Online marketing is a way of doing business that is forever changing. Companies have to revamp what they are doing to stay in line with the latest trends and algorithms. It’s the only way to connect with customers and grow. By continuing to optimize content and add things like mobile applications, one business can jump out in front of another. It’s only hurting those that aren’t taking the time to do the same thing.
To understand what needs to be done to maximize online marketing opportunities, you have to know where the digital world is at. Some trends are emerging while other aspects are falling by the wayside. Before working to build your online marketing presence, discover what is going on in the world of digital marketing.
You might also like: How Much Does it Cost to Develop an App
Voice searching
The most significant change in the state of online marketing today is the introduction of voice searching. First, there were voice searching capabilities through the iPhone and the Siri smartphone assistant. Then, think back to the Christmas seasons of 2016 and 2017. Could you get through a half-hour program on television without seeing an advertisement for Amazon’s Echo with Alexa or the Google Home? The answer is most likely going to be no. These things came on the scene and pretty much exploded marketing in the digital world.
When voice searching was first available, there weren’t many people that were using it. When they were, it was to ask for directions or find out what the square root of 97 was. Today, about 20% of all searches done from phones are done through voice. The questions are different too. People want to know where to buy a specific brand of dog food or locate the trendiest gift shop while on vacation. Businesses have to be prepared to deliver the results because voice searching isn’t going anywhere.
Video advertising
Customers, clients, and patrons are watching video advertising in this technology-driven world. That’s especially true for the younger generations. It is estimated that somewhere around 90% of all content shared through social media and other platforms in 2017 was in the form of a video.
Most of the population has the internet either at home, work, or on their phone. With the ability to check out any kind of content with the push of a button, it’s a trend that’s exploded in the past decade or so. Researchers are expecting that it’s only going to continue to grow over the next decade. So, in case you have not focused on video marketing till now, it’s time to get your video marketing strategy in place if you wish to outwit your rivals.
Personalization is key
People are getting lost behind screens for more extended periods of time ever than before. Now that it is so common, customers don’t feel important any more. That personal experience of walking into a store and speaking to a real person is completely taken away.
One way to get people feeling as though they are important is by making your site as personalized as possible. You want to be able to offer them a tailored experience that based off of their habits and preferences. The more people feel as though they matter, the more they are going to come back to your site.
Big data is something that can seem a bit overwhelming when you first dive into it. But, it isn’t. It’s how you gather information on the customers that use your products or services. All the details can be collected and analyzed, and then you can use that to decide how to better connect with them. The closer they feel to your business, the more often they are going to return to you.
Automated chatbots
On the opposite side of personalization is chatbots. There isn’t anything personable about them. They are instrumental and cost-effective for businesses that provide customer service. Besides offering an interactive experience, the chatbot can share information with human customer service representatives. They can then pass the details along to the customer in a more timely fashion.
Bitcoin payment methods
Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin were first introduced back in 2009. As time goes on, they are becoming more popular and more widely used. In a digital marketing world, it only makes sense to accept the only forms of digital currency around. A customer having the opportunity to pay with a cryptocurrency of their choosing shows that your business is thinking ahead. It is one way to stay a step in front of other competitors that haven’t quite reached that point yet.
Implementing these online marketing strategies are going to be necessary for your business and its growth. By taking the ideas you already have and putting them to work, you can trust that your company is going to see growth. If for some reason something isn’t working, you can step back and re-evaluate and re-implement it in another way to get results. Another option is to take the help of an online marketing agency to help your business grow online.
Guest post author bio:
Sameer Panjwani is the Founder & CEO of Mondovo.com, an online marketing toolset that helps you track your rankings, monitor your site stats, and research your competitors. A man of many talents, Sameer is currently on a mission to help 1 million businesses grow organically through his products and services.
