Four Digital Marketing Trends to Watch in 2017
Things are changing faster than ever, and digital marketing is no exception. Brands that don't keep up risk being left behind, which makes tracking new marketing trends essential. Here are the four key trends worth your attention this year.
1. The Rise of Live Content
Facebook made a big bet on live video in early 2016, and this year it put live broadcasting at the heart of its platform. CEO Mark Zuckerberg has said Facebook Live marks a major shift in how people communicate and will create new ways for audiences to connect. Read the Live Mint source.
Live video lets businesses show audiences who they are and what they do, while giving viewers a sense of personal connection. At the end of 2016, Facebook also added a live-stream option inside its Stories feature, giving brands a valuable chance to reach a large audience.
2. Mobility Takes Priority
The move from desktop to mobile has been building for years, and it will keep speeding up. An OFCOM study found that one in six UK adults now goes online using only a smartphone or tablet, up 10% on the previous year. See the OFCOM report.
Make your content mobile-friendly through social platforms. Users, especially younger audiences, expect content tailored to their devices, particularly on Instagram and Twitter. Google is also pushing mobile forward by adjusting its search index to reflect the growing share of mobile searches, so mobile results will be prioritised over desktop results. To rank well in search, a strong mobile presence is essential.
- Check how your site looks and performs on mobile devices, since most visitors will view it there.
- Make sure your site is easy to navigate and visually appealing, or users will simply leave.
3. A Shift in Paid Advertising
Stay ahead of the curve by using current, relevant advertising. Google prioritises positive user experiences, so ads that feel intrusive can hurt your performance. In 2017 we will see a further move toward more personalised online advertising, including native ads. Native adverts work well because consumers find them less disruptive than traditional ads, typically appearing as news articles or videos designed to promote a product.
4. E-commerce and Social Media Converge
Social media and e-commerce have become increasingly intertwined, and now is the moment to capitalise on this trend. Major platforms from Facebook to Pinterest are adding more direct selling methods for advertisers, and Pinterest has even enabled users to buy pins, evolving into a genuine online shopping platform. Instagram also lets pages add Buy Now links to their ads, a major step forward for a platform that was previously difficult to connect with. According to National Jeweler, a striking 92 percent of all online orders coming through social media belong to Facebook. Read the National Jeweler source.
Here are a few statistics on the growth of smartphone shopping:
- Seventy-nine percent of all consumers have purchased something online.
- Seventy-seven percent of millennials have made a purchase from their smartphone.
- Sixty-three percent of shoppers under 30 use their phone in stores to check online reviews of a product.
These figures show how vital an online presence is for any business, and these trends will only become more common over time. We look forward to what 2017 has in store. Merry Christmas from the Tickle Team.
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Keeping an eye on these shifts helps you plan campaigns that match how audiences actually behave. From live video to mobile-first browsing and social shopping, the trends above all point to the same lesson: meet people where they are, on the devices and platforms they already use.