2015 has arrived and presents a fantastic opportunity to assess current digital marketing efforts, determine what’s working and what isn’t and make a plan for the new year. With this in mind, Website Design Centre has collated a comprehensive list of what you need to know about digital marketing into 2015.
1. A new reality and wearable technology
2015 digital marketing efforts will be focused on closing the gap between online and offline. With the introduction of more and more wearable technology, businesses will need to determine how they will meet the changing needs of their audience.
2. Market Analytics will grow
Spending on market analytics is expected to increase by 60% throughout 2015 and with good reason. Audiences now demand customised offering from businesses and one way for businesses to stay on top of this is with marketing automation technology. This technology means the while marketing data becomes crucial, it will also become easier and faster. Marketing automation technology is on track to grow by 50% next year.
3. Content Marketing
The importance of content marketing will continue to grow, particularly as marketers abandon traditional marketing and even traditional digital marketing, and focus on creating more inspiring and more relevant content. Quality content in 2015 will be copy that pays more attention to the customer experience.
4. More videos
Videos will continue to grow in popularity in 2015 – particularly ‘explainer videos’, those which introduce your product or service and explain it directly, easily to your market.
5. Personalisation is key
Consumers expect it so businesses will need to deliver it – personalisation will continue to lead the growth of 1-to-1 marketing. You may have 1000s of potential customers but they will all want to feel special and not like a number.
6. Length will become more important
The value and the length on content will be more crucial than ever before for effective SEO. With Google updates such as Panda 4.0 and PayDay 2.0 aimed at reducing the ranks of low quality content, businesses that want to maintain or grow their rankings will need longer content items. 200 words is considered ‘thin content’ and could do more harm than good.
7. Storytelling
Visual storytelling will be needed in 2015 as a way to communicate you brand’s mission, and philosophy. Stories will need to inspire emotion, send a concise message, help define your brand and encourage a movement.
8. Online advertising
More money will be spent on online advertising in 2015 – in fact it is set to increase by as much as 10% globally. And mobile advertising alone is set to increase by a massive 48%. This trend is understandable considering that this advertising allows organisation to precisely target specific user groups.
9. Mobile continues to grow
Not surprisingly, mobile responsiveness will continue to grow as consumers continue their love affair with all manner of mobile devices – smartphones, wearable technology and tablets.
10. Micro-targeting & Hyper-segmentation
Understanding your market and targeted them and their needs specifically will continue to grow in popularity. With research showing that targeted adverts are twice as effective you can see why. It is also important not to underestimate the power of the retargeted display advert. Retargeted display ads – those specifically designed to target those that have already viewed your site or added to a shopping cart without completing a transaction – can inspire 1000% more people to search for this product than through other forms of online advertising.
To kick start your digital marketing for 2015, contact the team at Website Design Centre today.
