New Year’s is only a couple short months away, which means it’s time to take stock of 2016 and plan ahead for 2017. For the marketing sector, that means assessing the trends utilized this year to see what worked, what didn’t, and what strategies need to be tweaked and reattempted next year. Here are some of the top marketing trends we’re hearing for 2017:
- Cross-device optimization
We all know how crucial mobile marketing is, but desktop/laptop internet browsing isn’t going anywhere soon—at least for certain demographics. So while your business should use a marketing strategy that accounts for all devices, your demographics should determine your focus: Millennials are primarily mobile users and Generation X has the highest percentage of multi-platform users, but Baby Boomers are quickly joining Generation X in terms of fewer users of desktop/laptop only.
- Facebook Live video
Thanks to the popularity of Periscope, competitor Facebook Live is becoming a valuable source of ad space, but you can also utilize the platform for your own marketing strategy. You don’t need a professional videographer or extensive hours of editing, and the rewards are more than worth the short amount of time it will take to familiarize yourself with the platform—after all, Facebook users watch 100 million hours of video every day.
- Purpose-driven content
If your business creates content as part of its sales and marketing machine, it might be worth diving a little deeper. Why do you create content? Does it have an impact on your customers beyond ROI? Creating meaningful, purpose-driven content will hold up much better in the long run and have a greater reach than sales-based content alone.
- Quality content
Even if you create genuinely purpose-driven content, if the quality isn’t up to par, customers won’t read past the first few sentences. If you’ve been producing content in-house or using content from a marketing firm that isn’t making much of an impact, it might be time to change firms or seek out freelancers on your own to handle your blogs and social media.
- Personalization
Think of how successful Coca-Cola’s “name can” campaign turned out to be—personalized everything is a growing trend, but this doesn’t mean slapping customers’ names on your products. It does mean ensuring touch points are specific and individual, and streamlining the purchasing process and making it more responsive.
Out with the old, in with the new
If you want to get a jump on your 2017 marketing plan incorporating these and other rising trends, AGW Marketing Group can help you devise a customized strategy based on your business and goals. Call us today for a free consultation.