The digital space is a robust and ever-evolving resource for companies who are seeking to reach their clients. In a space that’s constantly changing, it’s important to keep up-to-date on the latest news and trends in the industry. But what could be even better than keeping up-to-date? Trying to get ahead of the curve.
We aren’t fortunetellers, but we’re pretty darn familiar with the digital space. Here are our top predictions for digital trends and updates in 2019.
1. Internet Video Killed the Television Star
…or something like that.
For the first time ever, internet videos will surpass hours of media watched on television. In fact, according to a 2017 study by Pew Research, 61% of young adults watch video content online, a trend that has only continued to increase this year.
With all that YouTube, Netflix, and Twitch streaming, consumers are beginning to ignore traditional television advertisements, simply because they don’t use their TV sets anymore. Throughout 2019, we can expect that even more people will be turning away from their televisions in favor of internet media outlets.
2. The Rise and Fall of Social Platforms
It’s hard to deny that social media platforms are a huge part of our daily lives, but it’s important to remember that even platforms have lifecycles.
A report from Forbes hinted at some pretty concerning trends for Instagram and its sister platform, Facebook in the upcoming year. Meanwhile, platforms like Twitter continue to be frontrunners for customer interaction.
If the reports are right, this time next year, we might have some new big names in social media, and some old heroes that are slowly fading into the distance. But don’t worry! We aren’t ready to give up our Instagrams up yet, either. It’s just a trend to definitely keep an eye on.
3. The Value of Visual Search
Platforms like Pinterest and Google have begun to incorporate native visual search functions in advertisements and search results. This means that when someone finds a picture of a vase, if they love that vase, they can hunt it down on the internet and hopefully purchase it.
This is huge for advertisers, because it means that every piece of visual content becomes another opportunity to gain consumers’ attention and to generate a potential sale. This has been incredibly effective so far, meaning that other platforms will likely be adopting it in the future. That’s just one more opportunity for companies to really leave a lasting impression.
4. The Importance of Authenticity
Social media and digital users are more savvy than ever when it comes to picking out what is and isn’t an advertisement. As technology continues to integrate deeper into our daily lives, this trend is likely to continue.
It can be tricky to advertise to an audience that is all too aware that it’s a target. A lot of consumers are turned off by that sort of content, which is why it’ll be more important than ever to be transparent and very real in 2019. People love to interact with brands that play it honest and have an organic personality.
5. Advertising in Virtual Reality
It’s the twenty-first century, and that means that some advertisements are best presented in realities outside of our own. Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) advertising has picked up in the past few years.
This surge of AR advertising is partially due to platforms like Snapchat lowering the price of AR filters. As prices continue to go down, these advertising formats become more attainable for more companies, meaning that we’re likely to see a slew of new AR ads in the year to come.
Expect to see more businesses with programs that allow customers to try out or visualize products in their surroundings before they buy. These highly-personalized experiences are hard to recreate elsewhere, making AR an important medium to keep an eye on.
Want to make sure you’re effectively reaching your customers on digital platforms? That’s what we’re here for. Instead of handling the hassle of 2019 trends on your own, let us take care of it. Contact us today to set up a time when we can get a drink and chat.
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