Top 10 Digital Marketing Trends You Need to Know About

Seventy-seven percent of people in America owned a smartphone in 2016. Digital marketing isn’t just big — it’s growing.

With numbers like that, it’s easy to see why digital marketing is an important component of running a business. But there is no one-size-fits-all approach. To nail this kind of marketing, you also have to keep up with the constantly changing digital marketing trends.

Fortunately, we’ve compiled ten of the major digital marketing trends you need to know about right now. Read on to find out more.

10 Digital Marketing Trends You Need to Know About

1. 1Automated Messaging

Today, many customers expect fast help around the clock.

There was a time when automated text didn’t work well enough for business purposes. Now, though, chat robots can easily handle small requests and questions, freeing up staff to do more intricate tasks.

2. 2Optimizing for Voice

More people are now using voice to perform Google searches. Optimizing your site for voice search can make a huge difference in your SEO rankings.

For example, many people will phrase questions a bit differently using their voice than they do while typing. Predicting this allows you to anticipate those kinds of questions and answer them more effectively.

3. 3Real-Time Content

Since Facebook debuted its Live feature, real-time online content has hit a new peak of popularity.

Live streaming allows customers to feel that they are getting a genuine, authentic experience. This is a great new digital marketing tactic – for example, you might try demoing a new product live to build hype before its launch.

4. 4Stories Matter

Modern consumers are all about the story. People don’t just want products – even if the products are high-quality. They want a story to go along with them.

Compelling brand stories are critical to modern digital marketing. Whether it’s the story of how your company got started, or how your products are making an impact in real customers’ lives, stories engage customers in a positive way.

5. 5Elaborate Content

Just as with stories, customers now desire bigger, more elaborate content overall.

For example, content that is able to seamlessly integrate text, audio, and video will mean more to consumers than a simple sound bite. Interactive content is also huge – for example, apps that let people virtually try on lipstick shades.

6. 6Fewer Push Ads

Annoying push ads are falling by the wayside as a way to reach customers. Content marketing goes a lot further than a push ad or pop-up these days.

Consumers don’t like to feel like things are being “sold” to them – they want to feel like they are part of a conversation with your brand.

7. 7Limited Time Content

With Snapchat, the idea of content that expires after a certain amount of time truly caught on. Content that’s only available for a short while grabs people’s attention because it feels important.

8. 8Mobile is Changing

Smartphones are no longer the only common portable media device people have.

From tablets to smartwatches, there are other mobile technologies your business can use to reach consumers now. You should decide on company strategies for reaching customers on every platform.

It can also be helpful to try a digital marketing service, so you can get the right digital marketing approach for your customers on mobile.

9. 9Video Remains King

Video is still one of the top ways to reach consumers online. However, videos have to meet certain marks to get people’s attention: for example, they should add value to consumers’ lives, tell a story, and be captivatingly short.

10. 10Longform Text is More Popular

It seems ironic, but with the popularity of things like video and expiring content, there is also a growing popularity of longer text posts.

Google now prioritizes longer, informative posts over short ones that exist only to sell product. Customers want the story and the useful information, and it often takes more than a short post to provide that. Think about longer blog posts or email newsletters as compelling ways to reach your customers, too.

Final Thoughts on Digital Marketing Trends

There are so many trends that it may seem hard to keep up.

However, all you need to do is focus on the ones that will impact your business the most, and watch your clientele grow. For example, a fashion retailer will focus more on interactive visual content, while a fitness site might consider a fitness tracker apps and how-to posts.

Which digital marketing trends are you excited to try? Leave a comment and let us know!