2017 is right around the corner. With every new year comes a new round of trends, technology, and advancements in a variety of fields and professions. So what will 2017 bring us? Here are our predictions for the marketing trends to look for in 2017.
1) Influencers will gain more power
Influencers come in all shapes and sizes. Whether you’re using your employees as the new brand ambassador or looking to outside sources to increase your brand visibility and awareness, influencers will become more important in 2017 than ever before. Why? Take a look at #2.
2) Organic reach will continue to decline
Every year, every month, almost, it seems like organic reach declines. As social media outlets try to focus less on brands and more on overall user experience, advertisements from multi-national and local businesses alike become more and more difficult to get in front of consumers. Brands will find more creative ways to get content in front of users, like native advertising, blogging, and brand ambassadors.
3) Experience will become more important
As marketers, we often forget what it’s like to be on the other side of the ad. The latest design trends or typefaces often take precedent over user experience, but that will surely change as younger generations—those who are more concerned with experience rather than getting a good deal—gain more purchasing power. Marketers will begin to simplify user experience, thinking more about the overall goal/s of a particular campaign or ad instead of worrying about awards or fancy paper types.
4) Video, video, video
The world of digital marketing is still in its infancy, but one thing’s for sure: video marketing is here to stay. Whether you’re producing short-form video for social media or longer length content that focuses on products or services for your website, video production will outpace other forms of content in marketing budgets for the upcoming year.
5) A bigger move towards mobile
As younger generations become a larger part of the workforce (and therefore gain a larger amount of purchasing power), the desktop becomes less and less relevant. Users now spend more time on mobile devices than they do at their computers, so it’s going to be increasingly important to develop ads that work in a mobile-first / desktop-second environment.
6) Social media will continue to change
2016 saw what some view as the demise of Twitter, the death of Vine, and the explosion of an out-of-nowhere social media giant, Snapchat. Social media has always been an interesting prospect ever since the first of the giants, MySpace, came and went. But startups and old standards like Facebook continue to create new ways for individuals to connect—and new ways for marketers to reach them. 2017 will no doubt see some new platforms arise and some old ones fall, so it’s important to remember not to jump on every single social bandwagon right from the start.
So what does all this boil down to? 2017 will be quite a year for marketers and consumers alike. It’s important to remember that your campaigns and strategies should always be ahead of the curve, so now is your time to start putting together your media and content strategies for the upcoming year.
But coming up with a solid media and content strategy isn’t always easy. Sometimes you need a hand in creating the perfect campaign and thinking of the best way to get it in front of an audience. That’s why we’re here. We stay ahead of the curve so you don’t have to. Click the button below to contact us and see what we can do to make 2017 your best year yet.