For digital marketers, 2018 will prove to be a new and challenging year. There will be an emergence of innovative marketing techniques that have to take advantage of the developments that have occurred over the years. Consumers and businesses have become increasingly digitalized especially in regards to use of applications and websites rather than physical materials. The changing market creates new opportunity and encourages the rise of innovations.
- Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence (AI) has become a dominant attribute over the recent years. This will be a significant aspect of any innovation in 2018. Digital markets will have an opportunity to sell through messengers with the help of chatbots. A large number of companies such as Facebook, Microsoft, and telegram have functional chatbots as part of their messenger apps. They have also released the tools to quickly create a chatbot, making such platforms an attractive option.
The number of users using messenger platforms has been on the increase, and this will be the trend as the rate of adopting smartphones continues to rise. These chatbots allow for a more prominent channel of communication, converting cold website traffic into clients. There will be an increased rate of B2B interaction via the medium across a range of clients.
- Video content
Video content will also be a significant trend in 2018. This year, video accounts for 64% of all online traffic, and over 55% users watch daily. It is predicted that it will rise to 85% in 2018. The number of uses has been on the rise, as well as the number of channels and simplicity of sharing video. Internet connectivity is also cheaper and faster, meaning that the number of people watching videos will continue to increase. A large number of business advertisers suggest that if video and text are available on a single topic, then 80% of users will prefer video. Additionally, including video content in an email leads to a 19% conversion rate, and 50% of marketers believe the video is vital for brand awareness.
- Content is a king
Content is, and it will remain to be one of the major digital marketing trends in 2018. A large number of users are growing tired of photoshopped and highly polished media. Instead, they prefer genuine content which is a major aspect of real-life and live video content. Most brands will begin to realize that authenticity is a major aspect of gaining users. The number o brands have been on the rise in almost all niches, and customers are looking for one that they can identify with. Many users want to put a face on a brand.
Content will be an essential aspect of boosting brand awareness. Content marketing is also maturing, and any campaign has to keep up with the trends. One major aspect is the investment in new talent for creating brand awareness in social media. Most companies rely on social media users with a large number of followers. This ensures that audience and the potential market is engaged.
Digital marketers will experience new opportunities in 2018 primarily through consideration of these trends to building meaningful and long-lasting relationships with customers.
