As 2015 is drawing to a close, it is time to start looking into 2016 and thinking about what it has in store for us. Your 2016 marketing plans and budgets are probably already signed off (well, you’ve made a start writing them anyway), but what are the trends that will shape your plan over the next 12 months?
Here are seven trends to look out for.
Story Telling: With so many different organisations releasing content onto their web and social platforms, standing out is difficult – but content that tells stories in digital are the most successful campaigns. Not easy depending on your industry, but this is the challenge.
Content ROI: Story telling is not the only challenge of content marketing. Content marketing has had a lot of support over the last couple of years and 2016 is the year that CEOs are going to be asking what do we actually get for all of this investment? Better get your story straight (pun intended).
Video in Social: First it was images that were powerful in social media, but now consumers have moved onto video. The old barriers of needing expensive equipment, a film crew, director, etc. are over – all you need is a mobile phone. And the rise of live streaming which started in earnest in 2015 offers a good opportunity to engage with a younger demographic.
Social Is Not Free: I know a lot of you will have used social media for free this year, but it is going to become increasingly difficult to have a social media marketing plan without a budget attached to it. Standout of messages is so tough on the major networks now that paid is almost becoming a default – achieving your social objectives without budget may already be a thing of the past.
Mobile and Local Combine: Google has been spending a lot of time thinking about local SEO and mobile SEO over the last year or two. And while this doesn’t always work (Google Glass anyone?), where they are spending their time should be where you are focusing. For the right businesses, local and mobile are key and will become more important in 2016.
A Big Year for Apps: 2016 is going to be a big year for apps. Are they really there to take over from mobile websites, and in an age where storage on a mobile device is limited, is the battleground moving from the web to your phone? Do you need an app anyway?
Internet of Things: 2015 saw the biggest contribution towards the Internet of Things with the launch of the Apple Watch. The Internet of Things is where ordinary household objects have connectivity and are able to send and receive data. While the Apple Watch didn’t have the impact that Tim Cook would have liked, it is still a big step forward. Expect more developments, and as such opportunities, to materialise in 2016.
What are your predictions for 2016? Is yours in this list? Leave a comment and let me know.
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