Small business owners have an admirable reputation for being thrifty with their marketing budgets. That’s understandable, considering how fierce competition can be — with other small firms in their industry, and the more established corporations.
If you are a small business owner, one way to stay ahead of the pack is to look out for trends or new tactics that change the landscape. As with every other sector, digital marketing gets besotted with a lot of trends. However, not all of them matter or some are fads that disappear after a while.
The trick is picking the right pony to wager your marketing dollars.
Here are four trends that will define the future over the next decade:
#1. Content Marketing
Content marketing is emerging as one of the most critical marketing tactics for driving relevant traffic and conversions for small businesses. By creating informational and SEO-focused content, a company can position itself as a thought leader and solve pressing questions that its audience has struggled to answer.
You can share the content on your blog, social media networks, and other relevant third-party sites that your target audience frequently visits. However, it would be best if you got experts — such as bluelightweb.co.nz — who understand not only how to create SEO-friendly content but also how to circulate it to expand your reach.
#2. Voice Search
Voice search has become an increasingly crucial part of any digital marketing strategy. Most smartphones now come with voice-powered artificial intelligence assistants. Your product or service will inevitably need to create a voice strategy to take advantage of this trend at some point.
All or most voice searches are questions. So, it would be best if you optimize your strategy in that direction. Try to target the queries and keywords that your target audience uses on voice search. Some essential elements to cover are keywords that take care of price, description, and location queries.
#3. Blending Online with Offline
One thing most marketers have struggled with is blending digital marketing with offline activities. Humans still love to visit a store or physical establishment. However, with recent advances in technology, small businesses can now achieve this blend of digital interaction and in-person engagement with their customers.
One excellent example is beacons. These devices work by transmitting signals to mobile phones within a specified or geo-fenced area. The devices can receive push notifications such as ads, messages, coupons, or inform customers of a live time-bound promotion.
#4. Branded & Live Video Content
In its 2018 Annual Internet Report, Cisco estimates that videos will account for a vast majority — 82% to be specific — of internet traffic by 2021. It’s not surprising — branded video content can be more engaging than other types of branded content, especially when you do it right.
Live and branded videos are two ways brands and consumers take advantage of the video trend in recent times. With branded video, brands are finding it easier to build trust, drive more conversions, and share a lot of information within a short period. With live video, brands can create engaging and interactive sessions with their customers and target audience.
These two options are way more appealing than text and better capture the attention of your target audience. Some small business owners tend to think that creating video content can be expensive, but that has become a moot point as more content creators flood the market. Some of the best videos out there by small and large brands come from creators using an iPhone.
Final Thoughts
Digital marketing is a dynamic field, but the beautiful thing is that anyone can take advantage of these ever-evolving trends. Small business owners must keep abreast of these trends and start taking advantage of them as quickly as possible.
