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Digital trends driving the marketing industry

Regina Pazvakavambwa
By Regina Pazvakavambwa, ITWeb portals journalist.
Johannesburg, 23 Nov 2017
Tanya Demmer, marketing manager at Raizcorp.
Tanya Demmer, marketing manager at Raizcorp.

Cutting-edge technology is forcing digital marketers to find innovative, impactful and exciting ways to engage with consumers.

This is according to Tanya Demmer, marketing manager at Raizcorp, who said mobile devices, video and personalised messages are driving a change in the digital marketing space.

Demmer noted high-quality video is one of the best way to communicate a message with an audience. Content on video has to be both interactive and visual, she added.

As video's quality improves, it is going to play a big role in digital marketing. Marketers need to become smarter about the types of videos they are playing. For example, On YouTube, a brand needs to find a way to communicate its message effectively during the five seconds window, before users are given an option to skip the advert."

Another trend that is becoming important for marketers is tailoring content to suit the mobile platform. According to Smart Insights, mobile marketing is one of the top-rated digital marketing techniques in 2017.

Demmer said in SA mobile has become the first screen used by consumers to find information. However, she pointed out a lot of brands don't design their Web sites with 'mobile first' in mind.

"In the past people used to look at mobile as the second screen, with TV as the first. But that has changed - more people are consuming content using their phones." Therefore, it is important that when brands design their campaigns, they prioritise their content to be mobile friendly, she added.

Also, Demmer pointed out that that although chatbots are relatively new in SA, they offer an interesting opportunity for marketers in SA. Marketers need to make sure that the chatbots are engaging, personal and fun for the user. "As 2018 approaches, I would like to see marketers become more creative with technologies like chatbots."

"Many brands don't get that they have to make the content interesting enough to hold a users' interest. People's attention span has become as short as a goldfish's - so an advert has literally about five to six seconds to hold their attention."

With so many social platforms to choose from, it is becoming harder for brands to catch consumer's attention, said Demmer. As a result, it has become more important for marketers to understand what their consumers need so they can tailor their content to it, she added. The more engaging, creative and fun the content, the more widely consumers will click on it."

While personalised content has previously been in the limelight, the forecast for 2018 highlights the significant role of personalised content in successful marketing strategies, says Smart Insights. Not only is personalised content effective in maintaining customer loyalty, but it also boasts a degree of tech know-how which can win over potential consumers, it says.

Digital trends not only inform business owners on how to improve their content marketing efforts, they also allow entrepreneurs to explore new concepts and ideas, says Smart Insights.

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