#7 Changes to Look Out for Digital Marketing in 2017 Brands across the globe have become a part of this transformation and the shift in marketing budgets validates this remark.
By Atul P Singh
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A new year is on the way and it is coming up with endless possibilities. Digital marketers across the globe are embracing themselves for a challenging year ahead. With an emergence of mobile &Internet and its adoption by the users has enforced Digital Marketing to replace traditional marketing techniques. Brands across the globe have become a part of this transformation and the shift in marketing budgets validates this remark.
Below are a few major changes that we will see on the Digital Marketing front:
Evolving Social Media
Yes, social media has matured now and so are the marketers. Brands have understood the concept and now they are all geared up to deal with the grown up lad. Social media will no longer remain another "advertising platform'. Brands have realized that how potent this marketing tool is, in terms of spreading and tackling menace, both. Social Media has emerged as a robust "Feedback' platform that could possibly dent your brand's image and if used "positively', it can help brand in evolving. Responding to the issues and making "clients' feel privileged should be the real optimistic approach of the brands on social media handles.
Googling with "Google'
Internet Marketing has become an integral component of the Digital Marketing bouquet. With Google getting more serious about its business in terms of "Revenues', experts have to be smart enough with SEO techniques. Blending SEO activities with adwords will play a crucial role in creating a good reputation and identity of a brand. Unethical practices to bring quick results will be a big "No' for the brands and even marketers will remain watchful towards their approach. You certainly can't get it all without spending from your wallet. A blend of organic and paid Internet Marketing will be the core success element.
Influencers V/S Engagement
In the past, marketers have placed a huge bet over "Influencers' in order to grab their "audience' from their follower's bouquet. Needless to say, many of them have failed terribly. The growing social media has brought new challenges for the marketers. From fake profile and followers to unexpectedly low "engagement', marketers need to understand and address the issue. An influencer with a colossal follower list, not necessarily means a successful campaign. For eg. Mr.Modi being one of the most influential political figures of the country has over 2.5 Cr. followers on his twitter account. However, if we track his last 15-20 tweets, re-tweets and likes, then they are shockingly low. Avg. RT & Like percentage on his tweets are only around .01% & .04% respectively.
Marketers need to be very sure about the engagement that an influencer can probably pull without getting lost in those gigantic figures.
Dethroning of "King' - Content
A lot has been said, discussed about the content domination in the digital marketing era. However, content will continue to show its supremacy but it will surely compensate its shine with the surge of organic v/s paid digital marketing. Every social media platform, influencers & Internet at large is pushing the paid content. They have become serious about the "revenues' and by restricting the organic outreach; they are ensuring that the brands "splurge' money to promote their content. No matter how outstanding or "genuine' your content is, you will have to struggle with the organic reach. Beating the heat, marketers need to be smart about their choices and selection of platforms in order to push their content.
More & More of Tech
Technology is leading everywhere. With similarly identical working models, the industry is struggling with "Fresh' ideas. As always, the technology will come to rescue but of course with a "price tag'. The innovation of chat bots and its integration in the module will ensure lesser human interference and terrific client servicing. Chatbots will also be used as a great marketing idea that players would love to flaunt. And this is just an example.
Emergence of Video Marketing
As expected, the year 2017 will be another booming year for Video Marketing. In India, the adoption of smartphones and internet has opened a virgin pool of potential customers for marketers. With substantial content, video marketing could really turn eyeballs for the brand and we have seen that in the past as well. This year, the brands and marketers will multiply their budgets for this form of marketing. They will focus more on communicating their offerings through "video'.
Bye Bye – Text
Advancing instant messaging apps like Whatsapp has bid-adieu the text marketing. With most active user base, platform like Whatsappis a new eye candy for marketers and they would certainly like to leverage the potential. If rumors are to be believed, Whatsapp will probably introduce an option for "Commercial Messaging', which will surely emerge as another marketing platform.
In a nutshell, this New Year will be a year of transformation. Being optimistic and challenging the conventional marketing ways while analyzing the results, will surely help brand marketers and their organizations to thrive in the year 2017.
