product recommendations, and advertisements to suit the consumer. Content It's not enough to tell the customer about the product. How you can engage your customers depends truly on the stories you tell. By telling the right story, you activate an emotional response. The world is comprised of stimulus and response. The stimulus that creates the strongest emotional response, in turn, creates bonds and trust. Brand trust results in increased conversions. Creating stories within adverts and interactive ads allow consumers to connect with a brand, meaning that they are more likely to invest in it. Video Marketing In a world in which consumers are constantly stimulated, video marketing is one of the most important ways to keep their attention. Studies have shown that around 72% of businesses believe that video content has improved their conversion rate, while 52% of consumers feel more confident making an online purchase after watching video content. Using interactive video ads can be even more effective. Interactive ads ask consumers to physically engage with the advertisement, whether this is playing a game, answering a question, or selecting an option. A study by MAGNA found that interactive video ads increase the amount of time that a potential customer spends focusing on the ad by just under 50%, meaning that there is more time to focus on the advert. Interactive ads also have nine times higher impact on a consumer's intent to purchase and are more memorable than standard videos. It is therefore important for businesses to develop interactive videos to stimulate the consumer. Customer Journeys Customer journeys refer to the way in which a customer encounters your brand, how they interact with it, and how this leads to a purchase. Tracking customers' journeys can lead marketers to discover where they should focus their marketing to turn interest into sales. It also can help identify what marketing strategies are leading to purchases, and are therefore effective, and which are not. This allows marketers to tailor their content accordingly. Omnichannel Marketing Gaining popularity in 2020, omnichannel marketing describes the strategy of marketing through a variety of different platforms such as email, apps, social media, and blog posts. This in turn, means that a consumer received a strong brand message and is frequently reminded only of a company. The best results for omnichannel marketing come from a clear, consistent message being delivered in many different ways. Studies have shown that delivering the same message over three or more platforms can lead to a 90% higher customer retention rate and a purchase rate 2.5 times higher than single-channel marketing. 1:1 Personalized Marketing Personalized marketing is an easy way to stand out from competitors – whether it is by email or personalized content. Personalized marketing tailors the experience to the consumer, grabbing their attention in an ever overly stimulated world. Studies into personalized marketing revealed that around 80% of consumers are more likely to invest in a company’s products or services if it offers personalized experiences. Many companies are already utilizing the benefits of personalized marketing and the results speak for themselves. EasyJet saw a 25% increase in their click-through rate with personalized emails, leading to an increase in business. Chatbots Although chatbots are already popular with many online brands, their popularity is only set to grow. Based on AI technology, chatbots can reply instantly to site visitor messages, increasing engagement. Studies have shown that around 63% of customers prefer messaging an online chatbot when engaging with a brand. These bots meet customer’s expectations and reply quickly, leading to better customer service and experience by answering simple questions that website visitors may have. This can lead to an increase in conversion. Automation Automation within digital marketing refers to technology designed to complete automatic, repetitive tasks on multiple online channels such as email, websites, and social media. This allows marketers to manage omnichannel marketing from one platform, streaming processes, and reducing staffing costs. In recent years more and more digital automation products have arrived on the market, and this trend is set to continue. According to Marketo around 76% of marketers saw a positive return on their investment in automated production within a year – boosting sales, engagement, and revenue.

Top 10 Digital Marketing Trends to Look Out For

Stay in Touch

Pages

Categories

Stay in Touch

Pages

Categories

Start typing and press enter to search