The world of digital media is constantly changing, every year we see new trends, ideas, and technology developing. In most of these changes, it is not sudden or unexpected, rather gradual and relatively predictable, a very fine example of this could be the shutting down of Google+.
Let's take a look at what we could expect for 2019 in the world of digital media.
Video Marketing
Videos have always proven to be better than static creative and the same will continue in 2019. With 70% of consumers having shared brand videos and another 52% of consumers saying that watching product videos makes them more confident in online purchase decisions.
This is not just limited to YouTube, making videos for Facebook and LinkedIn can also yield higher user engagement rate. A very good example for this is Facebook Live videos, which is gaining massive popularity with businesses. They use it for interviews, product demos and "behind the scenes" glimpses of events etc.
Also, what we are witnessing today is the low cost of film equipment and the increase in a high-quality smartphone camera, with which businesses are heading towards personalized video messages rather than phone calls or emails, which is called the 1:1 video approach. Another trend which is gaining popularity is 360-degree video content, which allows for a more interactive experience.
Micro-Moments
People spend an average of 3 hours and 35 minutes on their smartphones every day and this is the changing the way brands capture a buyer's attention. So, what is micro-moments? It is a newly coined term by Google that delivers your marketing message clearly and concisely in a way that is of interest to the consumers – all within a span of seconds
To make the most out of these micro-moments, be where the consumer is, where they search the maximum information – such as Google, Amazon, YouTube, and anywhere else people search for information at a moment's notice.
Influencer Marketing
Using influencers is a very effective marketing tool for attracting consumers. They can be anyone from celebrities and Instagram or YouTube stars to well-known bloggers and journalists who help spread the word about your business or product through their social channels.
In 2019, the focus will be on micro-influencers, who even though have fewer followers than your celebrity bloggers, work well because they match your requirements and brand voice. While celebrity influencers remain as the first preference for brands, their tonality might not always match that of a brand and here is where micro-influencers become important. These partnerships can be long term and more productive as compared to others.
Personalization
If companies want to stand out in 2019, then personalization marketing is the key – and that means personalized content, products, emails, and more. With the availability of data like purchase history, consumer behaviour and links clicked, customizing content according to consumer requirement has become easy. As a matter of fact, 96% of marketers believe that personalization helps in improving customer relations.
Businesses like Amazon and Netflix are already leveraging the power of personalization. You must have noticed by now that once you login into your Netflix account, a plethora of suggestions pop up basis what you view and search for, all personalized for you.
Voice Search & Smart Speakers
With the increase in voice search, companies and brands will have to rethink their digital marketing strategies in 2019. What is it that brands and companies can expect in the coming years when it comes to "voice search and smart speakers?"
50% of all searches will be voice searches by the year 2020
20% of mobile queries on Google are voice searches
25% of all Bing searches are voice searches
And also with AI getting smarter, the number of errors made by voice assistants like Alexa, Siri, and Google has reduced significantly. Many brands have started using voice search in their digital marketing strategies to deliver more efficient services to their consumers.
Burger King was the first brand to invest in this with its "OK Google Whopper Burger Ad". And more recently, Domino's Pizza uses voice search technology as a way to increase its sales, therefore allowing customers to order pizzas through Alexa.
The key to getting success through voice search is to write in a conversational tone and to think about keywords that people will speak rather than type.
2019 will be the year of better customer experience with personalization, automation and AI-powered technology. To ensure that you stay ahead of your competitors, build your brand, tell a great story and provide helpful, authentic content. Be consistent in this and leverage the latest digital media trends to stay ahead of the pack.
