In the world of digital, it is all too easy to consider that everything is moving very, very, fast. Information is available at the speed of a thumb click. Matching that, then, is becoming very difficult. Especially when it comes to marketing and trying to get your business to a whole new audience. New methods are always needed to try and be as successful at this as humanly – or machinely – possible.
With that in mind, it’s important to consider these six marketing trends which are set to take the industry to the next level in 2019.
1 – AI & Machine Learning
Artificial intelligence is one of the biggest growing elements of marketing at the moment. Data becomes more efficiently processed, doing things which regular humans struggle with otherwise. This can come in a variety of advanced forms, but even suggestion programs (such as on Netflix) use some form of AI to generate this content.
Customer behavior and pattern discerning are only scratching the basis of AI potential for your business (it can even be applied to SEO). This also ties into another marketing trend for 2019, which will be explored further in this piece, and this is personalization. The more you know your user, the better data your AI can process and, therefore, the better your personalization in marketing can become.
2 – Get Your Chatbots Talking
This is not a new marketing stream by any means, but in 2019 it is certainly becoming a smarter and more advanced way to reach your audience in the new digital era. These are implemented across a number of websites already and can be quite useful, but users can often tell if the person on the end isn’t real. Which is why many of these applications is still tied to a person manning the station, so to speak.
But, moving into 2019 this will become less the case and this will truly take on a more auto-generated approach. With chatbots being able to answer specific questions, based on keyword triggers, in such a way that users may not even know the difference between the bot and the real people. Users may in time actually end up preferring chatbot interactions, for faster responses than waiting for a slower human response. So, utilizing chatbots early in your business can put you ahead of the game in a number of sectors; traditional and e-commerce business alike.
3 – Make it Personal
Reaching an audience is – relatively – easy in 2019. Reaching an audience and actually connecting with them, on the other hand, can be a very different endeavor entirely. Which is why new methods of engagement need to be at the top of your marketing strategies from 2019 onwards.
The availability of vast amounts of data means that you can tailor almost anything when it comes to marketing. Meaning custom content, on a number of levels, is more achievable than ever. For the most, the average marketer seems to believe that a level of personalization can improve the business relationship with the customer. This is particularly the case for marketing streams such as email, which can be especially effective with the right level of personalization.
Other than using the right name – the first, basic step on your personalization journey – you can offer an extremely personal buying experience for users. Suggested items, abandoned carts, and repeat orders are all viable options for this particular marketing method. These can then be set to trigger alongside a certain user behavior. Statistics show that such tailored content is much more effective than batch or mass-sent emails in the same vein.
4 – Watch Out for Vertical Video
Video marketing is a big thing and it has been for a few years now. But, moving into 2019 this is set to change – it’s going to become more verticalized. This is because most users are now accessing websites from a long, vertical, phone rather than the typical landscape of a desktop. Content on Facebook, Instagram, and other social media platforms are becoming more vertical – you may have noticed this already – in order to match user behavior.
The mobile experience is imperative in 2019 and so catering to this user base is vital. Vertical videos, then, are the perfect way to do this.
5 – Voice is Starting to Dominate
Voice search has been on the rise ever since the introduction of home devices like Amazon’s Alexa and Google Home. It is estimated that by 2020, which is next year just to remind everyone, around 50% of all searches will be via voice. And around 20% of all of this will be from mobile devices, not just the home devices which have become popular. People are searching on the go and so our search needs to cater to this moving into the future of search.
So, make sure your website isn’t just aimed at normal search marketing methods (i.e.
6 – Gen Z is the Next User Target
Moving into the workforce, Gen Z is now becoming more and more important in terms of marketing. They are now an audience with their own money source and so targeting them at this early stage can be extremely valuable.
When it comes to Gen Z they are part of a generation that has experienced a struggling economy. So, they value honest and straightforward marketing more than any other generation before them – even more than Millenials (that lost generation that apparently ruined so many industries). They look for authenticity above anything else. The more responsible and economically viable a business is, the better Gen Z will understand and value the company.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, there are lots of new marketing streams but not all of these will be necessary or even viable for your business at all times. It’s about knowing where your business is, where you want to take it and, of course, how much budget you have for development in the next year. As a budget, more than anything else can affect the shape your marketing takes as advancement take place.
So, pick the best marketing stream for your business and dedicate the appropriate manpower or budget to the cause.
