Thanks to rapidly evolving digital technologies, the future of marketing appears more exciting and promising than ever before. For digital marketers to continue successfully engaging their audiences and make the most of a world of new opportunities, they’ll need to start embracing these dynamic trends and learning how to use them as effectively as possible.
1. Hyper-personalisation
One-size-fits-all marketing may one day be a thing of the past, thanks to the ability to collate, process and analyse customer data from a range of touchpoints and then use artificial intelligence to enable tailored content and interactions. This can reinvent the customer experience (CX) with far more relevant messaging than was ever possible before. Personalisation is a surefire way to build customer loyalty, increase retention, make remarketing efforts more effective, and ultimately foster a more meaningful relationship with customers.
It would be a mistake to underestimate the value of a personalised customer experience, and it’s sure to become the norm. Research by McKinsey & Company found that 71% of customers now expect some degree of personalisation in marketing communication, and 76% get frustrated when they don’t receive it.
2. Smart chatbots
Chatbots are now smarter than ever, leveraging powerful algorithms and natural language processing (NPL) abilities to enrich the customer experience with conversational interactions that are also personalised. From supporting sales as a product and service information resource to taking the pressure off support channels with 24/7 trouble-shooting and instructional guidance, AI-powered chatbots trained on a company’s own data or knowledge base offer a powerful and cost-effective set of advantages.
3. Voice search
Voice search is set to play an increasingly important role in the years to come, thanks largely to the rise of voice-activated devices like smart speakers (Google Home, Amazon Alexa etc). Voice search optimisation is already a necessity, which entails revamping SEO strategies to incorporate conversational and long-tail keywords that match the way people speak. The payoff is significant, given how it allows for hands-free shopping and brand engagement.
4. Video and interactive content
As every digital marketing agency knows by now, attention spans are getting shorter. It’s the unsurprising consequence of living in a fast-moving world choc-full of brands competing for our attention, and it requires marketers to focus their efforts on more engaging content formats. Video is key, and more marketers than ever (92%) report getting a good ROI from video content, according to Hubspot, up from 83% in 2022.
Brands can also stand out with interactive content, from 360-degree images to animated infographics and even gamification. Websites and apps have the potential to offer a captivating, media-rich experience, and those that don’t will find it increasingly difficult to compete in the “attention economy”.
5. Visual search
Image recognition software has become a lot more sophisticated in recent years, and the release of Google Lens, in particular, has precipitated the growing popularity of visual search. With more integration and as users become accustomed to the notion, we can expect to see it become a dominant trend in the way people search for information. The ability to take a photo of something and immediately learn about it is a great convenience, especially in the retail space. Marketers should be sure to optimise for visual search to make the most of it.
The future needn’t be scary for marketers, so long as they’re willing to embrace change and innovation. Doing so can unlock a world of potential. Technology is the driving force behind changes in consumer behaviour, and emerging technologies tend to point the way to emerging trends. With our tailored digital marketing solutions, we can help you get ahead of the competition by embracing the future, so come and see what we can offer.
