2017 had been a very exciting year for digital marketers and the early trends in 2018 show a fascinating year ahead.
Let us evaluate some trends from 2018 that promises to make a big impression this year.
The exponential rise in demand for Digital security
Cybersecurity has always been an issue of major concern but due to many recent events, these issues have come to the forefront. In the near future, transparency in digital marketing and branding efforts will become a necessity. Consumers’ faith in a brand will depend on how transparent it is for them.
Tracking Customer Journey
Consumer data analytics is a cornerstone of digital marketing and in 2018, this aspect will become even more important. Data analytics will take a deep dive into understanding the customers’ journey across all online channels which will eventually make targeting more accurate and improve the chances of brand advocacy.
Visual search
Voice searches were big in 2017, but with phones becoming more of a visual tool, 2018 is likely to see more innovation and adoption of visual search engines. Adding to this phenomenon is the comprehensive adoption of photo sharing applications like Instagram and Snapchat. The visual search engines are likely to get increasingly intelligent.
Video marketing
The video is the most influential form of content but digital marketers always struggle in dealing with the ever-declining attention spans. This year, brands will again focus on video content and digital marketers will be expected to come up with innovative content ideas to drive brand engagement.
Influencer Marketing
Influencer marketing is here to stay. Many social media platforms like Instagram , Snapchat , Facebook , Youtube, etc. are the primary sources of influencer marketing. It has become a great strategy for many personalized brands (i.e. brands involved in fashion, food, etc.) to gain popularity through a person who has a massive social media following.
These are the top 5 trends for 2018. But the digital market is a forum which is dependent on innovation. And I am sure that 2018, like any other year, will come up with its share of surprises.