7 Critical Online Marketing Trends
Digital marketing changes at an increasing pace. What was hot one year might be completely obsolete in the next one. The rapid rises and falls of social networks, new developments in the tech industry and the growing importance of new devices all influence marketing trends. That’s why all marketers who want to stay relevant need to keep a close eye on these online marketing trends and take to heart those which directly impact their campaigns.
Here are 7 essential digital marketing trends.
#1. Mobile will dominate desktop
Do you remember when mobile devices were called second screens? Well, the situation has definitely changed. For a couple of years now we’ve witnessed the growth of mobile on the global market, and in 2016 the usage of mobile devices will hold reign on the digital scene.
The surge of smartphones and tablets is something marketers should consider when crafting their campaigns. Mobile apps are expected to be more secure than ever, so the mobile market will definitely grow. Capture this trend in your strategy by ensuring that critical activities are optimized for mobile.
#2. Ad blockers aren’t going anywhere
Where used to be ads, now are blank spaces – all thanks to ubiquitous ad blockers. Countless studies show that consumers are getting frustrated with websites which offer content in exchange for ads or worse, pop-ups.
The thing about these ads is that they’re a loss of your money. They pop up in random places and rarely manage to capture users’ attention. That’s why ad blocking plugins and software are in vogue right now.
Google made the first step against this by removing ad-blocking apps from the Google Play Store, but as long as there are ads, ad blocking will be there too. 2016 will be the year of ad blockers and marketers will need to figure out more efficient ways of reach consumers with resources at hand.
#3. Video ads on the rise
Video ads go back to the days of TV, but today they look completely different. In the past, they used to generate good revenue with practically no risk involved. Today, social media giants like Facebook and Snapchat offer paid advertising options, including video formats. Google also incorporates video ads in its results – and Bing offers ads like that as well.
All the above basically means that video ads are something consumers accept and probably enjoy. In 2016, we’ll see more video ads than ever popping all over the web. If you want to stay relevant, make sure to incorporate videos in your campaigns and locate your ads in unexpected places.
#4. Content marketing will only get stronger
Content marketing is all the rage right now and marketers are on the lookout for quality content to build stronger consumer brands and interact with their audience through many different formats.
It doesn’t matter whether it’s a traditional blog post or a cutting-edge Vine video – what matters is the content part. In 2016, brands are expected to invest more in content marketing strategies, effectively bringing this marketing section to the forefront of everyone’s interest.
Why is content marketing so popular? Because it helps marketers to achieve many goals at once: build a digital brand, attract users to products and services, boost sales and build a community of loyal followers around their brands. One thing is clear – in 2016, marketers won’t be giving up on that powerful strategy.
#5. PPC will be more personalized than ever
A study from Adobe revealed that more than 30% of marketers consider personalization as the most important feature in marketing of the future. It can be anything from personalized targeting to ads – personalization will be critical in 2016.
Things that happened in the tech industry last year point to personalization as a future trend as well – for instance, Google launched a new type of targeting called ‘Customer Match’ to deal with the problem of users switching devices. It’s not based on cookies, but uses ID based targeting.
This essentially means that marketers will be able to interact with customers even when they switch from laptops to mobile phones or tablets. 2016 will be all about personalization and marketers will be using new tools to embrace this trend.
#6. Paid Search Marketing
Google and other search engines today offer two kinds of results – the organic results and the paid results. You probably heard of Google AdWords, right? Those are the paid results that are displayed to you when you make a relevant search. Naturally, whichever offer gets a higher rank wins.
Paid search marketing has been with us for a while, but experts predict that in 2016 it will become more important than ever and marketers will be keeping this trend alive by coming up with smart ways to locate their ads.
#7. Email marketing will be part of any marketing automation
Email marketing seems like something from the past, but it’s actually making a big comeback. Now that consumers can be reached with emails on mobile, brands are bound to use email marketing more than ever. Marketers always appreciated email for the opportunity the method gives for opening a direct line of communication with customers. Needless to say, in 2016 every marketer will be incorporating email to their strategy.
Even if digital marketing becomes something completely different in 2016, getting the hang of these trends will help you to adapt to the expectations of consumers and make the most from your online presence.
Continue reading here: 7 Helpful Tips for Social Media Managers
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