It seems every digital marketer and their dog have had their say on the ‘digital marketing predictions for 2018’ so we thought we’d jump on the bandwagon. While it’s impossible, to predict what will and won’t take off as a marketing trend we are quietly confident that the following will become more prominent as 2018 takes shape.
The Rise of Chatbots
Chatbots have evolved in recent years, and with more developments on the horizon, 2018 will be no different. As customers demand answers in real time, chatbots have become a convenient and cost effective first response method to meet that demand.
Vizulate expects chatbots will be used on social messaging platforms as a means to aid customer engagement with popularity set to continue throughout 2018 as their sophistication evolves at an exponential rate.
Video Crowned King of Content
Video content, and in particular livestreaming, will continue to lead the way as a digital medium. With Facebook users consuming over 8 billion videos every day and 82% of Twitter’s audience viewing video content on the platform, video content is a marketing heavyweight.
Platforms like Facebook have made livestreaming simple and accessible for all users, which has led to a huge surge in the use of the feature. We believe 2018 will see more brands and business owners utilising livestreaming, with engagement reaching all new heights.
Voice Search is Talking the Talk
Voice controlled systems are in great demand and have become a turning point in the relationship between humans and technology.
We expect to see new and improved virtual assistant products released onto the market by leaders, Google, Amazon and Apple, with enhanced processing capabilities capable of responding to longer and more complex questions.
While their popularity will continue to rise in 2018, we believe it will still be 18 to 36 months before there is a significant shift in how web developers and SEOs will optimise websites for voice search (look how long it took Google to rollout their Mobile-First Index in relation to how long users have been browsing on smartphones).
Security Shake-Up
This summer we will see a revolutionising change in data security which will impact marketing for years to come. The implementation of General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) comes into force on Friday 25th May, after the UK opted in to the European Parliamentary legalisation.
While many businesses are viewing this negatively, it actually provides businesses with an opportunity to reevaluate their marketing communications and process, as well as their data management and security systems. At present, many businesses have suitable systems in place, but some may not be utilising them effectively. Twenty-eighteen will see data management come to the fore of customer relationships for businesses of all sizes.
AI Revolution
Over the past few years we have seen AI reach a tipping point with symbolic relationships being formed from technology to mankind. It has provided us with personalised experiences to assists us in everything from the content we watch and listen to, to the products and services we buy. We expect to see deeper connections and understandings being formed between us and these providers; resulting in a further personalised experience, but perhaps at the risk of our privacy.
