Our undying love of digital media over the past decade has driven a historic revolution in marketing. Such massive transformations are rare but not unprecedented. The shift from outdoor signage to print (16th century) and then print to radio and TV (20th century), were also driven by new technology.
Welcome to the New Age, to the new age…
That refrain from Imagine Dragon’s Radioactive in 2012 couldn’t have been more on point. The digital media revolution was in full swing and by 2019 it had surpassed print and television as the dominant advertising medium.
The fact that we witnessed the shift to a new age of advertising is amazing and challenging. The digital age is unlike any other in its worldwide scale, diversity of channels and mind-bending rate of change. To help us all stay ahead of the curve, here are the top 5 trends that have re-shaped marketing over the past 10 years and where they’re headed for the foreseeable future.
1. Social media dominance:
The rise of Facebook, Twitter (or X), Instagram, Tik Tok and others has undoubtedly had the most significant impact on marketing budgets. They were quick to monetize their platforms and give marketers access to a vast amount highly targeted advertising. The ability to connect with audiences and engage in real-time was unprecedented. And if your content went viral, you were literally an overnight success.
Where is it headed?
According to Hubspot, we can expect to see influencers continue to rise and become more valuable to brands than celebrity endorsements. Social channels may even outpace search engines when it comes to product searches.
2. Content marketing:
Along with new channels came a new way to build trust and engage audiences. Brands shifted their focus from traditional advertising to creating valuable, relevant, and shareable content in the form of blog posts, videos, podcasts, and infographics.
Where is it headed?
Creating valuable content will continue to add value to brands in terms of how they rank with search engines and with consumers. The brands with the most useful information and tools will be the leaders.
3. Mobile marketing and apps:
The proliferation of mobile devices around the world has led us to the point where they dominate all web traffic. It has opened the door to location-based marketing, augmented reality, and apps which have transformed mobile commerce.
Where is it headed?
Apps will continue to be valued for their highly personalized shopping experiences. And with 5G, data-heavy experiences such as video streaming, augmented reality and virtual reality will likely blossom.
4. Influencer marketing:
When it comes to the products and services we consume, influencers are the new celebrities, especially among Millennials and Gen Z. They give brands a more authentic, relatable, and credible way to connect with specific audiences worldwide. It seems as if there’s a new influencer agency popping up every day, adding to the thousands of boutiques and multinational firms.
Where is it headed?
Expect Influencers to continue dominating the conversation including live video broadcasts and even augmented/virtual reality videos.
5. Artificial Intelligence:
Marketing and customer service automation have become invaluable over the past decade. Chatbots provide instant customer support while AI algorithms analyze vast amounts of data, predict trends, optimize ad campaigns, and more.
Where is it headed?
According to CMS Wire, we’ll see more AI-powered analytics. “Collecting on-demand consumer data could see organizations track and monitor campaign success, and adjust their strategies in real-time.” We’ll also see improved natural voice and language processing.
