As an experienced marketing agency, a lot of people have asked us this question, which is why we are answering it here. The truth is, there are several trends that are already taking the digital marketing world by storm.
1. Artificial Intelligence in Marketing – If you had to ask us what the number one trend that is gaining traction in digital marketing is today, it would be the rapid emergence of artificial intelligence. Get ready to see a host of exotic technologies that will completely change the digital marketing landscape.
2. Ultra Personalization – If you were to ask us where artificial intelligence technologies will lead the digital marketing industry in the next 10 years, our answer is that you can expect to see ultra-personalized products, services, and advertisements. Ultra-personalization is a goldmine for the smart marketing agency that knows how to dissect complex data.
The range of possibilities is nearly endless. Take San Diego’s famous Balboa Park, for instance. If someone visited the area, local stores with the right tools and access could potentially use that person’s location data to send them personalized ads.
While there are certainly legal and ethical issues surrounding the use of technologies for data collection, which by the way, will have a profound impact on how social media marketing and digital marketing play out in the future, it is evident that technology trends and data-driven advertising will continue to increase.
3. Extremely Local SEO – Hyper-local SEO is an offshoot of the ultra-personalization phenomenon made possible by AI technologies and advanced analytics. This type of marketing is very useful for small businesses that want to target a local audience making specific inquiries, such as, “Used sports cars near me.” Extremely local SEO offers huge opportunities for the right marketing agency…if the agency can capitalize on the technologies available.
4. Influencer Marketing – A lot of companies have turned to influencer marketing to get exposure for their products and services, and it is no mystery why. Influencer marketing is powerful.
Audiences tend to trust people they have formed a bond with, meaning that a good review from the right influencer can go a long way in pushing your brand.
Usually, influencers run promotions because they are paid to do so. In some cases, though, influencers will promote a product or service simply because the company has built a relationship with them.
Some companies thrive off of this type of marketing. It is definitely worth considering if you want to tackle your marketing campaign from a creative angle.
5. Sales Funnel Chatbots – Chatbots have become an integral part of sales funnels for many websites. You have probably visited a website and seen a message pop up from a chatbot that asked you questions. Well, the whole point was to get you engaged and increase your chance of converting. In this respect, chatbots are a type of interactive call to action.
6. YouTube Shorts – Short videos on YouTube can get thousands or even millions of views and are a valuable tool for companies looking for a clever digital marketing angle. Although some marketing agency experts say the trend will fizzle out, we do not see that happening anytime soon.
7. Social Media Stories – This type of marketing is ubiquitous nowadays. Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and other social media giants, have produced countless stories that have resonated with audiences, leading to huge sales. If you want to tackle your digital marketing from the social media angle, this is one way to go.
8. Augmented and Virtual Reality – Facebook changing to Meta is a clear indication of this trend, which is like a huge wave that has not quite hit yet. Augmented reality and virtual reality are about to create a profound shift that will have huge implications for the future, be they social media or marketing related.
9. Voice Search Optimization – Voice search optimization focuses on making your content show up in voice searches. So, if you, for example, optimize your pages correctly, Siri might use information from your website for a popular voice query. Obviously, the results of this could potentially be very lucrative, which is why exploring this trend may be a good idea for the savvy marketing agency.
10. User-Generated Content – UGC has become huge in recent years and will only continue to grow, especially on social media. UGC is another goldmine for the smart marketing agency that wants to develop an organic relationship with clients and customers.
One of the most powerful ways to use UGC is to get reviews from your most passionate buyers. Asking your most loyal buyers to leave honest reviews about your products or services will spread the word about your business and generate positive interest.
11. Social Messaging Apps – There are several great social media messaging apps that open up a world of opportunities for the right marketing agency. This type of digital marketing provides a lot of reach and is super useful, especially if you have a smaller budget. It is fairly easy to send a message to customers and clients directly in a tactful way.
12. Mobile Commerce – With so many people using phones, you can expect mobile commerce to continue. A lot of mobile commerce is tied to social media.
13. Livestream shopping – This is a huge trend in China, and we expect to see it more heavily adopted by Western countries in the coming years. Western social media is already showing signs of the shift, as it is not uncommon to see companies livestreaming about their products and services.
So far, though, we have not seen a livestream marketing explosion in the West. By contrast, take a look at Alibaba’s Taobao Live, which is a hotbed for product placement.
The social aspect of Taobao Live is what makes it so powerful. Not only are customers getting information about interesting products and services, but they are engaging with interesting personalities. A marketing agency that wants to pioneer this field would need to understand the social nuances of their audience to make sales happen.
