The year 2018 is about to end, and there is a common question being asked throughout the content marketing world: What is going to happen next year? People want to look ahead and prepare themselves for what lies around the curve. It seems like the world is changing faster by the minute, so the more businesses can plan ahead, the better prepared they will be to manage the changes when they happen.
(Pixabay / ashleyma)
According to predictions, here’s what content marketers should keep an eye on in 2019:
- Creativity will make marketers successful – We live in a digital world where it seems like everything is done through the internet. People communicate through email, social media posts, and text messages. What if a businessperson starts sending out printed newsletters to the people on his mailing list? Paper printing is an unconventional tactic, but it will be noticed. The idea here is not to resurrect print marketing but to merge content marketing in a creative way to engage consumers. Using an out-of-the-box technique to promote a product could be the key to your success.
- People will trust reputable content over ads – Many internet users now use ad blockers because they do not want to see ads on the pages they visit. It is projected that marketing dollars will be spent more on content marketing, referral partnerships, influencer marketing, and other techniques instead of traditional advertising in order to deliver the authenticity that audiences crave.
- Understanding how customers communicate is key – Businesses must understand how customers want to communicate and adjust their marketing efforts to accommodate them. As an example, it is projected that more product searches will be made using voice-activated software. Businesses must be able to handle that trend.
- Authenticity will recover relationships lost through automation – Sometimes it feels like everything today is automated, which removes the personal relationship between business and customer. There are fewer opportunities for customers to talk personally to a salesperson. Today, people buy online without having to see anyone in the business that sells the product. However, personal engagement can still be recovered by ensuring that customers receive the best service from the seller, even if they do not meet each other face to face. One way that this can be achieved is through a responsive customer service department when it comes to handling returns and product inquiries.
There is no single ‘right way’ to prepare the marketing strategy for next year, but there are some trends you can watch out for. Keep your consumer in mind when you plan out 2019’s marketing strategy. Knowing what to expect is half the battle in preparing for the coming changes.