Nearly half of the world’s population uses the internet either on a mobile device or a computer. Because of this, digital marketing is expected to play and even bigger role in 2017 than it did in 2016. Hold onto your smart phone as we explore the digital trends predicted to be big in 2017.
(1) Mobile will be the center of marketing. People log onto Facebook, check their email and browse the web at an increasing rate on their phones, tablets and smart watches. More than 50% of Google searches take place on mobile devices. It is vital that your website is optimized for mobile use so that you can drive business to your brand. SEO is also vastly improved if your website is mobile friendly.
(2) Twitter is reorienting itself from a social media site to a news site. What does this mean for you? Save your advertising dollars for Facebook, and in some cases, Instagram. Facebook ads currently surpass Google ads for value. While you are promoting your company on Facebook, build a relationship with your followers. Sharing information that you find valuable on a personal level (mission oriented posts) will make your customers want to share your posts. Social media is just that–social. Show customers your personal side and they will engage with your brand.
(3) There are over seven billion people in the world and 31% of those people use social media. Today, users don’t just pick up their phones to use social media and put them down–-they linger on their social media platforms and increasingly experience the world through the lens of those platforms. Figure out high traffic times for your brand by making use of the analytics social media platforms have to offer, and strengthen your reach with paid advertising at those times. If you find your customers/donors/constituents when they are looking for you, they are much more likely to convert.
Good news: Social media platforms are continuing to optimize their analytics to go deeper– moving from reporting number of likes, for example, to reporting the attributes of the people who generally “like” you. But, you don’t have to wait for them, at Erreco Strategies, we can show you how to collect this type of information yourself!
(4) Try a combination of short-form and long-form content marketing. While shorter blog posts (under 350 words) get more eyeballs from consumers and are a great tool to make an initial impression, try educational or story-based blogposts with 500+ words to build trust with your audience, depict your expertise and result in more shares and ultimately conversions. SEO also improves when you pass the 500 word threshold.
(5) Video content is on trend. You can capture your own short videos with your smart phone and use subtitles instead of audio to send a quick, captivating and charming message to your customers.
(6) Personalize your content based on who you are targeting and the channels you are using. For example, when using Instagram, rely on strong visuals rather than written content. If you are using Twitter, speak to journalists by using short news bites (see tip #3).
Information for this article was derived from our own experience, at Forbes , Forbes again and the National. Happy New Year!
