Each year we’re seeing new trends. Other marketers are already jumping on board with new trends and technology. And 80% of companies say they’re already using or plan to use chatbots by 2020. You should consider using this technology in your business if you’re not already doing so. Interactive video content Video marketing has been trending upward for years now. Businesses use this on their websites as well. As you can see, Instagram and Facebook are the only two social sites that more businesses are planning to use paid ads for than not. But the AI and machine learning algorithms used for predictive analysis can be used for many other things. Everyone else is either currently using it or has plans to use it for marketing. Just look at these numbers: One portion of mobile payments allows customers to pay for goods and services directly from a mobile app.
As we close out 2018 and enter a new year, it’s time to look toward the future.
Many of you might be making some new year’s resolutions such as diet changes, workout routines, and quitting bad habits.
But outside of your personal goals, you also need to keep an eye on your business operations. More specifically, you must focus on your marketing department.
Marketing continues to change over time. Each year we’re seeing new trends.
What worked for your company in 2010 may not work in 2019.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying you need to completely abandon or change your strategy that worked in 2018. But you need to at least recognize the newest trends.
It will be up to you to make any necessary adjustments based on what’s trending.
Here’s the thing. Other marketers are already jumping on board with new trends and technology.
To gain an advantage over your competitors, you want to prepare yourself to adapt to these trends before they have the chance.
I’ve narrowed down the top ten marketing trends you need to look out for in 2019.
1. Chatbots
Chatbots and live chat isn’t new technology by any stretch. However, we’re definitely seeing a shift in the way these are being used from a marketing perspective.
Have you seen chatbots recently when visiting websites?
According to stats, 1.4 billion people interact with chatbots each year.
And 80% of companies say they’re already using or plan to use chatbots by 2020.
I’m expecting to see a huge increase in chatbots being used for marketing purposes in 2019 in order to reach that number by 2020.
You should consider using this technology in your business if you’re not already doing so. That’s because implementing live chat provides better customer service.
It’s much easier for customers to communicate with chatbots online than to send an email or call a representative.
Using chatbots has many potential benefits:
You can have a chatbot window automatically pop up once a visitor lands on your website.
This will make it much easier for them to reach your customer service team.
Chatbots also help drive conversions.
Live chat makes it three times more likely that your customers will complete the purchase process. Furthermore, live chats generate a 20% increase in conversions and a 305% increase in ROI.
Marketers have recognized these advantages and acted accordingly.
I’m expecting to see more websites with chatbots in 2019. You should consider using this marketing strategy as well.
2. Interactive video content
Video marketing has been trending upward for years now.
We’re seeing an increase in videos on social media, websites, and blogs. People are even running successful video blogs.
But in 2019, we’ll start seeing additional changes in the way video is consumed. I’m talking about interactive videos.
The Washington Post uploaded this 360-degree video to its YouTube page:
As the video plays, users have a chance to view the entire area by clicking the navigation button in the top left corner of the screen.
You can start using interactive videos for all other purposes I mentioned earlier:
- website
- social media
- blog
The idea behind interactive videos is to increase engagement:
They perform better than regular videos. There is a greater chance that people will finish watching a 360-degree video and you’ll get a higher return on your investment.
In fact, 98% of people in the United States believe that 360-degree videos are more exciting than traditional video formats.
And 90% of people say content is better when it can be viewed with a 360-degree view. It should be no surprise that 360 videos have a click-through rate eight times greater than that of traditional videos.
Furthermore, 70% of marketers say interactive videos have had a positive impact on their businesses.
Audiences are 65% more likely to interact with a 360-degree video.
Given these numbers, we’ll see more of this content in the coming years, starting in 2019.
3. IGTV
Have you heard of IGTV?
It’s a standalone app owned and operated by Instagram.
This concept launched in June 2018 and was specifically made for mobile devices.
This app is similar to YouTube. One of the major differences is that all of the videos are vertical since they are made for phones.
Video content plays as soon as you open the app, similarly to the way a video would be playing if you turned on a TV in your house.
Everything the team touches turns to gold.
Its active users have been trending upward since its inception in 2010:
Even if it can get only a fraction of those 1+ billion users to download and use IGTV, the new app will be a big hit in 2019.
Marketers will need to adjust their strategies accordingly.
They’ll need to have a presence on IGTV in addition to Instagram.
This will force marketing teams to produce more video content specifically for this app.
You’ve got to follow the consumer. If your target audience and current customers are using IGTV, you need to do the same.
Since the platform is so new, you can get ahead of the game right now by familiarizing yourself with the app and producing more content for it.
4. Enhanced personalized recommendations
Artificial intelligence algorithms are making it possible to offer more personalized content than ever before.
Your company can increase sales by personalizing the customer experience.
I’m…
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