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You’re always looking for more ways to optimize your website, understand your target market, and outrank the competition.
But are you using last year’s digital marketing strategy to make it happen? Chances are, you’re not going to get the results you deserve.
It’s time to update your strategy for the new year.
In this post, we’re sharing some of 2019’s biggest trends in digital marketing with you.
Whether you want to learn how to write better blog content, master influencer marketing, or just understand what “local” really means in 2019, read on to understand how to make your marketing strategy better than ever.
1. The Artificial Intelligence Takeover
This is on the top of nearly every list about trends in digital marketing for a reason.
In 2019, harnessing the power of artificial intelligence to understand consumer behavior and analyze buying patterns is non-negotiable.
In short?
Anything that a customer does on your website can and should be tracked.
AI ensures you offer customers better buying suggestions, helps you to segment your audience, and even allows you to identify new streams of revenue.
AI will also begin to play a larger role in customer service. Integrating things like chatbots will guide consumers through natural sales funnels and ensure they get the products they’re most likely to be satisfied with.
2. Influencer Marketing Is No Longer Optional
This year’s marketing trends are all about segmentation and niche marketing.
In a nutshell, consider making your content conversion-focused, as opposed to just getting the highest number of views or likes possible.
This is why it seems like there are more influencers than ever before — because markets are more specific than they’ve ever been in the past.
Influencer marketing helps you find the shortcut to getting your content in front of the people who are the most likely to buy it.
Connect with influencers — people with large social media followings — within your industry, and ask them to promote your products.
This tells your market two main things. First, it proves that you “know the right people.” But more importantly, it shows that influencers feel your products/services have value.
Make sure you keep studying up on the latest social media tips to ensure that you don’t become a victim of your favorite platform’s new algorithm.
3. A Pivot to Video Marketing
It’s no secret that more and more companies are choosing to focus less on written content and more on video marketing.
And while you certainly shouldn’t make the mistake of eliminating written content altogether, you can’t afford to neglect video marketing any longer. The trick is to ensure that you take the same care in developing an SEO strategy for your videos that you do for written content.
Things like your video description, the video title, and even the closed captions are all places where you can sneak in keywords.
You should also make sure that you get as specific as possible when it comes to categorizing your videos. Don’t just rely on one broad category that’s related to your industry. Categorize according to the type of video, the video length, and include as many tags as is possible.
4. Hyperlocal Marketing
If you want to get 2019’s trends in digital marketing right, you have to think hyperlocally.
Yes, you read that right. Local SEO is no longer targeted enough (remember, extreme market segmentation is all the rage right now.) Instead, you have to think even smaller.
As opposed to including the name of your city and state in your keyword phrases, you need to include your street name, nearby landmarks or tourist attractions, and even the names of other non-competitor businesses around you.
The goal here is to attract mobile searchers who are already in your local area and looking for things to do.
5. SEO for Voice Search
Another one of the most innovative digital marketing trends you can’t afford to ignore is optimizing your marketing strategy — particularly as it relates to keyword phrases — for voice search. In fact, about 40% of people conduct at least one voice search per day.
So, how can you make sure you’re not missing out on this section of your market?
When you develop a keyword strategy, start using longer phrases. Additionally, consider the way people speak as opposed to type.
For example, “flower shop Baltimore MD” isn’t exactly a phrase someone will say out loud. But something like, “What is the best same-day delivery flower shop in Baltimore?” is.
Lengthen your keyword phrases, and include a few keywords in question format, as well. Know the most common questions that users ask in relation to your business.
Then, create short and sweet content that answers those questions. This will help to make it more likely that your content gets read out loud to consumers when they conduct a search.
In addition to helping you to get more clicks and conversions, that will also establish your brand as an industry authority.
2019’s Trends in Digital Marketing: Wrapping Up
We hope that this post on 2019’s biggest trends in digital marketing has you seriously rethinking a few of your outdated strategies.
Remember to optimize your content for voice searches, develop better video marketing, and embrace the opportunities that AI has to offer.
Of course, the tips on this list are only some of the things you need to take into consideration if you want to outrank the competition.
From developing a more user-focused web design to understanding why website loading speed is so important, we’re here to teach you everything you need to know about digital marketing.
Keep checking back with us for up-to-the-minute tips on how to make sure your website does your business justice.
