5 Marketing Trends to Implement in 2019
With 2019 fast approaching, we are all in heads-down-bum-up mode, trying to finish off the year, as well as plan ahead for the next year. So we’ve done a bit of research for you that you can use in your 2019 marketing plan: 5 of the top marketing trends for 2019, and how you can implement them in your business.
#1. Video Content:
Every year the use of video in business and marketing continues to grow, and in 2019 we fully expect it to continue to dominate the market again. Video has become the golden child of communication - they are a great way to make your message efficient and enjoyable, especially in this age where concentration spans are short, lives are busy and people are bombarded with messages all. day. long.
And, this trend is especially true for live videos. Yes people, you gotta put your face to your brand, get in front of the camera (phone), and go live! The authentic nature of live videos makes them extra-appealing and more meaningful to customers, because they come with an increased perception of trustworthiness and relevance. People can see “behind” the marketing layers, the messaging, and the fluff. They can see you, and they tend to like it! So this is definitely one trend you don’t want to ignore.
ACTION TIP: Your Live video should give viewers something that they can’t get from your regular feed - for example, revealing new products; behind-the-scenes-tours; special guest interviews or a Q&A session. So take some time to brainstorm 5 or more ideas of how you can use live video to deliver something extra special to your audience, and then schedule it into your content plan so you’re committed to delivering it!
#2. Chat Bots:
The use of chat bots by businesses is on the rise, and is taking over customer service for many brands. It is predicted that by 2020, 85% of consumer interactions will be dealt with by chat bots. If you aren’t on the chat bot train yet, here are a few reasons why you should be:
They’re an effective way to mass communicate with customers
They allow for 24/7 two-way communication
They can help you boost customer satisfaction, boost your response rate on Facebook, improve your SEO and increase the likelihood of your brand being recommended
That’s a lot of benefits hey?
ACTION TIP: Chat bots for customer service are one thing, but what about also thinking about using it to communicate a marketing message? You can set up a chat bot through Facebook Messenger and use that to contact your customers directly with a targeted sales message. Facebook Messenger has around an 80% click through rate, which is huge potential for your business. For a guided walk through on setting up a chat bot, check out this handy guide from Social Media Examiner.
#3. Micro-Influencers:
Over the past few years, social media influencers have become a big marketing trend - people with mass followings on Facebook and Instagram can give your business massive reach and exposure, and it’s been a great way to get your brand in front of people who otherwise would never have seen it.
But, with the rise of this trend, so has the cost of working with influencers. So, businesses have started looking for alternatives - cue the micro-influencer.
The micro-influencer is someone who exists in a niche - they have decent social following, but probably fewer than 100,000 people (rather than the millions an influencer might have). But, they key thing here is that the people that do follow them are super engaged and are genuinely interested in what they have to say. It is this level of engagement that gives micro-influencers such potential for business collaborations.
ACTION TIP: So how can you find a micro-influencer to work with? An effective strategy is using hashtags, and in particular branded hashtags. If you search #YourBrandName, you’ll be able to find people who are already engaging with your brand - these people will be some of your best bets, as they’re already acquainted with your business and will be easier to strike up a conversation with.
#4. Personalisation:
These days it is really easy to get insights into your audience - who follows you, who engages with you, who reads/likes/shares your content and so on. And with this minefield of data, it is then also easy to personalise your communications with your customers. And customers have come to expect a degree of personalisation too. They know they have cookies following them all over the internet and that Facebook can “read their minds”, so if you aren’t using your data for personalisation, then this is definitely something you want to prioritise in 2019.
ACTION TIP: There is so much information you can use beyond the customer’s first name in order to personalise your communications with them. For example, use their purchase history to make product recommendations, or use Facebook pixels to retarget your customers with ads based on what they have been looking at on your site.
#5. Transparency:
Last but not least - a little bit of transparency will go a long way. There is a definite shift towards consumer wariness - they are getting harder and harder to reach, to impress and to sell to. It makes the job of your marketing even harder, so many businesses are adopting an approach of pure transparency - admitting when they are at fault (publicly), addressing negative feedback directly, taking you behind the scenes of their business, opening up the lines of communication for two-way discussions and more.
By allowing their “business guard” to drop, businesses are building more 1:1 relationships with their customers, and that is how they are reaching them!
ACTION TIP: How do you handle negative feedback on social media? Do you have a policy in place with guidelines as to how you deal with complaints? If not, add that to your to-do list in 2019, and keep “transparency” front-of-mind when you write your social media policy for your business,
Do you have any new channels, trends, or activities you’re including in your 2019 marketing plan? Hit us up - we’d love to hear what they are! Visit our Insta and tell us what your marketing priorities are for the next year!
