Marketing 101: Online Marketing Trends You Shouldn’t Ignore

Thanks to the rapid developments in online marketing, more businesses are shifting towards new marketing techniques to advertise their brands and get more exposure. However, due to the fierce competition we see nowadays, it is not enough anymore to employ only one marketing strategy. New trends are emerging every day, and as a smart business owner, you need to know how to harness the power of these trends. So, if you want to advance your business and know the most popular online marketing techniques currently, just check out the next few points.

Social Media

In the last decade, social media platforms emerged as a core online marketing strategy, and in 2020, they are still fundamental if you want to reach a wider audience. Having a strong presence on social media platforms is indispensable. However, creating pages and accounts for your business on different social media websites is not enough anymore. You must know how to get the best out of this strategy. Currently, you can include shoppable posts if you have a commercial business to attract more customers.

So, instead of seeing products on the official FB page of your business and searching for them again on its dedicated website, customers can now buy the products right away. Another way you can use the power of social media is by enlisting the help of influencers. This trendy online marketing strategy is here to stay, as people look up to such influencers and follow their advice. So, if they recommend your products or services, you will get more customers in no time. While FB and Twitter are still prolific names when it comes to social media platforms, other websites are gaining momentum. Therefore, do not ignore websites like Reddit, Snapchat, and Pinterest when devising your marketing plans.

SMS Marketing

If this seems like an old marketing strategy, then you are in for a big surprise. Actually, SMS marketing is still going strong because after all, people check their phones a gazillion times a day. Thus, you need to use this trend to your advantage. However, there are specific guidelines that dictate effective SMS marketing techniques, so the tips here are a good place to start learning. As a general rule of thumb, you should never send promotional messages to your customers without their consent because this is considered spamming. Additionally, make sure that the promotions you send via SMS are unique so that your customers get more inclined to check them out. Finally, avoid sending messages at inconvenient times, such as late at night since that can make your customers opt-out of such a promotional service.

AI

Artificial intelligence might seem like a dubious way of advertising your business, but it is quite potent if used right. Essentially, you can use AI to track current trends and employ them. By knowing what people are searching for, you can make your services and products more appealing. AI software can also generate reports that put you on the right track by giving you more insight into how your competitors are faring, so you can device plans to stay at the top of your game. Such software can also analyze the reactions of your customers to particular products through their comments, so you can improve the services your business offers. Additionally, AI software can help you generate content, but you should not depend only on it for this. Your business still needs the human element to thrive.

SEO

When it comes to major online marketing trends, search engine optimization, SEO, is still a major strategy. With SEO, you can make your business more accessible to potential customers by using keywords that are often searched for. SEO also enables your business to stay on the first page of search-engine results. However, do not forget to make your website mobile-friendly to generate more leads, and use infographics to create an attractive website that is easy to navigate.

Personalization

Your customers can figure out whether you are sending the same generic message to everyone, so by employing personalization strategies, you can make people more loyal to your brand. You can start by sending your customers personalized emails. Moreover, by gaining more insight into your customers’ interests, top-searched products, and time zones, you can give them better deals that will appeal more to them than the mainstream ones used by other businesses.   

 

Catchy TV commercials do not cut it anymore. To gain an edge over your competitors, you must utilize all online marketing trends. Strategies like social media marketing, SEO, SMS marketing, personalization, and AI are here to stay. So, make sure to devise an inclusive online marketing plan to reap all the possible benefits. 

Fabrizio VanMarcino
 

Fabrizio Van Marciano is a self-taught web designer, front-end web developer, and content creator. He is the founder of FVM.