Live video, stories, and captioned video have all made a splash in 2017 when it comes to reaching audiences and building brands. But, the world is constantly changing, and a marketers work is never done. Because we recently covered the SEO Trends that you should watch out for in 2018, we decided we should also cover the marketing trends that will be valuable in the coming year.
So, before you commit to Snapchat or decide that your events can all be digital this year, take a second to check out a few of the marketing trends taking over in 2018 (and a few things that are on their way out).
In 2017, Instagram announced approximately 800 million people use the platform each month. Their stories became more popular than Snapchat just one year after going live, and they’re officially on their way to becoming a more valuable channel than Facebook.
Brands tend to see better engagement on Instagram than Facebook, and at the rate they are going, nearly half of all Instagram users will be using stories by the end of 2018.
So, if you’re not already using Instagram stories to promote your brand and encourage users to interact with you, you should be. Â
Live Events
We’re not talking Facebook Live, people (but also don’t discount live streaming!). Actual live events, where people are invited to show up in person, are quickly becoming one of the most popular marketing techniques. Google, Airbnb, and Salesforce are all doing it and if you have the capacity, so should you. Live events are a great chance to get existing customers, prospective customers, and anyone else that could help you grow your business under one roof.
A mixer, a workshop, a networking event, they’re all a chance to show your worth, meet new people and acquire new customers (and have a drink or two!). Â
Mobile Video
Not to sound like a broken record…or broken video…but if you’re not getting on the video train, you’re missing out. But, hold up, it’s not enough to just do video. That video needs to be mobile-optimized. In 2018, video consumption is expected to grow by 25%, but consumption on laptops and desktops is expected to drop for the first time…well, ever.
If you don’t have a video team or are on a budget, live video is a great place to start.
Goodbye Twitter?
It’s not gone yet, but Twitter is struggling. While Instagram continued to vest Facebook and Snapchat, Twitter is falling behind them all. It might be the President’s favorite social media channel (maybe that’s why it’s failing?), but it’s not gaining any new users. Because it ignored platform improvements in order to focus on user acquisition, users have left to find greener pastures (and platforms that actually let you edit posts). Unless something changes for the little blue bird, 2018 will hold the same pattern.
Goodbye Gated Content
It used to be that gated content (content you could only get by entering your email or some sort of contact information) was a great way to gather leads. Today, some of the biggest brands, including Hubspot and Zendesk, are un-gating their content and focusing on a stronger organic search presence.
There are too many things to watch out for and we have other things to do, like drink wine and play in the snow, but we love to talk about marketing so be sure to reach out!
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