If we look back at 2016 from the perspective of digital marketing, then as per experts the year has been tremendous. The experts also suggest that this industry won’t just stop growing. There has been an exponential development in terms of new techniques this year and this is the reason why we will be discussing about the future.
It’s important for organizations to know about the trends that will catch the attention in 2017. These changes are inevitable and it’s upto the organization to either use them or not. However having a fair bit of idea about their existence might help you a great deal. But before we discuss any further let us first check out some techniques and their impact graphically .
1. Augmented Reality
Remember the game Pokemon Go? It became a revolution the moment it was launched. Released on July 6th, 2016 the game saw 20 million active users alone in United States by July 23rd 2016. To add to it the app earned $10 million each day. This is a clear indication towards the fact that people are ready for augmented reality and this is what industry experts predict for 2017. With the launch of AR games and AR ads marketers will also have huge revenue generation option. So look for this trend and capitalize on your revenues.
2. Live Video Streaming
Ever seen any celebrity going live on Facebook? Well that’s another trend which organizations will be following in 2017. Consumers and social media users are getting used to it and surprisingly they demand more of the at the moment content. Why it is beneficial for users? Good for those who love to see the brand launch but are unable to attend it. With the help of faster internet and 4G enabled devices brands are capitalizing on this new technique. If stats are to be believed then Facebook live video gets nearly 8 billion daily videos and it has nearly 135% greater organic reach. On the other hand Instagram Stories have 100 million active users while Snapchat sees 150 million active users globally. To add to these massive figures you will be surprised to know that this years’ US Presidential Elections Debate was streamed live on Facebook, YouTube, CBS, Twitter, ABC, NBC, CNN and Reuters. Such kind of connectivity users expect with brands when it comes the launch of new product and services. The live streaming has been at an all time high since last few years but in 2017 consumers will see more brands using this feature.
3. Data Visualization Tools
Marketing industry thrives on Data. It is imperative for marketers to know which customer is coming to their website and is navigating to which page, leading to the sale of which product. Solely depending on Google Analytics will not suffice in 2017. Marketers need to get a grip of new tools such as Chart.js, Tableau, RAW, Dyragrahs and many such other tools.
We at KonnectInsights have been working on integrating numerous such tools in our product, which can give you the latest updates that are happening around the internet. As per Konnect Insights, we say: “KonnectInsights answers your Who, Where, When and What. Decide what to do next with Konnect's readily available metrics.”
Image Source: Tableau, a data visualization tool.
In the year 2017 almost every business should start using them to understand their customer behavior failing which they might be left out.
4. Native Advertising
One of the oldest yet most effective forms of marketing technique, Native Advertising, is here to stay in 2017. The only difference this time is that it will see an upward trend with more and more companies using it. According to Outbrain following are the benefits of Native Advertising
With the ever changing Google Algorithms and Facebook reach, Native Advertising will see newer and more advanced forms.
5. Content Marketing giving more Real Life Experience
So content marketing has been the favorite for all the marketers ever since blogging and influencer campaigns have gained momentum. However in 2017 customers want more than just written form of content. We have already discussed about Augmented Reality before however what we did not talk about was Virtual Reality. Talking about Virtual Reality, brands like CarDekho.com have already implemented this technology in their business by acquiring virtual reality startup Volob. You don’t necessarily have to go to the showroom to buy a car. You get a VR Headset and the representatives will connect you with the nearest showroom to get hands on experience of your favorite vehicle. These two techniques give a real life experience to customers or as marketers say Immersive Experience to customers. Apart from that, the 360 videos also help in giving your customers a real life experience. Make sure you also host various forms of webinars and online sessions so that customers can feel engaged with you. The whole idea of content marketing is providing your customers more ways to interact and make them feel part of something revolutionary. So make the most out of this marketing technique.
Trends mentioned above are based on facts and figures collected from last year and discussion with marketers from different domains. Digital Marketing is an ever growing industry and will always lead the way for effective marketing. Marketers are expected to go with the flow and make sure that they incorporate these trends in 2017.