It’s once again time to reflect on the year that was and then turn our focus and attention to our goals and plans for the New Year! Mambo Media relishes being at the forefront of technology. We know the importance of shifting marketing strategies as new technologies emerge and consumer behaviors change. We’ve tapped our team’s intel to gain greater insight into what 2017 has in store for the world of digital marketing. Do you agree? Share you 2017 prediction in the comment section below!
Last Call for Outdated Websites
Siouxsie Jen
nett – President and CEO
Believe it or not, there are still businesses that leverage circa 1990 purpose and styled websites. The end is near though. The laggards are finally coming around and seeing the effects of not having a mobile optimized, customer-centric, digital marketing and sales platform. 2017 is positioned to be the year of make or break in the digital landscape. If you’re still unsure about how you should utilize your website or find yourself holding onto the WordPress theme that an intern made five years ago because it’s convenient, it’s time to move on. The penalties and business you’re losing out on are too great. Let 2017 be a right to bare an optimized thriving website experience.
The Content Marketing Bar Will Be Raised
Wendy Hwang – Digital Marketing Manager
Companies need to get more creative with their content in 2017 in order to break through the marketing noise and keep customers engaged. Simply posting a blog at a consistent cadence isn’t going to cut it anymore. Marketers will need to take a more strategic approach to promoting website content to attract views. Take the extra step of writing a creative title and link descriptions to capture users’ attention. Invest time into using a variety of mediums to get your message across. Think videos, creative custom imagery, and simplified but visual tutorials. These will help inject some personality to your website’s content. Use website and social analytics to identify what is and isn’t working. And last but not least, keep in mind users are shifting their online consumption to mobile devices so make sure it’s quick to access, clear on small screens, and easy share!
More Marketers Embrace Augmented and Virtual Reality
Adrienne Peake – Digital Marketing Manager
&
Chris Robisch – Senior Digital Marketing Manager
One of the biggest marketing surprises of 2016 was the incredible popularity of Pokémon Go. The world was abuzz after consumers broke Apple Store download records in the first week of its launch, while players and brands alike set up PokeStops across the nation. Downloads later amounted to more than 500 million after just two months. In 2017, more marketers will begin to experiment with Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR). From augmented shopping experiences to AR ads, we can expect more brands to dip their toes in a more virtual, but still connected, world.
The anticipated surge of AR/VR in 2017 has been developing over the last few years. Home buyers are used to viewing 360 videos before scheduling a viewing. Consumers regularly use 3D map views. Some retail brands are adding in-store 360 video access through apps. New marketing technologies that deliver helpful tips and tricks to consumers – before and after they purchase – are gaining traction too. Brands are realizing that delivering promotions, support, convenience and an overall improved experience to their customers through AR or VR is easier today.
Whether it’s Augmented Reality or Virtual Reality, consumers are craving more immersive experiences with content. Simply scrolling through content is no longer the only experience that many users seek. More and more brands are realizing that consumers want to be part of the content, not just see it. In fact, user behaviors strongly suggest that interactive experiences will become a greater part of the consumer’s journey in 2017.
Video Marketing Turns the Corner
Laurel Hamilton – Senior Digital Strategist
“Video Marketing” has a permanent spot on the list of what’s going to be hot from one year to the next. What’s different for 2017 is that those videos are often live streamed and interaction is real-time. Marketers should use live streaming to add variety to their social presence and to get people excited about engaging with them. Live streaming advantages include:
- Users can watch the engagement and reply by name to people who comment. That live, personal touch is priceless
- It decreases the barrier of video perfection. That means less time and money spent on scripts, makeup, surroundings, etc.
- Because it’s easier to do, your topic can be more specific and long-tail, which is great for SEO
- It allows influencers to easily tell fans and followers about their experiences
- You can create a series of live streams that tell a story that will get people hooked and coming back
It’s Time to Put Your Trust in Chatbots
Mickey Dogra – Digital Marketing Specialist
It doesn’t matter what industry you serve. Consumers are turning to chatbots as an outlet for customer service—whether it’s to learn more about a product, look for retail discounts, seek travel information, or even order an Uber.
Chatbots meet consumers where they are—through messaging apps. In our mobile-first world, half of all web traffic comes from smartphones and tablets, and more searches are done on mobile than desktop. But a more astounding statistic is that for the first time ever, mobile messaging apps (like Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, etc.) have surpassed social networks in terms of monthly active users. This is a major shift, and some marketers are already recognizing the need to meet users on these private, direct channels. Facebook launched Bots for Messenger back in April 2016, and chatbots have already been predicted to revolutionize holiday shopping. Retailers like Everlane use their bots to report on shipping times; Mastercard has a bot that helps you check your balance, and H&M is using bots to provide gift recommendations.
For marketers, chatbots are the ultimate lead generation machine. Use them to gather data, deliver content, and monitor engagement. So get building! There are plenty of open source platforms out there (like Microsoft Bot Framework or Pandorabots) to help you start your journey.
Ready for some more insights? Stay tuned for part 2 of Mambo’s 2017 predictions blog series.
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