What We Saw in 2017 and What We Expect to See in 2018

The world is moving fast and anything can change at the touch of a button. In 2017 the marketing industry saw a considerable shift towards a mobile first strategy. Along with this, we saw an emphasis on interactive content, influencer marketing and live streaming.

After reflecting on 2017 and seeing what progressed or fizzled away, we can predict the trends we expect to see flood the industry in 2018.

2017

Political Opinions:

In 2017 many Fortune 500 companies banned together to fight for change. In today’s political climate more and more brands feel obligated taking  a stance, and customers are agreeing. According to a study done by Cone Communications, 91% of Millennials now say they switch brands to one associated with a cause.

Video

Video has always been around, but we have seen a huge increase in video this past year. MBT’s Paid Media Manager, Garrett Browne, said that “six-second video was one of the major new ad products that MBT utilized and the results across clients had a huge impact on results in 2017.” With a focus on short videos made specifically for social media, the video world has somewhat shifted with the mobile first strategy.

Using Memes as Marketing

Memes are constantly making their way through various social media platforms. This is something that will likely die in 2018, companies attempting to use memes and using them incorrectly has lead to oversaturation of this tactic for marketing efforts. According to Digiday, “the problem with companies latching onto memes is that they are following a trend, rather than building a long-term communication strategy that drives commerce and brand equity.”

Interactive Content

Unsurprisingly, consumers love to interact with brands. That is why in 2017 we saw an increase in interactive content. Interactive content comes in many forms including assessments, calculators, trivia, polls/surveys, and brackets. These are the building blocks for interactive infographics, videos, and more. This is especially visible when looking at the featured Snapchats like Cosmopolitan, who constantly have some kind of interactive quiz or poll set up on their daily stories.

Mobile First Strategy

2017 was the year of mobile. If it’s not designed for mobile first, it will likely fail. The majority of traffic is now coming from mobile devices, and it is the fastest-growing media consumption channel. eMarketer predicts that by 2019, the researcher predicts that mobile ad spending will rise to $65.49 billion.

2018

Social Media Buy Buttons

Social media buy buttons are one of the latest trends in the digital marketing realm. These buttons are visible on almost all of the popular networking sites including Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. With a large rise in usage towards the end of 2017, in 2018 we wouldn’t be surprised if we start seeing in-app purchasing options. This trend creates huge opportunities for brands to utilize in 2018.

Facebook Messenger Ads

With Facebook Messenger being home to over one billion users, it is no surprise why we expect this to be a growing trend. Facebook allows several different features and tools for using Facebook Messenger, you can use it as Messenger Destination, Messenger Home Placement, and Sponsored Messages Placement. This puts a more personalized twist on conversation with customers.

Focusing on Multiple Channels Rather Than Just One

With the constant shifts in algorithms and changes occurring everyday in social media, it is important, now more than ever, to spread your content and brand across multiple channels. Putting too much emphasis on one platform can narrow your potential audience size.

Along with making sure you are building a presence on multiple platforms, it is also important content is catered towards what is most successful on each platform while still maintaining a cohesive brand.

Targeted Influencer Marketing

According to Inc., micro-influencers have a higher response to sponsored posts because when you compare followers to engagement, the influencers with fewer followers actually have a higher engagement rate. By marketing your products to a more niche audience, you can spend less money and see a greater overall outcome. Not only do these influencers drive conversion rates, they also create a loyal and dedicated fan base for your brand as well.

Artificial Intelligence

AI is on the verge of becoming an essential tool for marketers. AI tools are used to analyze consumer behavior and interact with consumers based on what they’ve found. Chatbots are one of the most common examples of AI being used in the marketplace. One of the perks of AI is that by having something take over the most basic customer interactions, you can focus your time and energy handling more important things.

With trends constantly shifting and growing, MBT is continually fine tuning the way we do marketing. Contact MBT to find out how you can stay up to date on the latest trends.