Marketing used to evolve gradually – but not anymore.
The last few years have seen truly tectonic shifts in how marketing is done. Not only does the digital sphere offer new ideas every quarter, but the interplay between digital, mobile, and face-to-face brand interactions keeps getting more complex. 2017 promises to be a new frontier in more ways than one!
Consider these opportunities:
1: Interactive Content
Interactive content is some of the most popular on the Internet, but businesses – especially those in the B2B world – have yet to embrace it. Users love the opportunity to dive into a personality quiz that tells them about themselves … and they’ll often share the results without being asked. In 2017, think beyond passive consumption as a way to develop content.
2: Social Media Influencers
The top ten channels on YouTube have nearly 500 million subscribers. Active, popular channels are available for virtually all B2B and B2C market segments. Still, brands have often been shy about pursuing partnerships with YouTube influencers. In 2017, more companies will take a forward approach to reaching millions of social users through their most-consumed content.
3: Mobile Video and Streaming
Video has cemented its place as the most popular mobile content. Now, it’s time for businesses to ride the wave and develop best practices for video content. Individual Web personalities and entrepreneurs have shown the way to using video – including live video – to humanize a brand. With more video platforms available than ever, everyone will have a chance.
4: Chatbots
Interactive chatbots can provide customer service nearly as good as attention from a human representative. For one thing, chatbots have instant access to data about user behavior and purchases to tailor their responses. Of course, users can still confuse even sophisticated bots. With the advent of better AI, however, chatbots could still emerge as a cost-effective tool.
5: Cause-Related Marketing
As Millennials emerge as one of the most powerful forces in today’s economy – with $200 billion in annual buying power – cause-related marketing is seeing a renaissance. Millennials are more likely than other consumers to support brands that help them live their values. Adding a corporate social responsibility angle to your marketing can only help!
Some of 2017’s big ideas have been around in different forms in the past. Others are completely new, spurred on by innovative technologies. Even the most trendy, digital-focused brand around probably won’t implement all of them in one year … but there’s no end of opportunities to find a marketing mix that works. Companies willing to fail fast, iterate, and learn what works best for them will be in a great position to succeed online in the new year and beyond.