We’re roaring toward 2018, and as the days change, so do several of the marketing trends we’ve used in 2017. Many of the strategies you’ve used in the past aren’t going anywhere. Content, for instance, will always be important to help you educate and delight your buyers. Other activities, however, are already changing at a blistering pace. Are you ready for the New Year?
Influencer Marketing
Gone are the days of working with celebrity influencers to boost your brand. Not only have buyers gotten savvy enough to realize that these celebrities probably don’t use any of the products they’re shilling, but also the celebrities have shown they’re less than enthusiastic about the idea of advertising.
Take these two recent Instagram posts from Scott Disick and Naomi Campbell:
Could they be any clearer about how unenthused they are? Instead of helping the brand’s image with their heartfelt support, they gave that brand a black eye with their horrifying copy/paste skills.
This doesn’t mean influencer marketing won’t be a popular marketing strategy next year. In 2018, expect to see influencers that actually use the products they’re sharing with the world. That means they probably won’t be celebrities but instead micro-influencers. These are personalities that have built up a small following on social media due to their dedication to their craft. For instance, a local chef may share some of the kitchen utensil brands that he or she loves. An up-and-coming stylist could make a deal with her favorite designers to share the latest looks.
The more specific the audience, the higher the engagement will be. In fact, advocates—with less than 5,000 followers—generate 26% of engagement, while those celebrities above generate only 2%.
A Better Mobile Experience
Smartphones are now the most popular devices for browsing the web. While 43.4% still prefer their laptops and desktops, now 51.4% prefer their phones. And you can bet that some of that majority still get frustrated when they encounter websites that haven’t be optimized for mobile devices.
We’ve been talking about that for years, though. Changes to mobile optimization have either already been made, are in the works, or the company that has refused thus far will simply start to fade into obscurity.
What’s new in 2018, or at least starting to really gain some traction, is voice search optimization. In 2016, more than 20% of searches were done by voice command. This year, so far, 41% of searches have been through voice command.
How can you prepare for that? By ensuring that your search terms are as natural as possible. Consider how you’d ask for the information that’s on your website. Would you say “Shoes. Red. Nashville.” Or would you ask, “Where can I find red shoes in Nashville?” These are long-tail keywords and actually perform better with Google even when typed rather than spoken. Either way, it’s a win-win.
All Hail Generation Z
Look, Millennials had their moment, but it’s over. By 2020, Generation Z will account for 40% of consumers. Marketers have realized that reaching Generation Z will bring them more bang for their buck. That’s why it’s going to be so important to stay up to date on what this generation needs from their marketing content.
They want transparent. They want quick and concise. They want honest. They want authentic. They want impactful. Most of all, they want something that really touches them, something that speaks to their emotions and not just to their sensibilities.
Is your marketing strategy ready for 2018? Let’s get ready for our best year ever. If you need help getting some of these strategies in place so you can reach your target audience, give us a call.
