Don’t be Nokia, be like Samsung.

Change is the only constant on earth and it’s an age old saying that this world supports the survival of the fittest. So what relevance does this have with business in our day-to-day life? It does. The best example is Nokia. Just like it played safe all along and never adapted to change in any form, it had to be taken over, whereas Samsung did exactly the opposite. It foresaw the upcoming trends and made its business adaptable to it and is ruling the market like a pro. Surprising? Not really.

The world of online marketing is no different. There is vast difference in technology today than it was two years back. The world changes every Goddamn day. So keeping up with the latest trends and experimenting the new ones is the key to success. In this light, let’s see the upcoming trends in digital marketing that are to rule the market in the coming year 2017.

1.   Video ads will rule the advertisement world– Many business have accepted the fact that video ads cash in more profits than the alternatives. Video advertising has and will continue to change the entire spectrum of online advertising and Google is entering the fray with in-SERP video advertising. 2016 taught the digital marketers the lesson that video ads are getting increasingly accepted and has become the new trend in the advertisement sector.

2.    Mobile will dominate over other screens – If you have been carefully following the SEO based Google rankings, you would have noticed that Google prioritizes those links that are optimized for mobiles along with other devices. Got the hint? The hand held devices have become more important than ever, and placing ads in them is the number one way to reach your customers in less time. Mobile search and optimization has already established its importance and it will continue to grow in 2017.

3.    Accept the reality of ‘Augmented Reality’– Missing Pokémon Go? It’s limited time presence taught the marketers some very important lessons. The users welcomed it with open arms and this is proof enough that the earning potential is tremendous. Don’t believe me? Know that Pokémon Go earned around $10 million in a single day at it’s peak. Don’t be surprised if more brands come up with ideas using Augmented Reality as their platform and attempt to capitalize on it.

4.    Live video Streaming will become mainstream– Gone are the days when recorded videos were played and people watched it with enthusiasm. Now, everything goes live. Users demand of more ‘in the moment’ experience, which gives them a view of an event happening despite them not being there. Big thanks to faster Internet that has made the world more connected and more open. Apps and platforms like Facebook allows it in the name of ‘live streaming’ functionality. USA’s presidential debate was streamed live this year and it attracted the attention of millions of viewers. 2017 is the year when the live video-streaming feature will fully take off to the best of its potential.

5.    Data Visualization is the new tool to look out for – You cannot deny the fact that data is the new oil. It’s the lifeblood of any marketer. Qualitative information is good. Quantitative is better. It tells you the what, when and why that is required to know a purchaser’s metrics. Large volumes of raw data in numeric form make it difficult for even the data analysts to draw a conclusion or monitor them. The advancement in technology has made it possible to analyze the data in a figurative manner using graphs, tables, and similar formats that makes visualization of data easier. Tools have been made that will interpret and analyze your data and those not willing to accept this change will be washed out of the market in no time.

6.    Influencer marketing– Ever realized how fast some channels and people get subscribers and followership’s on social media? Ever thought of how you as a marketer can make use of the audience those famous faces have gained over time? Well, influencer marketing is the hottest marketing trend that can prove beneficial to your business. Learn more about influencer marketing in this informative guide and how you can benefit from it in the coming year.

7.    Niche markets will become favorite targets for businesses – online marketing is spreading like wild fire. As the customers for online marketing remain more or less steady, large number of businesses are flooding in to tap this potential. This is the most relevant when viewed in the light of social media marketing domain. An accurate solution to get filtered from this crowd is to target a more specific niche that appeals to a narrower range of demographics and the topic should be more specific. This would result in companies opting for a narrower and personal level campaigns that are well targeted.

Conclusion

These are projected to be the hottest trends in 2017. Research about them well before applying them to your business. Use a strategy for their implementation or if you find them trending in the coming year, find ways to compensate and get on board for a joyous ride in the world of online marketing. So be the Samsung in your industry. Wish you a successful year ahead.

Roshni Dhal

Co-Founder- HighOn-M

She is a "Digital Marketing expert" having expertise in Search Engine Marketing (Google Adwords) & Social Media Marketing. She has helped 20+ brands to achieve their business objectives.

Digital Marketer

Reach out to me - WWW.ROSHNIDHAL.COM