The marketing space changes so much and so often, it’s almost like it’s in continual upheaval. As consumers and technology evolve at such a rapid pace, keeping up with all the latest developments can almost become a job unto itself.
Stay ahead of what’s on the horizon in 2016 with this breakdown on marketing industry trends. Not only will you be in the know for next year, but by incorporating these budding concepts into your strategy you’ll give your company a competitive edge that will put you ahead over the next 12 months.
A Renewed Creative Focus
The challenges of the marketing space have made creativity not just a luxury, but a necessity to survive.
Adblockers have put the industry into a panic over the possibility of slashed revenue. Getting your site found with the volumes of content being produced today is an overwhelming task. And try standing out on social media when you’re sending messages just like those from every other pixel-perfect face in a digital crowd.
Only the most creative marketers that can dream up content and messages that truly help and delight site visitors will make it to the top in an ever-expanding online world.
Native Ads
Ever since Apple announced that they would allow iOS 9 to support ad blockers, speculation about the fate of online advertising has been rampant. But one tactic you can try to keep ad blocker panic to a minimum is native advertising.
This type of advertising blends in as it mimics the form, function, and user experience of the platform it’s on and offers content that’s interesting, helpful or entertaining. Advertorials, branded content or even videos are just a few of the forms native ads can take.
Pinpointed Personalization
It’s no secret that the internet knows a lot about you, and that knowledge is what tailors the ads you see and the searches Google suggests among other types of personalization. But get ready for a whole new level of knowing your potential customers in 2016.
With all the tools and companies available to make gathering data easier, marketers will toe the line between improving and customizing user experience and being creepy. Figuring out how to make the most of personalization, protecting data, and knowing what data not to collect will be a challenge.
New Platforms
Prepare for all the technology only dreamed of in science fiction: virtual reality, wearable tech, and search engines even more integrated into social networks. Adapting strategy to these new platforms will take some trial and error in the beginning, but the payoff for figuring out how to market on them is bound to be worth it.
More Branded Videos
The benefits of video are clear:
- 52% of marketing professionals worldwide name video as the type of content with the best ROI.
- Sites that include video see on average 2 extra minutes dwell time compared to sites that don’t.
- The word “video” in a subject line increases email click-through rate by 65%.
And as brands seek to capitalize on those rewards, branded videos will become even more popular. You’ll also start running into them more and more often on home pages and landing pages instead of simply being confined to YouTube or Vimeo as they emerge as valuable content in the sales cycle. Video will become the way to go for connecting with customers, answering FAQ’s, addressing objections, and how-tos in 2016.
As 2015 comes to a close, these marketing industry trends will give you a headstart in getting ready for the new year. Taking the time to get familiar with them now will yield you a more sophisticated, successful marketing strategy and position your brand for wins throughout the whole year.