2018 digital marketing trends - sparxoo...meant to be a match made in heaven, they often end up...
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2018 DIGITAL MARKETING TRENDS
SPARXOO.COM
HELLO TRENDSETTER,
If 2017 has shown us anything, it’s that the marketing If 2017 has shown us anything, it’s that the marketing
landscape is constantly evolving—and it shows no signs of
slowing down in 2018. With every turn of the calendar,
digital marketing continues to become more sophisticated,
strategic, and data-driven as customer journeys become
ever more complex.
We are entering a new age of consumerism accelerated by We are entering a new age of consumerism accelerated by
technological advances for both individuals and businesses.
Powerful brands are fighting for seconds of attention from
the five major generational groups—and their combined
buying power. Now more than ever, digital marketing
campaigns and messaging must be multifaceted and
intensely personalized. The ultimate goal? Make every
consumer feel as if they are the only one who matters. consumer feel as if they are the only one who matters.
So, what’s next? How can we better connect with consumers
and make the most of the next 12 months? First things first:
get familiar with your digital landscape. Our team dove into
the deep end and compiled the top industry trends for 2018,
including tips for implementing them into your initiatives.
Time for the knowledge ball to drop.
1 THE FUTURE OF CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE (CX)
2 1:1 PERSONALIZATION
3 THE POWER OF INFLUENCE
4 INTERACTIVE CONTENT EXPERIENCES
5 MILLENNIALS MAKE WAY
6 UNIFIED SOLUTIONS STACKS
77 VOICES SMARTER THAN US
8 THE TECH TALENT WAR
THE FUTURE OF CX
As executive leaders, we’ve always been obsessed with the idea of As executive leaders, we’ve always been obsessed with the idea of
catering to consumers—and engaging prospects to turn them into
customers. In 2018, we have a new focus: managing and elevating
the customer experience, both pre- and post-sale. In fact, Gartner
predicts that by 2018, more than 50% of organizations will redirect
their investments to customer experience innovations.
There are a few reasons for this shift. While it has long been known There are a few reasons for this shift. While it has long been known
that happy customers are the best sales tool, consumer power has
grown considerably over the last few years as more and more
outlets become available for sharing experiences with a brand,
product, or service. With a near-instant, and highly-public feedback
loop, companies have seen the positive impact that great, honest
reviews and wide-reaching referrals can have. We’ve also seen how
one person’s negative experience can garner thousands of one person’s negative experience can garner thousands of
impressions and tarnish a brand in the minds of millions of
consumers—just ask United Airlines.
CX represents the largest, and perhaps the most daunting battlefield
for businesses in 2018. Many companies are allocating funds and
preparing to invest both time and resources into this
game-changing initiative. So, if you haven't shifted your mindset and
your strategy to focus on improving your customers experiences, it’s
time to start.
“By 2018, more than 50% of organizations will redirect their investments to customer experience innovations.
”- GA- GARTNER
CATER TO CUSTOMERS
TREND 01
1:1 PERSONALIZATION
We've all experienced it—those online ads that seem to predict the We've all experienced it—those online ads that seem to predict the
future and cater to us on an uncanny level. That coffee maker you
were just talking about? It magically appeared as an ad in your
Facebook News Feed. Or your friends over at Amazon “randomly”
recommended puppy training pads the day you brought home your
first dog. Today, big data aligns across digital channels to source
information about you (and people like you) to serve up
advertisements that they know you'll love—even if you don't know it advertisements that they know you'll love—even if you don't know it
yet.
These seemingly psychic ads are a product of personalization, which
is aided by both artificial intelligence and algorithm-generated
“audiences” that popular platforms use to place prospects into
buckets for relevant targeting. This enables us, as advertisers, to
speak specifically to a group with common traits and hobbies. 2018
will mark a push past these generic “audiences” as companies work
to create more 1:1 conversations with individual customers.
However, ultra-personalized messaging can be a minefield, so make However, ultra-personalized messaging can be a minefield, so make
sure to proceed with caution. If a 1:1 message hits the wrong
prospect it can be seriously off-putting. Have you ever received an
email addressed to someone else? Additionally, there are unexpected
risks, like getting it “too right too early.” Do you ever get creeped out
that a company knows your name the first time you go to their site?
Just like with any relationship, you shouldn’t give too much away
when courting your prospects, even if you have researched them when courting your prospects, even if you have researched them
before the first date. In order to succeed with these personalized
paths for consumers, we need to engage consumers intelligently, but
on their terms.
MAKE IT PERSONAL
TREND 02
“71% of consumers prefer advertisements tailored to interests and shopping habits.
”-ADLUCENT
THE POWER OF INFLUENCE
As advertising platforms become more advanced and accessible for As advertising platforms become more advanced and accessible for
businesses, consumers grow increasingly averse to the mass-blast,
generic targeting. While increased personalization and 1:1
experiences help to develop a successful customer journey, today’s
consumers are exposed to millions of marketing messages each
month. Companies are still struggling to stand out, leading to a
continued rise in advertising costs. As more companies flood the
market and competition intensifies, advertising bids and execution market and competition intensifies, advertising bids and execution
costs inflate.
So, in 2018 it's all about winning friends and influencing people.
Influencers are the future of marketing. Influencer marketing enables
brands to promote their products and services through the voices of
popular and respected individuals across the web. Activating these
influencers allows your brand to be presented organically to your top
targets within the context of their everyday lives, and from a voice
they already follow.
The key to success with influencer marketing is nailing your target The key to success with influencer marketing is nailing your target
and your target’s true influencers in a personalized way. Spending
your entire budget on a sponsored post by Kendall Jenner just
because you’re targeting millennial women isn't going to cut it. Break
down your audiences’ interests and hobbies on a granular level to
identify the respected experts within their online communities.
GO TO THE GURUS
TREND 03
“30% of consumers are more likely to buy a product recommended by a non-celebrity blogger
”-COLLECTIVE BIAS
INTERACTIVE CONTENT
In 2018, content is (still) king. However, the bar has been In 2018, content is (still) king. However, the bar has been
raised. It’s no longer just a game of ebooks and
infographics. Today’s consumers crave more interactive and
engaging experiences. From gamification to live video to
virtual reality, the content playing field has changed, and
companies will need more tools in their arsenal this year.
One of the biggest priorities for interactive content in the One of the biggest priorities for interactive content in the
coming year is a solid video presence across digital
channels. In fact, video is predicted to represent over 80%
of all internet traffic by 2021—and that’s not just cat videos
and recipes. Video has already begun playing a major role in
sales cycles, with 65% of executives reporting that they
visited a brand’s website after viewing a video. Perhaps
most interesting about the rise of video, is that consumers most interesting about the rise of video, is that consumers
are actually asking for it to be served to them, unlike some
of our other channels. Hubspot recently reported that 43%
of people want to see more video content from marketers.
Whether your interactive content goals are lofty or limited,
2018 marks the year where they are no longer optional. It’s
time to begin engaging consumers in new, innovative ways
or risk falling behind the competition. Are you new to the
video scene? Grab your iPhone and some trusty resources
from industry experts like Wistia for a DIY approach. If
you’re ready to get serious, consider turning to an agency
with talent and equipment at the ready. with talent and equipment at the ready.
ENGAGE YOUR AUDIENCE
TREND 04
“Video is predicted to represent over 80% of all internet traffic
by 2021.
”-COMSCORE
MILLENNIALS MAKE WAY
Millennials revolutionized everything from the wine industry to Millennials revolutionized everything from the wine industry to
avocados—and they're not going away anytime soon. However, just
when it seems that we’ve started to get a handle on how to market to
millennials, the generational makeup of consumers shifts again. In
2018, millennials begin to make way for younger (and older)
generations.
While millennials, arguably the most studied generation in history, While millennials, arguably the most studied generation in history,
have been the main focus of marketers over the past decade, 2018 will
catapult their younger counterparts to the forefront of consumer
research and strategy. Generation Z, or the “post-millennials,” are just
starting their careers and their online habits will begin to guide our
new marketing strategies (ahem, influencers). On the other end of the
spectrum, Baby Boomer spending will evolve as many members of this
generation transition from working life to retirement, which lends generation transition from working life to retirement, which lends
itself to a shift of priorities and opens them up as targets in new
markets with new messaging.
Now we must cater to a total of five consumer generations, including
the (somewhat overlooked) Generation X and the Traditionalists. We
need to understand each of them, including their habits, interests, and
preferences. Our job is to anticipate their needs and wants and
engage them within the context of their generational differences.
ACT THEIR AGE
TREND 05
“Gen Z consumers are coming of age and they command $44 billion in buying power.
”-FORBES
UNIFIED SOLUTIONS STACKS
Over the past few years, we’ve anxiously monitored new technological Over the past few years, we’ve anxiously monitored new technological
tools and trends that can help us elevate our strategies and tactics.
Many companies spend vast amounts of time and money collecting
software tools like trinkets. In 2018, the challenge becomes how to
unify these systems to create a single source of truth that drives
customer insights, acquisition, experience, and retention.
Critical customer information is often stored in siloed systems that are Critical customer information is often stored in siloed systems that are
being used by separate departments. For example, a CRM and a
marketing automation system. While these two disparate tools are
meant to be a match made in heaven, they often end up functioning
like a divorced couple co-parenting their sales & marketing children.
Sales primarily uses the CRM system, but complains that the data is
low quality and that their good leads receive too many marketing
messages. On the other hand, the marketing team primarily uses the messages. On the other hand, the marketing team primarily uses the
narketing automation software, grumbling constantly about the lack of
data entered by the sales team to facilitate reporting and execute
nurture campaigns. All the while, these issues distract the teams from
the primary goal of providing a cohesive customer experience.
In order to efficiently and effectively adopt new technology, companies
need to develop strategies for syncing both systems and processes
across departments, ultimately providing the right information to the
right prospect at the right time. This involves unifying data for
comprehensive reporting and holistic dashboards, as well as mapping
out integration points and handoffs between departments where
necessary.
SYNC SALES & MARKETING
TREND 06
“68% of marketing executives will spend more on marketing technology in 2018.
”-CONDUCTOR
VOICES SMARTER THAN US
Smart home technology topped most 2017 holiday gift guides, and has Smart home technology topped most 2017 holiday gift guides, and has
become more accessible than ever with products like Google Home
Mini and Amazon’s Echo Dot coming in at under $40 for home
consumers. As a result, more and more searches are being conducted
by voice—with an estimated 50% of all searches becoming voice
searches by 2020. How does that impact your meticulously mapped
SEO strategies?
When conducting a voice search, a prospect is more likely to land in When conducting a voice search, a prospect is more likely to land in
more specific long-tailed keywords and question-phrases, rather than
simpler descriptive adjectives. For example, when typing in a search
engine, a customer might plug in “tapas restaurant Tampa”, whereas
on voice search, they’ll ask “what’s a good tapas place near me?” or
“who has the best small-plates close to work?” This is a part of the
larger movement toward all things going online. Some brands, like
Purina and the American Heart Association, are even going so far as Purina and the American Heart Association, are even going so far as
developing Alexa-exclusive content that is 100% audio and voice
driven.
While you shouldn’t focus all of your energy on optimizing for voice
searches, you should definitely find the balance between short,
punchy keywords and longer, more descriptive phrases. In 2018 you’ll
need to consider not only how your brand looks, but how your brand
sounds.
TREND 07
SAY IT LOUDER
“An estimated 50% of all searches will become voice searches by
2020.
”-CAMPAIGN
THE TECH TALENT WAR
In order to push your business to the next level and implement all In order to push your business to the next level and implement all
these 2018 trends, you’ll need the right people on your side. It’s time
to suit up for battle as the talent war wages on this year. While
recruiting and retaining top talent is an obvious priority, it’s easier said
than done. Recruiting needs are becoming more complex, especially
within the marketing profession. Candidates who meet all your
qualifications are hard to find, and retaining them is even more
difficult. difficult.
Today’s candidates must be marketers, strategists, technologists and
analysts. They must understand complex customer journeys, and
activate the strategies and technical requirements needed to succeed.
These uniquely multi-faceted candidates are essentially unicorns:
seemingly impossible to find and quickly scooped up as soon as (or
before) they appear on the job market.
That’s why companies today have a new imperitive to prioritize their
company culture in order to retain their top team members and help
lure new talent. Are you promoting a culture of engagement, flexibility,
and growth? Are you giving your team all the benefits and
opportunities they need to learn and succeed? Cultivating an enviable
culture will boost engagement and woo those unicorn candidates.
FIND YOUR PACK
TREND 08
“40% of firms hiring tech talent on Indeed are not tech companies
”-INDEED
GET TO IT
We looked into our crystal ball, and now we’re looking at you. Ready to
apply your newfound understanding of digital trends for a successful
2018? Here are a few key items to add to your list of resolutions:
• Make your first foray into the world of influencer marketing
• Prioritize interactive content – run a video ad instead of a static
image
• Experiment with increasing ad personalization
• Make sure your marketing technology solutions are cooperating
effectively
• Re-evaluate and improve your post-sale customer experience
• Take a hard look at your company culture to draw in and retain
amazing people
Go out there, amplify your team, and soar to new heights– we believe Go out there, amplify your team, and soar to new heights– we believe
in you!
SOAR TO NEW HEIGHTS
ABOUT SPARXOO
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