After a rocky year for some in digital marketing, including fake news scams on social media and large-scale data breaches, it’s safe to say that everyone is looking forward to a more positive year for digital marketing and advertising at large. Brands everywhere are trying to make accurate predictions of what consumers will be expecting and how they can best reach their audience in new and innovative ways. Below we discuss 4 of the top digital marketing and advertising trends to watch and consider in the coming year.
1. A rise in the use of AI and smart speakers in marketing
Rather than a mass advertising approach like a traditional newspaper or disruptive display ads, artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping the way people receive and consume content. Consumers are now able to curate their experiences online with the content they prefer. This same idea can and is starting to be applied to advertising as well.
Rather than disruptive ads that may or may not pertain to a consumer, the intelligence of widely used products like today’s smart speakers, allow for a targeted online ad experience where your potential customers have the power to choose what they hear, see and read by a simple voice command. And when your customers are not getting bombarded with all the noise of random ads, it’s very possible that your ads will be better received and thus considerably more effective. With 30% of consumers now using ad blockers, it’s safe to say that we needed a more creative approach, like the use of AI in advertising.
2. A shift in ad spending from TV to the Internet
While TV advertising used to be the holy grail of ad spends, today there is a much different picture being painted. Millennials and Gen Z’ers are spending considerably less time watching TV and more time online. In fact, television ad sales dropped 7.8% last year and are expected to fall even further in the coming years. With streaming options like Hulu and social video platforms like YouTube, there are a lot of new opportunities for marketers to shift their ad spending to the platforms where people are now spending the majority of their time.
3. Embracing chatbots as a new norm
Not only are chatbots a quick and easy way for your potential customers to get on the spot answers, but it also makes for a much smoother conversion process in this age of information on-demand. You might think that chatbots are not a good fit for your company, but consider this statistic from Facebook: 90% of queries are covered by the top 10 questions! This makes automated messaging or live chats a smart way to enhance your current marketing strategy and provide the very best customer service in the New Year.
4. Balance digital ads with traditional print ads
You’ve likely heard the “print is dead” line thrown around in a few marketing circles, but we’re here to let you know that print is not dead at all. In fact, brands that embrace print advertising to supplement their digital marketing strategies are finding great success. The market is less saturated now; there is less noise, which means your brand can make a splash by balancing your digital ads with well-designed print ads in relevant publications. Additionally, print ads are less disruptive than some forms of digital ads because the reader is choosing to pick up the magazine or print piece, rather than it showing up (or popping up) while they’re searching for something else online.
So, be sure to consider these 4 marketing and advertising trends to help shape your future campaigns. As always, be sure to reach out to our team of marketing strategists and graphic designers to bring your marketing campaigns to life!