Make sure you are equipped for the new year
As the digital world continues to change around us so do trends in marketing. A lesson learnt from the last year is businesses should always be prepared to adapt and evolve by keeping up with the latest trends. Here at Stone Create, we are always on the look out for the next best solution. Read on to find out what the latest trends are to get your business on track for 2021.
Personalisation
Have you ever felt more privileged by an email sent to you addressing you by your name? The importance of personalised advertising is not one to ignore. Studies have shown that 80% of customers are more likely to purchase products or services from brands that provide personalised experiences. This is a straight forward approach that can be done through channels such as emails, advertising and providing relevant recommendations. Personalisation makes your customer feel valued and will enhance your business to consumer relationship. In addition, personalisation is beneficial to businesses as you can use this as a method of retargeting and bringing your consumer back to products they have already viewed.
Social Media Stories
Social media has become an integral part of marketing your business online. However, there are less companies that will be using the story features to their advantage. Stories are now available on the majority of social media platforms. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat all have these features and give you the opportunity to put posts on that only last 24 hours. Generally, these are used to provide “behind-the-scenes” exclusive content and give a more personal relationship with your audience. 58% of people say they have become more interested in a brand or product after seeing it in Stories. This is a simple, organic method for you to promote your business and keep your followers engaged with your brand.
Chatbots
With the rise of AI being predicted throughout all different industries, one of the more simple and useful forms of Artificial Intelligence is chatbots. Chatbots can be integrated into messaging platforms to deal with customer enquiries, instantly gathering data to give accurate details. Many large companies are already using chatbots as they provide a more cost effective way of communicating with customers without the need for a large after sales service team. Local businesses can use this to their advantage too, different chatbot services are becoming increasingly available to buy online. Statistics show the success of chatbots; 40% of millennials claim to engage with bots on a daily basis and chatbots saw a 92% use increase since 2019, making it the brand communication channel with the largest growth.
Video Content
Creating videos is a highly effective way or providing information to consumers, consumers who end up on an e-commerce site through a user-generated video are 184% more likely to purchase and spend 45% more. They capture attention of users online at a much higher rate than written content; 80% of online users will watch a video, but only 20% will read the content, this is no surprise in a world where there is so much content to choose from. Make sure you stay ahead of your competition by using video content and watch your brand grow.
Influencer Marketing
A trend that has made remarkable growth in the last few years is influencer marketing. Using key people to promote a business product via social media platforms is becoming the main platform of advertising products compared to celebrity endorsements. The results show this is an effective method of gaining more customers and sales. Influencer marketing is the fastest growing online customer acquisition method. The way that influence culture works is rapidly changing and evolving every day. It’s an organic tactic which can be as easy as sending influencers free products and in return; gaining a mass amount of attention and interest.
Social Commerce Posts
Shopping and social media are becoming more connected every year. We have seen Facebook and Instagram rise to become their own independent shopping channels and are gaining thousands of leads for both small and large companies. Social media channels are gradually becoming their own e-commerce channels. It’s predicted that in the future these will be the top e-commerce channels rather than to promote the business website. 70% of consumers search for products they need to buy on Instagram and Facebook. If you want another avenue of selling your products then you should use these social media channels to your advantage. Setting up a Facebook or Instagram shop platform can be done in a few simple steps and is cost free.
Social Messaging Platforms
Using social media as a tool for customer service is becoming the norm for many companies. This is an effective way of providing quick responses and retaining customer loyalty. Businesses using a social media messaging platform such as WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger provide a quicker, more personal customer experience when dealing with enquires compared to emailing. 63% of customers were more likely to return to a website that offers live chat. This is a great method of getting back to customers and is beneficial for both the staff and the customer. Often this is a much easier method of communication than emails.
Virtual Events
Virtual events are here to stay in 2021. What started off as a way of continuing events over the lockdown-period is now predicted to be the main method of networking (Forbes). This is due to being much more cost effective and now many businesses are used to this way of working. Digital is the future and if you can host your own online events within your own desk-space then you should use this to your advantage.
Live Videos
Another feature that we are starting to see built in to social media platforms is live streaming. This is an instant way of connecting to other people via social media, on Facebook and Instagram this is an integrated feature and has many advantages. It boosts brand awareness significantly, 17% of companies use live video as a part of their social marketing strategy. Live videos emphasise the brand personality and maximise customer engagement. If you want to be an in the moment brand, this strategy is for you.
Interactive Content
Interactive content is where the consumer is required to engage with your brand, usually through your website. In a world where content is more important than ever, it is key to incorporate some form of interactive content into your website. There are various forms of interactive content that can be installed into websites such as polls, quizzes, calculators and forms. This can be even more useful as by using surveys it gains further audience insights. 81% of marketers agree that interactive content is much more effective at grabbing people’s attention than static content.
Talk to Us
Stone Create are committed to making the most out of your business staying up to date with the latest trends. If this post was interesting to you and you want to utilise these trends into your strategy, contact us today.
