Artificial intelligence is a futuristic technology…but do you dismiss it? Don’t think your shop requires an R2-D2 barista or cashier?
Technology, even fake technology, is here to stay. As a result, your small business’s digital marketing plan must now include the following eight technological trends. However, the best part is that they are all quantifiable, providing you fantastic insight into your consumer base.
1. Email Marketing Automation Personalization
Email marketing is a vital component of any digital marketing plan. Similarly, personalization in email marketing will alter to keep consumers interested and/or buying.
Marketing automation enables you to send consumers personalized emails based on previous email openings, transactions, or click-throughs. Statistics demonstrate that personalization is the future of email marketing, that customers are upset when they get irrelevant emails, and that consumers spend more when their email experience is individualized.
As a result, don’t be hesitant to personally connect with your clients!
2. Omni-Channel Promotion
Multi-channel marketing technology was hot in 2018 and early 2019. However, invest exclusively today in omnichannel marketing technology platforms.
This is the process of linking all marketing channels accessible to your customers to get consistent messages. Companies that use omnichannel marketing keep 89 percent of their customers, whereas non-omnichannel enterprises retain just 33 percent.
Here’s a common example of the technology needed to provide an omnichannel marketing experience to your customers.
- A potential consumer connects with your business after seeing an ad or content on social media.
- Your brand’s content then ranks well in search results, thanks to SEO.
- When they sign up for your email list, they become a lead.
- While an email lead, they will continue to encounter comparable advertising on social media and native ads as they surf the internet.
- They eventually make a purchase after clicking through on one of your emails.
Businesses in the New Year cannot ignore technology to perform omnichannel marketing and measure client interaction points.
3. Customers Now Expect Chatbots and Virtual Assistants
Let’s face it, in today’s digital environment. In fact, we want it immediately.
A year ago, chatbots were a surprise for website users, but now they’re cliche. Using chatbot technology to instantly answer potential customers’ inquiries would dramatically increase conversions and revenues. In fact, 63 percent of respondents prefer chatting with a chatbot over contacting a company through phone or email.
According to polls, the top three advantages people perceived from chatbots were:
- 24-hour service;
- rapid response to requests; and
- simple questions taken care of instantly.
In conclusion, don’t fall behind by not using chatbots on your website!
4. A.M.P.s
Almost 60% of your website’s traffic now originates from mobile devices, which isn’t a mystery.
Page load time and bounce rate are directly in sync. The slower the website loads, the greater the bounce rate and the risk of Google penalizing you.
With that in mind, organizations can’t overlook the necessity for accelerated mobile pages (A.M.P.). Business owners that don’t use A.M.P. risk being left behind.
5. Video Marketing
Video marketing is now the hottest form of marketing and is expected to increase rapidly over the next five years. However, while video marketing isn’t new, organizations that don’t use video technology in their digital marketing plan risk being left behind.
A recent study shows some interesting results:
- 70% of users shared a promotional video;
- videos have boosted conversion rates for 72% of firms;
- after seeing a video, 52% of customers believe they are more likely to buy from a brand;
- businesses who want to convey content that has high engagement and is watched from start to finish should use video; and
- Google shows optimized videos immediately in relevant searches, including video snippet previews in its video carousel.
6. Augmented Reality (AR)
How much faster would your company grow if you let potential consumers try your goods on their phones before committing to a purchase? Augmented reality (AR) reduces risk by enabling clients to view a product in action. This means “it ain’t over till the stout lady sings.”
Some firms that are successfully adopting augmented reality include:
- Garnier employs AR to let smartphone users “test out” several hair color hues on themselves.
- E.L.F. cosmetics employs AR to let mobile users see how different lipstick colors appear on them.
- IKEA’s AR software allows customers to visualize a piece of furniture in their home — racking up a whopping 8.5 million downloads, by the way.
If your organization offers tangible goods, consider using augmented reality. In short, it helps immensely to reduce the risk of online purchases.
7. Native Marketing
Ads are a normal aspect of internet life. However, no one appreciates advertising that forces a product down the user’s throat.
Pop-up advertisements are the yuckiest and may frequently annoy users, giving them an unfavorable impression of the brand. To avoid being seen as intrusive, native advertisements are meant to appear as part of the web page’s usual content rather than as adverts.
Users are presented with adverts in their news feeds. In addition, these image-centric channels flow to marketing. Many of these native advertisements are retargeting ads based on a user’s prior web visits. They even use a particular item they’ve looked at, or curate according to their user profile.
8. Artificial Intelligence Could Rule the World
Artificial intelligence is permeating marketing platforms and strategies.
For instance, it allows for consumer segmentation, click tracking, remarketing, and more. Use AI to offer real-time, tailored adverts and messages. Subsequently, there’s icing on the cake.
