Marketing and technology never stop evolving, and we’ve learned to enjoy the continual exciting happenings. Nobody could ever have predicted the invention of Google Glass, mobile apps that smell like bacon (yes, seriously!) or the fact that Facebook will take over the world. Well, almost… It’s trying hard to do so. Here are 8 crazy, cool breakthroughs that we expect to see impacting web marketing during 2014:
1) Content Marketing
Blogging is going to continue to be the primary method of generating new leads. Through the creation of quality content that you publish regularly, you’ll be able to:
- Drive website traffic
- Target customers in particular niches
- Grow your thought leadership and expert reputation in your industry
- Speak directly to your target market
- Present special offers and promotions to your dedicated followers without spending a fortune
- Build your online profile and get found
The way to win the content race is going to be by paying closer attention to the quality of your content, because Facebook is already cracking down on spammy, low-quality material just as Google did. Expand your content horizons by including video, audio and images in your mix, to capitalize on the various trends we see forming for the year.
2) SEO
We’ve seen several changes to SEO the past year or so, such as the increased influence of social media on the process. At one time, optimizing your website for search had nothing to do with social networking. That’s not the case any longer!
Now, the more often your content is shared on social media, the more likely it is to be featured in the search engine results pages (SERPs)! So it no longer hangs on your usage of keywords, which means you can’t necessarily control how well you do.
3) Social Networking
Social networking affects pretty much everything these days, ranging from boosting searchability by serving as a stamp of approval for content of value (think: social shares) to providing credibility for your profile (think: Google authorship). In spite of Facebook and Twitter’s comfortable lead, Google Plus is growing at the speed of light.
Industry commenters believe that having a profile on G+ is going to outpace Facebook and at some point we’ll see it reach a critical mass as the majority migrates over to it. We’re not sure that’s quite on the cards for this year as yet, but anything’s possible. Google+ does offer advantages for search thanks to its connection with the search giant, and with promoted posts set to launch in 2014 you’ll be able to reach more people than you could previously. G+ works with AdWords so you can target your audience very narrowly. This means you’ll need to personalize your content marketing as much as possible to get the right sort of attention from users and decent marketing ROI.
With all this activity in the social sphere, sharing is going to be really big news. This is great for getting your content out there, but the higher levels of competition mean it could be challenging, too. You’ll also be under pressure to make that content mobile-friendly, unless you want to lose business to your competition over the fact.
4) Mobile Usage
Mobile isn’t new, but what’s about to happen is going to be mind blowing. Experts predict that 2014 will be the year of mobile devices, and that by the end of the year mobile Internet will outpace desktop browsing. And with more than 50% of consumers using mobile devices to access retail shopping sites, if your website isn’t optimized for the platform, then you’re missing out. Companies will need to catch up quickly and switch to a responsive design, create mobile apps and serve up emails that can be viewed on a phone without losing integrity.
Existing, passive mobile apps that need human interaction to operate will be out, replaced by active apps that will work on their own to help us—without requiring the same level of input.
5) eCommerce
Payment options threaten to really take off this year, with Bitcoin merely a forerunner of what’s to come. One thing’s for sure: you’ll no longer need PayPal or services by your bank to make payments. Peer-to-peer payments will happen without the involvement of large financial service providers, and will be based on tokens or credits.
And with Amazon spearheading the investigation into the use of drones to deliver packages, online shopping will no longer be the sole reserve of the affluent few who have credit cards and a fixed home address.
6) Gadgets
Hi-tech gadgets such as the aforementioned Google Glass, wearable technology such as watches and fitness timers, iPod shuffles and other musical equipment are becoming all the rage. Other aspects of exciting gadgetry include smart home systems that control access, lighting, temperature and equipment 24/7, which will take much of the drudgery out of our daily lives. Hybrid or electric vehicles will tune themselves and download software updates, just like your laptop currently does.
7) Client Service
Client service is set to soar to new heights with the possibilities on the table. The availability of big data gives companies the chance to customize your experience so completely that it becomes a personal event. This will completely revolutionize client service.
Jobs will come looking for employees instead of vice versa. Television viewing options will be based on your preferences and you’ll no longer need to sift through everything. Online dating will deliver near-perfect matches, and education both in and outside the classroom will be geared towards your learning speed and abilities.
8) Advertising
Ad retargeting is another area where big data comes into play, because collection of information has become so simple online. This enables advertisers to track a user’s activities and page views and serve up ads that relate to items they previously searched for. So if you don’t get them on the swings you’ll get them on the roundabout, because repeated exposure builds trust and familiarity. This is especially true when you see the same product featured again and again across a range of sites, which is what retargeting does for the advertiser.
9) Thought Leadership
With companies such as LinkedIn boosting the status of “influencers” in the market, this is the dawning of the age of authority on topic. Subject matter experts are prized by industry for their knowledge; barely-known bloggers rise to fame in a matter of blog posts, and brand ambassadors are prized across the world. Promote your power users and make them into thought leaders for your industry.
Fast forward to a future where web marketing will look very different from the way it did a year or two ago. Possibly even different from the way it looks right now. Would you really want it any other way? We thought not.
