Adopting an analytical approach to digital marketing and social media strategies is crucial to succeeding in today’s technology-focused marketing landscape.
The Importance of Protecting Privacy
Following several headline-hitting data breaches, consumers are becoming far more concerned about how their data is stored, used, and shared. The European Union has recently introduced the GDPR [1] regulations which require businesses to reshape the way they approach data protection and increasing numbers of consumers will begin to demonstrate their preference for products and services that promise to safeguard their privacy.
Enhanced Personalisation
Providing tailored content directly to individual accounts or types of account is a crucial principle of account-based marketing (ABM). Enhanced personalisation is something consumers are becoming more familiar with, particularly as large companies including Amazon and Netflix use this technology to suggest additional items or shows based upon recent searches, preferences and interests.
Website Messaging and Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence (AI) has been used to power live-chat features for some time. As AI technology improves, it is likely that increasing numbers of brands will begin to recognise the benefits it has for providing enhanced customer service, particularly outside regular business hours.
Augmented Reality
Apple is channelling a lot of development and new technology into augmented reality (AR) [2]. AR creates new and innovative experiences for users and it is important for brands to understand how to utilise these new tools to reach audiences in increasingly immersive and exclusive ways.
Voice-Optimised Content
At least 50% of all online searches will be conducted through voice search by 2020 [3]. The rise of digital assistants, such as Siri and Alexa, have helped to make the action of voice search an ordinary part of daily life. Optimising content for voice search is becoming more important as text searches tend to unearth more concise phrases, whereas voice searches are more likely to uncover long-tail content.
The Rise of Instagram
The growth of Instagram is unparalleled. As well as reporting an enormous 800 million monthly users [4], just a year after its launch, Instagram Stories was clearly outperforming Snapchat [5]. Generating greater engagement than other social platforms and with excellent advertising opportunities, Instagram should be firmly in the sights of every brand aiming to secure social growth.
Managing Audience Expectations
Consumers now have much higher expectations than ever before. Access to on-demand content, same-day delivery and voice assistants with the ability to answer queries whenever and wherever, means that marketers need to develop innovative strategies that will impress their target audiences and surpass expectations.
The Evolving Influencer Marketing Landscape
With more than 95% of businesses utilising influencer marketing believing it is an effective approach [6], the potential to generate interest and reach new audiences is clear. It is essential, however, to ensure that this strategy is approached correctly. Unilever is determined to improve the transparency and integrity of its influencer marketing [7] and other brands should endeavour to do the same. Audiences are becoming more adept at identifying staged sponsored content [8] and so focusing on audience experience is crucial.
[1] https://www.eugdpr.org/
[2] https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/300436
[3] https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/just-say-it-future-search-voice-personal-digital-assistants/1392459
[4] https://www.statista.com/statistics/253577/number-of-monthly-active-instagram-users/
[5] https://www.recode.net/2017/6/20/15836248/instagram-stories-250-million-users-snapchat
[6] http://go.pardot.com/l/153091/2016-11-29/9t6n1k
[7] http://www.thedrum.com/news/2018/06/17/unilevers-keith-weed-calls-urgent-action-tackle-influencer-fraud
[8] http://adage.com/article/agency-viewpoint/gen-z-hates-ads-love-videos/309105/
