The digital marketing landscape already looks dramatically different to that 12 months ago, and we can certainly predict it will change again over the year ahead. In 2015, we saw the rise of different digital and content marketing aspects which will become even more vital when marketing your product in 2016. Here are a few of the marketing trends we think will get bigger and become a marketing tool to consider in 2016:
Influencer marketing
Social influencers are becoming worth almost as much as movie stars or major athletes when it comes to online marketing strategies. Today, users will follow these influencers across their primary social media channels, and will be more inclined to make decisions based on the influencer’s opinion on products and services.
Influencer marketing will continue to prove a popular trend in 2016, with the focus shifting towards engagement rather than reach offered by said influencers. Also, there will be a move away from Twitter in regards to influencing. This social media platform will still prove popular but Instagram, YouTube and Periscope influence will grow as the demand for visual content grows.
Video advertising
As other ads have started to level off, video advertising has continued to grow. Whilst this means more ads on videos for users, it could mean a potentially lucrative ROI for businesses. This could be the key advertising tool for a small or emerging business looking to get the word out there, in comparison to other types of ads, which are seeing a lesser ROI these days.
Crowdsourced content
In the same vein that branding is strengthened through positive promotion and recommendation from key influencers, your branding and online reputation can be vastly improved with some crowdsourced content. 2016 will see businesses look at how they can gain content from audiences, and harness this into a vital marketing tool. Things like testimonials, reviews and videos will prove valuable, so it’s time to consider how you can crowdsource this from your biggest allies – your client/customer base.
Wearable tech
2015 was the year of the smartwatch, with much new wearable tech set to follow suit this year. As such, it’s important to harness the marketing opportunities available through wearable tech. Though we might be way off advertising a product on a smartwatch, it could be worth considering the capabilities of these gadgets (such as email features and so on) and trying to appeal to users of this technology by enhancing your current digital marketing techniques.
These are the key trends we think will take off and have a real impact on digital marketing in 2016. However, there are still many tried and tested online and offline marketing techniques that can help promote your business this year. To have a chat about your digital marketing strategy and how you can improve it in 2016, please get in touch with Gordon White or Kyle Murdoch on 0141 427 0727, or via email at hello@fatbuzz.com.