This is the second of a four part series of posts to start off 2017. In part 1 we set things up by highlighting some truths that should not be forgotten. In part 2 we look at digital trends, while part 3 discusses marketing trends and then we wrap up with the fourth part discussing design trends.
The only constant is change.
As we said in Part 1 of this series of articles, it is important to stay on top of the latest trends, but there are certain truths that we must also hold strong. With that in mind, let's review what kinds of digital trends we're keeping an eye on for 2017.
Digital Trends
None of this is brand new, but we expect in 2017 we will see a growing impact from these technologies.
Data
All organizations collect data, yet many do not exploit it. Companies that can effectively pull insights from their data and merge that with an integrated strategy will gain the advantage in 2017. You must have constant visibility into your web analytics, your customer data, your content and your revenue.
Marketing Automation
Sounds fancy, eh!? Perhaps even daunting? There are very powerful tools that allow you to build sophisticated campaigns, but they come with a gentle learning curve and provide a high-impact result. If your competitors can figure it out, so can you :).
Social Networking
Loss aversion results in the status quo. Many companies avoid social media because they anticipate needing to weaken control of their message or brand. Continuing in this mode will result in missed opportunities. The trend in social is the variety of social channels. Snapchat launched in September, 2011 and in 2016 had 10 billion daily video views. Are you on Snapchat? Should you be?
Digital Advertising
Digitial advertising is growing. In 2016, we managed several digital advertising budgets for our clients. The key to success with digital advertising is finding the right platform to advertise on. Ads from Google Adwords are ubiquitous and that is a good place to start, but as more and more digital properties seek a stronger business model there are more and more unique ways to get your brand in front of your paying customers online.
Wearables and the Internet of Things
The January CES event in Las Vegas is where innovation is launched with great fanfare and for the rest of the year we get to watch and see what thrives and what dies. Already, Amazon's Alexa is getting a lot of attention. Like Apple's Siri, Alexa is a digital personal assistant but it that can be connected to other devices and appliances so that you can control them with your voice. If the application of this technology for your brand seems far fetched, you better think again.
Artificial Intelligence
Does it already seem hard to remember a time when robots didn't control our lives? In 2016 we saw Tesla unveil autopilot and we saw Microsoft's chat bot insult the Twitterverse. People value relationships and that won't change, but that doesn't mean I don't want a convenient way to order concert tickets. How is your call center staffed?
Next Up:
Truths and Trends, Part 3 of 4: This Is Not a Trends Article, This Is Just a Tribute.
Author: Scott Snowden
Business & Technology, Strategy
More in this series of posts: