Will 2018 be the year that social media marketing finally renders traditional marketing obsolete? Or will 2018 be the death knell for Twitter, with its declining organic reach?
Will 2018 be the year that everyone abandons the desktop for their mobile devices in their bid to capture and share those micro-moments? Or will 2018 be the year that everyone is an “influencer”?
Marketing has never been a more exciting and dynamic time than ever than in this last half decade! And as 2018 zooms round the corner, we are excited for what the new year has in store for us and you!
These are our predictions of the Top 3 Marketing Trends for 2018 you have to know for your business to huat huat for the new year and beyond!
- Content Marketing
Everyone’s producing content these days. However, businesses are veering away from branded content that aims to directly drive sales. That means overt selling of your business or products in your blog posts are a thing of the past.
Content marketing in 2018 will be about building personal relationships with your customers. Content has to be engaging and interesting to draw attention and interaction organically.
Videos have become ever-more important in content marketing, as studies consistently show that short, originally produced videos that are entertaining are well-received by people. You don’t have to invest in state-of-the-art video equipment to produce this kind of video content – in fact, the rawness of the video would be a large part of its appeal, as customers now crave authenticity more than ever.
- Influencer Marketing
Influencers are social media natives, and have a huge following on the various social media platforms such as Instagram, SnapChat, and Facebook. Their fans frequently connect with them, leaving comments on their carefully posed shots.
Influencer marketing is the hottest thing to hit the marketing world after the introduction of content marketing. Customers love influencer campaigns because of the friendly relationship they think they have with these influencers, who are perceived to be relatable and thought-leaders in their respective industries.
In some ways, this is a super-hyped version of word-of-mouth, which is what draws trust from the customer when an influencer takes a photo of herself using the product.
One tip: not all influencers’ numbers are real. Some of these “influencers” may look like they have a huge following, boasting numbers of an upward of 10,000 followers on Instagram, for instance – but their low engagement rate tells another story. Be sure that you (or your marketing agency) do your homework and check out the influencers you wish to approach for your campaigns with them, to ensure compatibility and authenticity.
- Live Events
With all the attention on digital marketing, this may come as a surprise: 2018 will be the year that Live Events make their big return in the marketing scene. While events never really disappeared, they seemed to recede in importance in the last few years as businesses really spearheaded their digital efforts.
Last year, big brands like Apple, Airbnb and Google splashed out on flagship annual events that drew huge crowds. In a climate where everyone is going all out on digital strategy, such Live Events are a breath of fresh air and people are hyped up about them for a few reasons: chief among which is the personal touch.
For marketers, events remain an invaluable source of new leads and giving customers a first-hand, multi-sensory experience of the brand. The future bodes well for event marketing!
2018 is certainly shaping up to be an exciting year for marketing! As marketers, we are stoked to share these trends and to come up with marketing strategies that will place YOU in the very front of the new year
