Mobile-First Tools & Resources
The Mobile-First Index has created an irreversible change to how Google crawls and indexes the web.
Learn more
Now that we’re midway through the year, it’s the perfect time to check in on the digital marketing trends that were predicted to dominate 2019.
As business owners and marketing professionals, it’s important to stay informed about the latest and biggest trends in order to make strategic adjustments to your digital marketing strategy.
This blog will look at five predictions from the start of the year and see how each trend is performing so far. Find out what’s been slower to take off than expected and learn what you can still incorporate into your marketing strategy moving forward.
1. Mobile-first
Media consumption on mobile devices is expected to hit a milestone this year by surpassing the amount of time people spend watching traditional TV by 8 minutes.
We’re still waiting to see whether smartphones and tablets will overtake TV as the top source for entertainment. However, a study from April found that the time spent watching mobile video content is growing faster than any other form of media.
2. Voice search
With consumers increasingly opting for convenience, a shift towards voice search seems like the natural progression. The affordability and rapid adoption of voice-enabled smart devices, such as smartphones and Google Assistants, suggest an increase in voice-assisted shopping and searching.
Despite this, a recent study revealed that 46% of respondents never use voice search, with only 29% reporting to be daily or weekly users of the feature. While the rise of voice search is inevitable, it appears that it’s not being embraced as quickly as expected especially within the Australian market.
3. Video marketing
Live streaming and video content on Instagram and Facebook continue to be game-changing. Facebook rolled out new editing and resizing tools for its Video Creation Kit this month, including a save draft feature, which indicates a greater push towards video marketing.
Despite its low production costs, this type of video content offers real-time engagement and feedback. Live video continues to connect brands with their audience in a natural and authentic way. If you’re not including or prioritising video content as part of your digital marketing strategy, now is the time to start.
4. Social media
As your business grows, it’s necessary to find ways to effectively manage customer enquiries in a timely manner. Chatbots are emerging as a reliable resource for online communication and are expected to make up 85% of customer service interactions by the end of the year.
Helpful and proactive conversations in real-time are key to improving customer service and satisfaction. If you’re a consumer-facing business without a chatbot on your site, you may be turning away potential customers.
5. Machine learning and AI
As expected, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is continuing to shape the future of personalisation in marketing and customer engagement. Machine learning, a form of AI, uses data enrichment to predict customer behaviours and present personalised recommendations for users.
Digital marketers can use this technology to create more detailed customer profiles and improve accuracy in measuring ROI. This is certainly a useful trend to keep watching throughout the year.
What are your thoughts on how these digital marketing trend predictions have turned out so far? Let us know.