2019 Marketing Hot Topics
With the marketing landscape constantly changing, it’s difficult to predict what might happen next. That said, what marketers look for is trends and patterns of behaviour and pay particular attention to areas seeing growth. As advances in technology continue to rule our data driven world, here are a few hot topics we are going to keep our eye on this year.
Voice search dominates
Ok, so it’s no surprise to learn that teens are active users of voice search, but what if we told you that adults are also stepping away from the keyboard and voice search is taking over! According to Google, 55% of teenagers and 41% of adults use voice search more than once a day. And the most common things they are searching for is asking for directions; calling someone and dictating text. Did you know you can speak your emoji? Simply try enabling dictation on your mobile and say winky face emoji and see what happens! It is estimated that 50% of all searches will be conducted through voice by 2020, and it’s only a matter of time until voice will be considered the norm. Using voice to dictate a message can be up to three times faster than typing!
Personalisation matters
A key trend that will continue to grow this year is personalised marketing. This includes content, emails, products and so much more. Have you noticed that more of our national retailers are offering this? Remember when you could have your name on a can of coke? How about your name on a jar of vegemite? Cotton On is another company getting heavy into personalisation and some early market research results suggest that emails that offer this feature are three times more successful. When you login to Netflix you are fed a percentage match of shows that link to your viewing history. The opportunity for businesses is to find how you can offer personalisation to your customers and ensure that you are capturing these details from their first contact with your brand.
Instagram TV (IGTV) is here
Did you know that Instagram recently launched its own YouTube competitor Instagram TV (IGTV). Until now Instagram has featured stories that disappear after 24 hours, and traditional Instagram videos which only allow users to record videos up to one minute. IGTV content stays permanently on the platform, with the capability of recording videos up to an hour in duration. Still, in its early days, IGTV will cement its role in the social media landscape this year and continue to disrupt the video market with its unique content opportunities. Whether being used as a platform for sharing training videos, or for showcasing interviews with key industry influencers, IGTV provides another way for brands to meaningfully engage with their followers. The social media environment is rapidly changing, so stay tuned!
“the opportunity for businesses is to find how you can offer personalisation to your customers”
Gen-Z are now the majority
This year, Gen-Z will overtake Millennials as the largest generation and is represented by those born after 1996. They are the ones that have seen the failings of Millennials in the digital arena and hyped to be the game changers of the future. Look out world, here comes a generation that currently represents over 30% of us… Are we ready for the generation that is constantly connected to technology to start being active consumers? What opportunities does this present to your business and how are you going to start influencing this generation?
Micro-Influencers are being preferred
Influencer marketing is a kind of word-of-mouth system that focuses on using prominent people or celebrities endorsing your brands message to their loyal followers. But no longer do you have to be a celebrity to be an influencer. We have seen a rise in the micro-influencer, who are regular, real people. You could be a mum with a few thousand followers on Instagram and businesses are choosing these types of influencers to drive their brand message, as people generally trust consumer opinions over corporate statements.
Chatbots grow in numbers
They said in the 80s that robots would replace our jobs, and they certainly are! Powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI) automation, chatbots are reshaping the way customers interact with brands. Available to answer queries and provide helpful direction, chatbots are commonly found on Facebook and websites offering an immediate personalised experience.
According to IBM, by 2020 85% of all customer interactions will be handled without a human!
Our wonderful industry of marketing is becoming increasingly complex, so ensure you are seeking advice from a suitably qualified person to guide and direct your business into 2019. The team at The Marketing Factory are always keeping a keen eye on emerging trends and happy to apply them to your marketing strategy.
