The industry is evolving faster than ever before
“In a nutshell, we’re living in a rapidly-changing world where ‘on the fly’ collaboration sessions involving voice, video, and data sharing are becoming commonplace,” Jeremy Cioara says of CBT Nuggets, a company devoted to technological advancements. “Executives and employees have their expectations set high when it comes to supporting collaborative communication within an organization.”
Wearable technology is becoming more advanced, everything is getting faster, reach is getting farther and understanding different cultures is becoming easier. Needless to say, the future of digital marketing is looking bright.
Every innovation you don’t take advantage of is an opportunity for your competitor to outrun you
As budgets are increasing for marketing departments, competitors are looking for top talent. In addition to staying on top of the latest technology, software and analytics, it’s important to have a digitally minded staff. Competitors know this, and will be taking advantage of every opportunity to expand their marketing department.
Trends shape markets, and kill businesses that don’t follow
You may not like avocados, politics or Facebook, but there are people out there that do. Although trends are just that – trends – sometimes it’s not bad to be a follower. Everyone is going with the flow, so why go against the currents? I’m not saying you have to be a mindless trend zombie, but gravitate towards what people are currently interested in. Yesterday it was The Harlem Shake. Today it’s videos of tiny food. Tomorrow it could be mass video chats/advertisements. Whatever the case may be, it’s all about what people love. Which leads into the next point…
Diversifying your services with new innovations will attract more people
Speaking of trends, why not make your own? Adobe digital marketing director John Watton says, “It’s not about a particular tool or system, it is about being curious about other possibilities because the tools we will use in two or three years time will be totally different from the ones we were using two years ago.”
Now, virtual reality headsets, talking refrigerators, and even talking cat collars are a thing. Unfortunately, there’s no magic “start a trend” button. It’s a matter of combining creative minds and researching past trends. A key factor in successful marketing trends is making it about real people. We’re reminded of a brilliant campaign by Coke a couple of years back.
Risk it to get the biscuit
Not every strategy is faultless. Not every tactic is going to be effective. Not every goal is going to be reached. However, if something as seemingly ridiculous as “Gangnam Style” can go viral on a global scale, nothing is off limits. Charles Wells, chief marketing officer at charity fundraising service JustGiving, commented, “The biggest challenge for the marketer of the future isn’t how do I get skilled up, but how do I get to fit into this machine and which cog am I going to try and be?”
