As 2015 comes to a close, it's time to look ahead and brush up on the emerging trends that will affect your online marketing.
- Mobile Will Trounce Desktop
It was only a matter of time: in 2015, mobile traffic on Google finally surpassed desktop traffic. In response, Google released an algorithm designed to crush a websites search rank if it is not mobile optimized. Interestingly, Google will not penalize sites that are only optimized for mobile. If you want to maximize your traffic, it is still wise to optimize your website for all possible mediums. Nevertheless, Google’s move indicates that they are putting all of their chips on mobile use dominating the online market.
2. Get Ready for Virtual Reality
Imagine this: You cannot make it to Indianapolis to see the Colts play the Steelers, so you decide to pay $35 to stream the game through your new Oculus Rift, a virtual reality headset. You put on the headset, immediately realizing that your virtual seat is located right on the fifty yard line. Looking up towards the sky, you notice a Goodyear blimp gently floating by. Banner ads wrap around the sidelines of the stadium, and the announcer starts, “This instant replay is brought to you by Direct TV.” This experience may sound silly now, but once the Oculus Rift goes live in 2016, advertisers will most certainly take advantage of the new medium. What I am talking about is a massive paradigm shift in how marketers and advertisers connect with their audience. Follow this as it develops, and you and your business will already have a leg up on your competitors.
3. “TwitterRank”
Andy Crestodina, Strategic Director at Orbit Media Studios, predicts that some big changes are in store for Twitter. Back in July of this year, Twitter reported that its monthly average users grew at its slowest pace since Twitter went public in 2013. This, plus the fact that Twitter has barely been profitable since it began in 2006, has got Twitter looking at one revenue stream they have yet to embark upon: algorithmic advertising. See, part of the reason services like Facebook and YouTube are so profitable is because they track user interests and behavior to provide them with highly relevant, targeted ads. Andy Crestodina used the term, “TweetRank,” to describe a potentially new algorithm designed to rank advertisements based on relevance. Next year, when you’re checking your Twitter feed after shopping for flip flops on Amazon, you just might come across an advertisement for Pac Sun.
4. Livestreaming
2016 is the year for livestreaming. Services like Meerkat and Periscope are quickly gaining traction, and subsequently, businesses are developing new ways to market with them. Back in August, I wrote a blog post on how businesses can leverage Periscope to increase brand awareness, loyalty, and interact with customers like never before. Use it to livestream product launches, tours around the office, a day in the life of the CEO – the possibilities are practically endless. While podcasting is still a popular medium, expect to see livestreaming overtake it before too long. I am very excited to see how brands use livestreaming to their advantage in the years to come.
5. Oddball Tactics
As of August 27th, 2015, there were a total of 2.5 million advertisers on Facebook alone. The amount of content generated daily on social media is simply staggering. To fight through the noise, brands pay exorbitant amounts of money just to interact with you for a few seconds. With all of the content, advertisements, cat photos, etc., expect to see brands in 2016 roll out some of the wackiest, oddball campaigns you’ve ever seen. Just think about how memorable GEICO’s cavemen were!
There are big changes coming in the worlds of advertising and marketing. With new technologies, social media services, and mediums being developed each year, it is imperative that your company rides the crest of the wave. Stay alert, stay informed, and as Steve Jobs liked to say, stay foolish.
