Digital marketing has always been the most exciting form of advertising because it’s a mix of creativity and technology. A good digital marketing campaign needs to rely on the most talented creators you can find, but it should also be based on the latest digital innovations.
It’s difficult to predict where the tech advancements will go and at what rate, but for the most part, the latest digital marketing trends show that artificial intelligence and big data won’t alienate the average user from the advertising world. In fact, these changes will probably help put the user front and center and make the businesses fight for every customer.
Voice search
There used to be a time when smart homes and smart cars were things of science fiction. Now, they are a reality and personal assistants, such as Siri or Alexa, are playing a big role in the way people are organizing their day-to-day tasks. Because of this, digital marketing agencies started considering how their SEO can be oriented towards voice-activated searches.
The main change to consider is that the assistants are used differently than keyboards. They are made to invite natural conversations and casual flow in regards to the commands and the search the users are performing. Digital marketing campaigns will have to adapt in order to accommodate this change.
Artificial intelligence
Most analysts say that artificial intelligence is the most impactful new technology that’s going to disrupt the market more than anything else we’ve seen in years. The main innovation this technology is bringing to the table is the ability to notice patterns in user behavior that were invisible to human data collectors.
This new well of information can help the companies automate most of their marketing efforts, which is a great way to save money, especially in a creative field where employees are the most expensive commodity. At the same time, the content itself should feel more personal and better tailored now when it’s made using the data the customers leave online.
Virtual reality
Virtual and augmented reality allows the users to experience a sensation or an event without leaving the comforts of their home. This can have huge applications for marketing companies, not just because it’s convenient but because it makes establishing a brand and the trust behind it so much easier.
The applications of this innovation go far beyond better retail marketing. It can also be used to make training and education simpler, more accessible and safer. Companies that sell products that require such training can make great use of VR and AR by expanding their customer base.
Augmented reality
Augmented reality came into the public eye a few years ago, with the popularity of the game Pokémon Go. It might have seemed like a silly trend at the time, but it showed a growing potential of this technology. Augmented reality, unlike VR, is used in interaction with the real world and it encourages creating a community when doing so.
The use of AR allows you to consider how a purchase will affect your current lifestyle and thus make a better and more informed decision. For instance, buying furniture becomes much easier if you can actually see how a piece will look in your home before you buy it. The same goes for wardrobes.
Internet of things
The internet of things market is currently worth $450 billion and it will continue to grow. It has started relying on all sorts of devices the average consumer has in their possession. It helps with better market segmentation and creating a more personalized and tailor-made marketing campaign. At the same time, there are countless possibilities for growth in this area.
For instance, there’s a great chance of cranial implants and facial recognition becoming more common. This will allow for mapping a user-journey and explaining how and why customers make decisions about your company.
These technologies have already made a lot of changes in the ways we experience advertising. The chances are there will be more changes to come. They will impact both the consumers and the employees in this industry.
