The Digital Marketing Trends of 2019 You Can't Ignore Regardless of the size of your business you, too, can capitalize on these useful trends to help capture new leads and nurture existing customers while you're at it.

While you may think that advanced digital marketing tactics are only reserved for the "big guys," think again.

Regardless of the size of your business you, too, can use sophisticated features like automating processes, pixel tracking and analyzing data. Not only do these strategies help you stay ahead of the game, you can use them to capture new leads and nurture existing customers while you're at it. That is, if you have the latest products like an all-in-one business solution to ensure that your brand can implement these must-haves.

Let's unwrap the five digital marketing trends you simply can't ignore in 2019.

1. Instant messaging is the new norm for communication.

Consider how much of our life has shifted online, such as the ability to get a head start on your holiday gift shopping and cook something in the microwave, seamingly all at once. This fast-paced evolution has impacted everything, including the way you communicate with customers.

While initially reserved for only a few websites, a live chat feature has become something customers expect to see everywhere they turn online in 2019. When set up correctly—with automatic messages while you're away—it enables your business to welcome visitors 24/7, all while answering their questions, and ultimately, capturing leads.

Consider this: A survey conducted by Wix.com found that website owners who installed their chat feature saw an increase of 33 percent in online reservations and 39 percent in sales after just one month.

2. Prepare for Google's "micro-moments.'

Instant gratification has become a new standard for today's shoppers. This change in behavior can be credited to the highly functional computers we all carry around in our pockets. Whether smartphone users are looking for product reviews or comparing prices, they want their questions answered immediately.

These "I want-to-know," "I want-to-do," "I want-to-go," and "I want-to-buy" instants is what Google has coined as "micro-moments." What do these intent-rich queries mean for your business? You'll need to switch out your linear funnel for a real-time, instant approach. This can be achieved in a few ways:

Make the purchasing process easy: Offering your website's visitors a member login reduces the amounts of clicks needed to check out.

Answer every question: Whether it's a product tutorial or a support query, customers expect you to deliver useful and up-to-date answers. A blog and a knowledge base are the two most recommended assets to make sure your content is easily found on Google.

Optimize your website: Speaking of Google, you already know the importance of ranking well in search results. But you can take it one step further by gearing up your website with the SEO trends of 2019 to make sure your content shines at the top.

3. Take advantage of automated marketing.

As the name suggests, this trend is about using software to automate marketing processes. The most obvious—and yet, extremely efficient—examples include a "Thank You" message sent to clients every time a purchase is made. But much more complex processes can be automated, too.

By reacting to your customers every time they do something, it fosters a relationship to your brand, as it shows that you're responsive to them. As well, it helps attract and convert new customers but making sure no site visitor goes forgotten.

Ultimately, it helps you work faster and smarter. The good news is that advanced technology is now accessible to everyone, directly through your site.

4. Embrace video marketing.

Video marketing will continue to grow in 2019. The not-so-secret reason is due to the phenomenal engagement rate of videos in the online realm, whether they're displayed on websites, social media or video platforms (such as YouTube and Vimeo).

Studies have shown that 76 percent of marketers say video has helped their company increase sales. After all, we are all visual creatures. Whether you're creating captivating Instagram Stories or informational promo videos of your business or products, video is one trend you don't want to overlook.

5. Data is (finally) accessible to small businesses.

With the help of a powerful contact manager you, too, can now know everything about your visitors—from their last purchases to their browsing habits. This gives you the advantage of personalizing every aspect of their experience from the second they arrive on your site.

For example, knowing what page a visitor is currently viewing enables you to send them a coupon in real-time or promotion that's specifically targeted to their shopping experience. With the in-depth insights available from your data they will affect every aspect of your marketing, from the social posts your publish to the newsletters you send. Essentially, give the people what they want, when they want it.

Ready to implement these trends in 2019? Get started with Ascend by Wix, the all-in-one solution to help you start, promote and manage your business.