Marketing Trends 2018
Here I am going to blog about some of the marketing trends for the year of 2018,
1. Using Virtual Reality = What is VR/Virtual Reality?
Virtual is near and reality is what human beings experience. So the term virtual reality basically means "near-reality". Everything us human know about reality comes with our senses; taste, touch, smell, sight and hearing. Therefore, our entire experience of reality is a blend of sensory information and the way our brains makes sense of the information given/experience. In short, virtual reality presents to our human senses with computer generated virtual surroundings/environment that we can explore.
"Virtual reality is the term used to describe a three-dimensional, computer generated environment which can be explored and interacted with by a person. That person becomes part of this virtual world or is immersed within this environment and whilst there, is able to manipulate objects or perform a series of actions" - Link
2. Interactive content
As part of brands marketing strategy, many of the brands now relies on blog contents to generate consumer's or visitors engagement. This year itself there are a lot of interactive web for consumer's experiences and to engage the consumers by having more compelling, animated content online.
3. Pinterest
Pinterest has always been the niche social media platform however, a digital agency predicts that Pinterest is the next big thing. Because by using Pinterest Lens and the social media's functions itself is easier for the brands to engage with consumers. In Pinterest any brands can showcase their products, services and brand image to the consumers, with easy navigation.
4. Artificial Intelligence
Artificial Intelligence is used to increase user engagement on social medias or websites. However, combining Artificial Intelligence with a site's chat box or Facebook messenger will need more than an understanding of the brand's target market and creativity. AI on websites would need to address customer's needs or questions just as relevant as a human, most brand's AI chat box delights customer's experience in an exciting as well as cheerful manner.
5. User generated content
Authenticity is important when consumers are deciding on what brands they should support, and on recent surveys by Forbes, it is said that 60% of the respondents says that UGC (User Generated Content) is the most original and authentic form of content. By engaging UGC through their omni-channel marketing strategies, brands can earn consumer's loyalty and money by doing so.
6. Voice Search
In the most recent years voice search is one of the most quickest technologies that we adopted in the recent history and its changing as well as evolving the way customers interact with their surroundings. When customers asks you a question, you don't get multiple answer but you will get a direct one answer for your question. Companies' or brand's Marketers would need to make sure the main voice providers (Google, Apple, Microsoft) have the right facts about their businesses in order for them to provide the correct answers for consumer's or users questions.
7. Influencer Marketing
Influencer marketing has been all the craze and was the marketing hot topic of 2017. In 2018 there are expectations that in-house influencers are bound to specific brands or companies by contract or an agreement. Therefore, these influencers act as the new media strategy at a more efficient cost.
Conclusion
In the year of 2017 - 2018 there are a lot of new technology advancement to take note especially for marketing strategies. I personally know for sure that there are social media influencers bound to a specific brand and unable to use any other brands except for the ones they are endorsing or marketing to their targeted audiences. Last but not least, all of the marketing trends that I have chosen to write about are relevant to my own personal daily life as well as my own observations.
- Stephanie Steven
