There is now more opportunity than ever before to captivate huge audiences with exciting and engaging digital marketing campaigns, so to put you ahead of the competition we have been busy analysing trends to predict the biggest new digital marketing initiatives of 2017.

Last year the IMRG Capgemini eRetail Sales Index estimated that 27% of retail sales took place online with an 11% increase forecasted for 2016 - that’s more than a third of all retail sales happening online. As mobile devices continue to advance, this number will only grow and digital marketing professionals should be prepared to take full advantage of this fluctuation.

Here are three top tips to stay ahead of the digital curve in 2017:

1. Video for victory

Online video is set to be the new golden child of content marketing and it’s not hard to see why. A report by Cisco predicts that by 2017 video will account for nearly 70% of all consumer internet traffic; a figure that is set to grow exponentially by 2020. The rapid rise of  picture-based app Snapchat has provided brands with a new way of interacting with fans, prompting social media competitors Instagram and Facebook to launch copycat real-time video features ‘Instagram Story’ and ‘Facebook Live’.

As customers adjust to information overload, video allows audiences to consume swathes of complicated information in bite size visualisations that make it much easier for the brain to process. Videos are more entertaining, bring stories to life and encourage audiences to fully immerse themselves in content. The ‘Tasty’ series by Buzzfeed is a great example of snappy, informative video marketing that shows users how to recreate sumptuous recipes and garners millions of views and shares.

The gamification of videos will also prove to be a big hit in 2017 - quizzing your audience with time sensitive questions encourages user interaction and engagement. Deloitte was quick off the mark with this trend and their recent recruitment video ‘Will You Fit into Deloitte?’ reaped the rewards. The video is a day in the life of a new employee and gives users the opportunity to influence his actions in a variety of scenarios. Average viewing time was an impressive four minutes and this new approach generated considerable buzz on social media. The gamification of video is the best way to boost engagement and shows consumers which brands will go the extra mile to enhance customer experience.

2. As seen on (the smaller) screen

It’s predicted that by 2017 the average person will be spending 1.59 hours a day using their smartphone. Online shopping sites are already seeing an overwhelming shift in purchases being made by customers online, on the move. Ben Carter, Marketing Director at ‘Just Eat’ says that “mobile and app usage already accounts for 60-70% of orders” and these numbers will only increase over the next year.

Digital marketers need to think not only about how to best adapt sites and content to a variety of mobile devices, but also how to make use of the fact that consumers are using their services on the move. Having such a large proportion of potential customers in flexible locations creates great opportunity for smart, location specific advertising which, when well executed, can drive customers to local stores. The surge in wearable technology will also give rise to increased opportunity for digital marketers to provide a more personalised brand experience to users.

The future of marketing is mobile and for brands to succeed in the future it will be vital that their campaigns reflect this shift in focus, both in terms of content and mobile screen optimisation. Michael Horrocks, Head of Expert Market comments that “With more people using their smartphones to browse and buy goods than ever before, brands will be urged to ensure their sites and campaigns are fully mobile responsive or risk losing out on big opportunities to capture potential customers on the move. For many businesses, mobile optimisation has often been an afterthought, but many agencies will now build websites to be ‘mobile first’.”

3. Me, please!

In the coming year interactivity between brands and their customers will dramatically increase as user-generated content takes centre stage. Where marketing communications have historically been a one-way broadcast from a brand to its audience, the aging millennial generation has grown up and out of love with traditional advertising. Why? Because it lacks authenticity and millennials simply don’t trust sales messages anymore.

This group is demanding new levels of engagement from brands and a big part of this is seeing how a product fits into their life. To achieve this there is no better tool than user-generated content which offers consumers first-hand experience of someone just like them. A study by Reevo in 2015 found that the advice of friends, family and other customers plays a more crucial role when buying a product, and content created by peers is often more influential than anything created by the brands themselves.

Interaction and conversation with customers will be of the utmost importance as audiences transition from being consumers to content co-creators. The wall between customer and brand will be torn down and brands will have no choice but to acknowledge the power of users who can now so easily post, review, share and doctor branded marketing content.

Glasses brand Warby Parker have utilised this trend to great effect with their Home Try-On service. Consumers can choose five pairs of glasses which are sent to them for free to try on over five days. Customers are encouraged to take to social media to share photos of themselves in the different glasses with the hashtag #WarbyHomeTryOn, not only does this personally benefit the customer but it provides a communal online presence to help those with glasses decide which frames look best.

The successful brands of the future will be those that use the shift of power that user-generated content brings to their advantage. Sophie Thurton, from Bozboz comments: “we should be creating opportunities for user content creation; instagrammable moments and inspiring experiences”. Ultimately, the co-creation of campaigns with engaged customers who feel part of a brand movement will prove to be the most lucrative in 2017.

 

By Sophia Patsikas, content executive at Expert Market

PrivSec Conferences will bring together leading speakers and experts from privacy and security to deliver compelling content via solo presentations, panel discussions, debates, roundtables and workshops.
For more information on upcoming events, visit the website.

comments powered by Disqus