Written by Erik Leist, IMA Internet Marketing Evangelist and Hall Roosevelt, IMA Content Manager
2015 is coming to an end and we at the Internet Marketing Association take a good look at the past in preparation for the year ahead. Internet marketing is constantly changing, growing, and moving in all directions and it is vital for marketers to be flexible, and embrace all ebbs and flows of the digital world. Trends are known to gain momentum quickly then burn out even faster, but it’s safe to say that these top Internet marketing trends of the year will certainly have a strong presence in 2016.
MOBILE has accelerated faster than ever. Mobile is changing the delivery, message, interaction, consumption, and transaction of products, services, and information. All happening in the smallest windows of time these mobile moments take place while walking into a meeting, waiting in line, taking a break etc.. Internet marketers must capitalize these fragments of time by being instant, relevant, engaging, and quick to convert.
DIGITAL CONTENT is everything. Consumers no longer stand to be flooded with information and sales pitches. Digital content is the culmination of text, audio, video, images and other graphics created to engage consumers and guide them through a seamless, self-guided experience. Content is key to any Internet marketing formula and when done correctly, businesses will see an increase in audience, brand loyalty, and sales. Companies like Curalate are bridging the gap between need awareness and purchase by making images interactive, products merely a click away.
IoT (Internet of Things) You may be tired of hearing about IoT, but this is not just some buzz word. By 2020 there will be 50 billion inter-connected things, with $19 trillion in profit and cost savings. IoT is currently being used in factories, businesses, and healthcare; the next few years will see a trickling of these technologies into households and everyday use.
PREDICTIVE ANALYTICS Putting big data to big use. Culling massive amounts of data and being able to compile key business statistics and produce predictive analytics is completely shifting the Internet marketing paradigm. This gives companies with any market size the ability to know their customers and understand how and why they buy their product. To be more personal to each individual customer yet increase the size of your market is the secret that predictive analytics can unlock.
EMAIL is not dead. In fact email is more alive than ever. Newsletters are engaging, interactive, predictive, and personal. They effectively reach out to loyal and supporting customers, and are able to create or pick up conversation. Email should not be left out of the Internet marketing mix, as an effective campaign can bring huge ROI and overall positive customer experience.