It cannot be argued that marketing has changed a crazy amount over the past few decades. The core idea of marketing – communicating with consumers to sell a product or service – has not altered, however as the years progress people are aiming to find the newest and most exciting way to bring in customers and boost their sales. The recent years have been dominated by social media, therefore it is unsurprising that most of the marketing trends we are about to discuss involve social media platforms in one way or another. This is not, however, a bad thing; utilise social media to create fantastically coordinated campaigns to bring brands and consumers together.
Influencers
Influencers are everywhere. Using influencers to promote your brand has become one of the biggest marketing trends this year as, due to their high potential reach, they can quickly and effectively reach customers. By using influencers, you can generate hot-topic conversations with your target audience through people who represent the philosophy of your brand in a natural way. For more information on how to use influencers for marketing your brand see our previous articles on this topic.
Video video video
Video is the hottest medium of 2017 as, unlike text, it can convey clear emotion and the message is delivered is often much more memorable with a lasting impact. Since 2014, the popularity of video sharing website YouTube has increased by 40% showing just how impactful videos are. As well as videos you create and edit yourself, social media platforms, such as Instagram and Facebook, now allow for live streaming video meaning you can create content from pretty much anywhere you go.
Keep it human
We’ve mentioned this one before, but in 2017 being ‘real’ is becoming more important than ever in terms of your marketing strategy. Sales pitches can often be spotted from a mile away, which is why when you target consumers on an individual level you can be more human to them which does not turn potential customers away. If you keep your content personalised and relevant, perhaps by tracking consumers’ interests and habits, you will be able to create strategies to get these consumers to purchase your product or service.
Consider short-term marketing
In other words, give the content you are posting on social media and expiration dates, such as 24 hours on Snapchat. Research has shown that there is something alluring about creating and viewing content that will disappear within a given timeframe. It is sad to say that in 2017, this generation’s attention span is shorter than ever which makes this content with an expiration date is even more crucial, as it makes your content urgent. The users will want to look now before they lose their chance to see the content.
Marketing is ever-evolving and if you don’t jump on these trends it is possible that your brand may well fall behind. Successful brands have the mission to generate public interest around supporting their brand by attracting younger generations who want to be a part of their bigger picture.