A new year brings new marketing trends to watch. What marketing channels will remain dominant? Which will fade into the background? And, of course, what will be the next big thing in the world of social media marketing? Here are three marketing predictions from the Co-Communications team for 2017.
The Number of Brands Ready to “Go Live” Will Grow
Social Media Today reports that people spend three times as long watching Live video on Facebook than video which is not live. While the prospect of going Live – and rolling with whatever happens in the moment – can be scary for some brands, others have found the ability to connect with their stakeholders in real-time to offer a significant marketing advantage. As the consumption of Live video continues to grow, brands will seek opportunities to leverage this marketing medium. If you’re curious about how brands embraced Facebook Live in 2016, check out this article from Digiday.
Sponsored Content Will Account for a Greater Share of Marketing Budgets
As the reach of organic social media market content on platforms such as Facebook declines, brands are increasingly exploring sponsored content as an addition to their marketing mix. A recent report indicates that seventy percent of individuals want to learn about products through content rather than through traditional advertising. As the competition to garner media coverage in top tier media remains steep, brands are turning to media companies’ online products to find opportunities to get their content featured through a host of sponsored web content and social media marketing opportunities. A Mode Media study recently discovered that on average, consumers spent almost two and a half minutes with a branded story, the same amount as editorial content. Further, Dedicated Media Marketing found that people view native ads 53 percent more than banner ads. In order to grow their online audiences, companies and causes will need to make room for sponsored content in their 2017 marketing budgets, with DigitalRelevance expecting native advertising spend to more than quadruple by 2018.
Personalized Marketing Will Become More Seamless
While emails boasting personalized subject lines are 22% more likely to get opened than their generic counterparts, personalized marketing is far from having reached the point of perfection. On a weekly basis, I personally receive at least a handful of emails where personalization efforts have missed the mark, chiefly with the name of the person to whom the communication has addressed. In addition, companies have embraced personalized subject lines and email introductions as a means of seeming more custom, but the messages that follow have yet to embrace the personalized trend.
In order to reap the benefits of personalized marketing, companies will need to leverage 2017 as the year of working out the kinks. For retailers, this means carefully tracking buyers’ purchases this holiday season and turning it into an opportunity to deliver tailored offerings in the new year. For businesses and nonprofits alike, this means ensuring opt-in email preferences are kept up-to-date and that stakeholders are only receiving the information they have indicated a willingness to receive.
With several weeks remaining until 2017 arrives, the marketing landscape stands to shift and new trends are bound to emerge. As you consider the opportunities to increase the effectiveness of your marketing in 2017, consider how a personalized approach, a willingness to go live and an investment in sponsored content can help to improve your bottom line.
Curious what other marketing professionals are predicting for 2017? Check out this recent post from Convince & Convert.
