Five Big Trends for Digital Communications in 2015
I. PR and corporate communications could be the key driver of digital transformation if they act solid and brave. It’s a huge topic in organizations; they just need to pick it up.
“Digital transformation” was a big media topic in 2014. But for 2015 it’s time to really drive this transformation strategically and operationally. Processes and all things around “industry 4.0” are already evolving, but now communications needs to move in. Both internal and external communications are becoming a key success factor to digital transformation. PR should sit in the driver seat to bring all activities together.
I’m pretty sure that those agencies and internal teams will be successful that are bold and competent. They need to show that they really got the skills needed and that they really know what they are talking about regarding digital transformation. Bullshit is over.
II. The over exaggeration in last year’s content marketing efforts will lead to a roll back in 2015. Online magazines to be launched will be much closer to the topics and goals of the brands and companies behind them. Transparency and a clear set of goals will rule.
With content marketing being the hot shit buzzword in communications a lot of magazines have gone online that are not coining anything into the overall communications goals. Most of them seem even a bit silly in retrospective. 2015 no company will buy an idea just because it’s labeled “content marketing”.
In contrary we will see a bunch of programs with crystal clear messaging and real business KPI to work against. Niche magazines and inventory for small and precise audiences will evolve. Just more of the same is no concept for 2015 anymore. And –odd it’s needed to be said again– just to build up inventory to put your own banners on it instead of using existing inventory for this purpose, doesn’t sound like a financially intelligent concept anyway.
III. PR will become more journalistic again, part of it because advertising is using more and more PR mechanics. Both due to the reason that digitalization of communications is finally completed.
To be honest, the process of digitalization in communications is over. It’s done. No need to talk about it anymore in 2015. Sure there are still some hurting symptoms of the transision- but in their heart all know that it’s done. Period.
During the past few years of transition all sub-categories of communications seemd to converge to each other, fighting about influence in the digital space. 2015 they will start to dissolve and differentiate.
Especially PR will start to be visible again and refocus on its strategic strength. Refocus on what to add to the communications mix, as are performance marketing or community engagement. The age of convergence will be replaced by a time of working together and cooperation without blurring the lines between expertises. Digital is part of everything so we will stop fighting about it. At least the part of our industry that wants to thrive.
IV. Wearables will be the biggest flop of 2015. 3D printers will be a commercial hit and backbone of several communications campaigns as more and more homes and offices will see 3D printers.
As you remember, Google Glass has been a total flop in 2014. It’s pretty obvious that wearable internet access devices will be as unsuccessful. Of course more and more parts of our clothing and body periphery will connect digitally, but not as a user interface. Wearable user interfaces are the dream of science fiction of the 60s. And that might be a reason why they are developed now that it’s possible. But being able to build wearables says nothing about potential. I bet they will flop big time.
Communications would be smart not to engage too deep with these toys but to embrace the real technology trend 3D printing. Long before it’s a real business model in a broader industry it is already now a field for creative and innovative ideas for brands to communicate and interact with their customers and fans.
V. Ephemeral Media will be THE big trend in digital communications (Yo, Snapchat etc).
If we talk about overall web trends I’m by far the most excited about ephemeral media. New concepts of interaction and content have come from these services. Both Snapchat and Yo are heavily investing in new features and their ecosystem. They set up a whole new environment for (mostly) younger, mobile audiences to interact and share media. Be it music, information, localizing features or links– combined with non-permanent, ephemeral signals there have been evolving new challenges and new chances for mainly mobile communications. Especially the lately discovered investments of Snapchat in music or paying features are showing the direction where this new form of non-search-indexed media is going.
Ephemeral media is becoming the third web right now — accompanying the “search-web” and the “Facebook-web”. The non-searchable non-shareable ephemeral web is a new infrastructure of digital communications. Who ever is doing great stuff in ephemeral media 2015 will lead the innovative and creative front. I bet we will see a lot of stunts from agencies here.
