9 trends that will redefine Digital Marketing in Trinidad and Tobago in 2018
Digital marketing has changed the way brands reach their audiences and as new trends enter the marketplace, marketers need to pay attention or be left behind. The digital marketing of tomorrow builds on advancements in emerging technologies as consumers demand a more engaging experience.
The marketing industry in Trinidad and Tobago is substantially behind current global trends but it’s not too late to close the gap in planning for next year’s marketing strategy. Here are nine trends that I believe will shine the most on the local front in the new year.
1. Real-time Marketing and Memes
Real-time marketing is marketing created on the fly by focusing on current, relevant trends and immediate feedback from customers, instead of creating a marketing plan in advance and executing it according to a fixed schedule. In 2017, Carib, KFC, and White Oak were all on the ball adding their voice to the conversation of trending topics.
If you want your brand to be more engaged with current trends, the easiest way into the conversation might be a light-hearted meme.
2. Ephemeral Content aka Stories
Ephemeral content is known for its feature of lasting for short periods of time, usually lasting 24 hours from the initial posting. Stories on Instagram and Snapchat were used around the world to promote brands. From tutorials, sneak peeks, and more, stories were used on the daily as a creative marketing tool. It’s safe to say it has been fully accepted as a new channel to distribute content.
Ephemeral content is here to stay, so if your audience includes an active and fast-paced segment why not include it in your organisation’s marketing mix? It is inexpensive, authentic, and can result in great engagement with your most dedicated followers.
3. GIFs and Cinemagraphs
The entertainment value of GIFs is pretty obvious, but for the past years, brands have recognized its business value as well. According to Reuters, more than 84% of communication in 2018 will be visual so don’t be surprised if you start seeing more and more brands using GIFs as an essential part of their Social Media strategy.
Cinemagraphs, the latest evolution of the animated GIF, are still images with minor elements moving in them. A cinemagraph is an effective way to tell a story through an image that incorporates a bit of looped motion, this makes a simple photo more realistic by bringing it to life. If you’re interested in experimenting with cinemagraphs, I highly suggest using Cinemagraph Pro by Flixel. It’s feature-rich and easy to use, allowing you to focus on your creativity without being burdened by laborious editing.
4. Influencer Marketing & the emergence of the Micro-Influencer
Over 90 percent of marketers who employ an influencer marketing strategy believe it is successful. Companies like Nescafe Dolce Gusto, VIVA, and Universal Cereals use social media–based influencer marketing strategies to connect with new audiences and improve engagement with existing audiences. Next year, it is likely that more brands will embrace influencer marketing as a way to connect with audiences who tend to ignore traditional strategies.
However, for some brands, spending thousands of dollars for a sponsored post is just not in the budget. This gave rise to a market for smaller-scale online personalities with 1,000 to 10,000 followers to promote products with authentic, visual posts instead of sponsored ads.
What is essential is weaving in Confluence Marketing i.e. blending Content Marketing with Influencer Marketing as Millennials can spot a phony from a distance. Stay Authentic.
Regardless of the social media platform, there is an influencer out there who can spread your message and shape the story of your brand. Research how the biggest Influencers are weaving the brand story within their life. Apply that to micro-influencers, who you can catch early in their fame curve.
5. Video
Video has exploded in 2017 and there is more to come. Facebook and LinkedIn are now heavily promoting native Video i.e. Video created inside these platforms and hence the thrust on Live. Facebook has a stated aim of unseating YouTube as the leader in video. As a business, Video helps you in making real connections with your prospects and give more value to your existing customers.
What will increase in importance is Video SEO. Google is already working on enabling search for videos which will pick up content inside the video and not just the headlines and descriptors. With more people consuming and creating video content, the current text-based SEO will dramatically change.
6. Live Streaming
Live-streaming videos took off in 2016 and continued growing in 2017. Live video is more appealing to brand audiences. In fact, 80% would rather watch live video from a brand than read a blog, and 82% prefer live video from a brand to social posts. From Facebook to Instagram, live video lets brands engage with audience members in an unedited, authentic way. Smart marketers in 2017 took advantage of the trend and gained the attention of millions.
What was once a novel gimmick has become a mainstream part of social media. In 2018, more brands will begin to realize the power of live streaming and will incorporate it into their monthly content plans.
7. Augmented Reality
At the first-ever event hosted in the Steve Jobs Theater, Apple announced the iPhone 8 and the iPhone X. Both devices incorporate a new chip that allows the phones to provide users with extraordinary augmented reality experiences. While augmented reality will have its initial impact on mobile gaming, it is likely that social media platforms will find ways to incorporate the new technology as well. Facebook and Snapchat have already moved down this path by launching tools for developers to create AR effects.
In 2018, expect to see brands project their products through these special filters, allowing social media users take a selfie with a friend or celebrity projected via augmented reality.
8. 360-degree Video and Virtual Reality
It’s immersive, it’s interactive, and it’s everywhere. As our attention spans decrease, marketers are heavily relying more on creating video content. Once a niche technology for pioneering videographers, 360 video is now being used by all kinds of people/organisations to share immersive stories, extreme experiences and stunning locations. Estate agents, airlines and the hospitality industry are embracing 360 video to show off their goods, while journalists and educators are also experimenting with the format.
For now, the trend it is to watch 360 videos within web browsers on desktop computers, and via YouTube and Facebook on smartphones. The next step is watching 360 video using VR headsets like Google’s Daydream, Samsung’s Gear VR, Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, even PlayStation VR.
9. Chatbots
A chatbot is a program that conducts a conversation via auditory or textual methods. You must have seen them pop-up when you visit a website which sells digital information products. Chatbots bring urgency into the conversation and help in the speedy resolution of customer issues. We communicate instantly and there is no reason why companies should not do the same.
From support chatbots to social bots and beyond, the game surrounding customer activity is changing very rapidly in favor of automation. Facebook has led the charge by improving the messenger API. Don’t be surprised to see other social platforms follow in its path.
Clients who’ve become early adopters have seen huge success, and I see this becoming even more mainstream in 2018. Chatbots are here to stay and the faster businesses adopt them, the better they can hope to retain their customers.
To wrap it up, the immediate success of some of these trends will be heavily influenced by new technologies, platform evolutions and most importantly, the content that drives it. Nevertheless, many of these predictions are likely to come to pass.
