Do you feel like your marketing strategy is not as affective as it was before? Well that’s probably because it’s coming to the end of February and you’re stuck on last year’s marketing strategy. It’s about time for you to make a change. Marketing strategies have to evolve with society’s demand and these days its all about the technology and social media. So here’s a little glimpse at the latest marketing trends for 2017.

Influencer Marketing

 

The influence of social media is growing exponentially and it looks like it’s going to increase even more in the years to come. As social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook establish themselves in the industry, we also see a sharp rise in personalities on social media. Thus you should take advantage of the popularity of these social media influencers to advertise your products on these platforms. These influencers are typically having legions on followers who are attracted to their lifestyle on social media. Influencer marketing is on the rise because consumers typically trust recommendations from real people and especially those who they look up to.

 

Live streaming

 

With Facebook, Instgram and Youtube jumping into the live stream party, we know for sure this technology is going to play a big part in marketing this year. Many companies are using live streaming to interact directly with their followers. Live broadcasts are held to update their followers in real time on any events being carried out, to show sneak peeks of new products or even have a live Q&A session. Live streaming on these platforms including Periscope, allow followers to also interact directly with these companies which allows them to build a strong relations with the company. This would not only strengthen the loyalty of existing follower but could also attract more followers because if their upfront and sincere approach to interact with customers.

 

Chatbots

 

The chatbot technology has evolved greatly since its first inception. A good example is Facebook, who spends a lot of their resources into chatbot programs that provide its users with detailed updates, latest news and personalized responses etc. Chatbots are also good for your customer service. It allows you to reach to your customers who need help instantly by programming answers for frequently asked questions (FAQs). Therefore making it so much more convenient for your customers to receive help the moment they need it. It also allows you to automate you procedures and you wouldn’t need as people constantly answering the same queries raised by customers.

 

Purpose Driven Marketing

 

It is clear these days that many youths in society care a lot about giving back and contributing to their community or movements and charities in their country. Everyone loves the feel good element so it would be good for your company to extend your narrative and pair up with a non profit or charity! Companies that participate heavily in different NGOs or charities tend to have a stronger presence in the industry. Furthermore, it would attract a larger demographic of consumers who support the same charities or movements. Even if the marketing campaign doesn’t work out as well, then atleast you would have contributed to a purposeful cause.

 

Data Driven Marketing

 

Data Driven Marketing is where you can accurately point out what works for you and your company. It can be easy to spot trends on the Internet and in marketing however, not everything can be suited to your company. Accurate data will be able to point to you where exactly you need to be directing your marketing efforts. This will definitely improve the efficiency of your marketing plans and give you more returns. There are many tools that are available now for marketers to use such as Facebook’s conversion ratios for their ads and more importantly Google analytics. Make sure your team is proficient in collecting and analyzing data. With proper analysis, you can quickly tell what your next steps should be.

 

IOT

 

Internet of things is a technological development that keeps improving itself and coming up with crazy new ideas. A talking thermostat? A refrigerator that tells you when you’re low on milk? You name it, and the IOT community would’ve probably have made it. Every day objects are starting to connect to the internet as everyone looks to automate their lives. This trend is definitely one to look out for and it’ll create so much more opportunities for you and your company if you jump onboard. It’s important that you create a strong tech team with proficient developers and coders in order to remain competitive in this technology ridden world.

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