Digital marketing is changing fast … and just as quickly, the underlying technology is evolving. To stay competitive, marketers need to understand the new and changing paradigms for doing their work. What was unthinkable or impossible just a few years ago is now commonplace!
Let’s look at some of the key technologies to learn or adopt this year:
1) Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Search Engine Optimization is declared “dead” several times a year. Despite all that, it’s here and just as important as ever. SEO is closely related to one of the most fundamental tasks of digital marketing – keyword research. So, understanding it is the key to ensuring your content is really focused on user needs and able to evolve as those needs change.
2) Analytics
Only analytics has the power to ensure a business is on track to reach its marketing goals. By telling you what’s working and what’s not, it’s the best way to understand your ROI. With a slew of great free analytics tools out there, including Google Analytics, there’s no excuse not to master at least one. A review of analytics should be part of the monthly marketing strategy meeting.
3) Video Marketing
As mobile technology proliferates, video marketing becomes even more popular and effective. A video as short as eight seconds can be powerful enough to make a lasting impression on a user. When time is limited and screens are small, people don’t want to read text – they want content that’s informative, interesting, and not very demanding. Videos fit the bill in all these ways.
4) Infographics
Infographics aren’t simply data dressed up: They’re data presented in a new, engaging way. A good infographic not only tells a story, but allows users to get a refreshing perspective on the information they’re interested in. To make a truly awesome infographic, you need sound data, strong design skills, and the ability to weave individual data points together so they fit clearly into the big picture.
5) WordPress
The days of writing websites in raw HTML are over. Although it’s good to have a few HTML tricks up your sleeve, real power and flexibility comes from Content Management Systems. WordPress is by far and away the most popular around: It powers 26% of the Web. Even if you chose a competitor, a CMS is the key to making a big website more efficient and organized.
It wasn’t long ago when social media was considered the end-all, be-all innovation in digital marketing. Now, marketers face incredible changes each and every year, and many have the potential to be just as revolutionary. The key to winning online is ensuring your skills are up to date with the latest trends.