As a business owner, staying up-to-date on the latest digital marketing trends is crucial for your company’s success. Why? Because today’s consumers are using the internet to browse, research, and buy more than ever before. Moreover, the digital landscape is constantly changing; what worked last year might not work this year.
In modern business, keeping up with the latest trends and best practices is as crucial as knowing your profit margins or having a business plan – digital marketing knowledge is a must-have.
By keeping your finger on the pulse of the latest trends, you can ensure that your digital marketing efforts are as effective as possible and that you’re investing in meaningful services rather than just fluff. Here are five digital marketing trends that are shaping modern business:
1. Voice Search is on the rise – Optimize your website and content for voice recognition.
With the rise of voice-enabled devices like Amazon Echo and Google Home, it’s no surprise that voice search is on the rise. In fact, Social Media Today estimates that nearly half of all consumers regularly use voice search to research products.
How does this trend affect your digital marketing, you ask? Since people tend to speak differently than they type, it’s crucial to optimize your website and content for voice search by creating SEO content that includes colloquial terms which are likely to be spoken rather than typed. In essence, your SEO efforts now need to reflect aspects of both written and spoken language. This means using long-tail keywords, focusing on natural language, and creating content that answers common questions in a conversational and relevant tone.
2. Video content is becoming increasingly popular – create short, engaging videos to promote your business.
Videos are a powerful way to connect with your audience and promote your business. In fact, according to Wyzowl’s 2018 State of Video Marketing Survey, 78% of people believe that businesses should use video more often. Humans are primarily visual creatures, so it makes sense that consumers enjoy seeing businesses represented in video format. Video content is engaging, easy to absorb, and gives you more control over your brand’s image through the use of visual effects, sounds, and animations.
When creating videos, keep them short (under 2 minutes), focus on one key message, make sure they’re visually appealing, and make sure to finish strong with a specific call to action. Also, don’t forget to promote your videos across all of your social channels to maximize reach and engagement.
3. Social media platforms are constantly changing – make sure you’re using the latest features to reach your target audience.
Social media platforms are always changing – which means you need to change too! To reach your target audience effectively, it’s important to stay up-to-date on the latest features and best practices for each platform.
For example, even some of the most tech-savvy business owners aren’t fully up to date on the latest social media features like Instagram’s sponsored posts, YouTube’s “Shorts” videos, or Snapchat’s new suite of filters designed specifically for businesses. By taking advantage of these new features as they become available, you can ensure that you’re always staying ahead of the curve when it comes to social media marketing and that you’re maximizing your chances of reaching more people who may be interested in your product.
4. Mobile traffic continues to grow – make sure your website is optimized for mobile devices.
In today’s connected world, more people than ever before are using their smartphones and tablets to access the internet. Unfortunately, not all websites are designed or optimized to be accessible for mobile devices, and your website may not be optimized either. In the best-case scenario, this just means some out-of-place elements or images. In the worst case, your site becomes completely unusable for the vast majority of people wanting to learn about your business.
It’s more important than ever before to make sure your website is optimized for mobile devices. This means having a responsive design, loading images quickly, and using large font sizes so that people can easily read your content on a small screen. It also means avoiding certain design elements that might look cool on a computer screen, but quickly become unwieldy on a mobile device (like using too many moving elements, for example).
5. Email marketing is still a powerful tool – use it to connect with your customers and boost sales
Modern businesses struggling with their digital marketing efforts generally fall into one of two camps. They either use email for everything or ignore it completely. Effective modern marketing means knowing the strengths and weaknesses of email when compared to other mediums like social media and using it accordingly.
Email might be an old-school form of communication, but it’s still an incredibly powerful tool when it comes to marketing your business effectively online. Well-written, personalized emails are one of the most effective and affordable channels for acquiring new customers. So, how can you use email marketing effectively? Keep your subject lines short (under 50 characters), focus on one main call-to-action per email, and segment your list so that you’re only sending relevant emails to people who want them.
You can also take your emails a step further by personalizing them for each reader. Studies show that addressing people by name in your email copy can increase conversion rates by 26%. Not to mention, building and maintaining an email campaign is incredibly affordable, with even the most popular email services like MailChimp starting at just a few bucks per month.
Conclusion: Navigating the Digital Marketing Landscape
This guide introduced just a few of the many digital marketing trends that are shaping modern business. As a business owner, it’s essential for you to stay up-to-date on these trends so you can ensure that you’re always ahead of the curve. By staying informed and making adjustments as needed, you can ensure that your digital marketing efforts are as effective as possible.
The next time you’re sorting your email inbox or scrolling through your favourite social media, pay attention to the patterns and trends you’re seeing. Whether it’s a new filter, unusual post format or unique tending song, even the most seemingly insignificant information can give you the edge over your competitors and supercharge your business success!