Today, the cashier in a local shop said the words I dread hearing (unless it is, in fact, December):
"It'll soon be Christmas".
*shudder*
With this in mind, I came across the article below written by John Hall for Forbes where he makes 5 predictions for marketing trends in 2019. It really is not as far off as it seems.
Here is my summary:
1. People are putting more trust in others they know and reputable content, not ads.
Advertising has re-emerged as a key marketing tactic in 2018 with UK ad sales set to grow by 2.8% to £22.7bn.
However, 30 per cent of all internet users are expected to be using ad blockers by the end of this year which means you need to get smarter about how you reach your target audience.
Tactics like inbound marketing, and influencer outreach that position you as a trusted and reputable advisor offer an alternative approach to ads.
2. Creativity, not conformity, will set successful marketers apart.
Dare to be different if you want to stand out. Marketing has become very samey of late. "Consider integrated campaigns and creative distribution tactics that focus on ways to engage audience members that their industry competitors might not be considering."
3. Winners won’t be concerned with internal barriers.
Companies that build walls between their internal departments are set to fail. Content is not just the responsibility of marketing and to thrive you need to remove the silos in your organisation and get your departments working together.
4. Understanding how your customers communicate is vital.
Now more than ever you have to be aware of your customers’ communication preferences and enable them to communicate with you or your website in their preferred way. In 2019 voice search is predicted to continue to grow, with some predicting voice search will make up 50 per cent of all searches by 2020.
Are you ready?
5. Helpfulness and authenticity will combat relationships lost through tech and automation.
The inbound marketing mantra is always be helping. Automation can only get you so far, but with so many companies out there competing for your customers going the extra mile and still adding personal touches to your sales and marketing will set you apart.
Read the article in full below.
The world is changing a mile a minute, and it’s hard to scale, differentiate yourself, and maintain trust in the ever-changing marketing world. The more you can plan ahead, the better equipped you feel to manage those changes when they happen.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnhall/2018/06/17/5-marketing-
