We saw a lot of changes to how marketing was done in 2015.
Mobile phone usage surged past desktop browsing, and online video became the primary way people consume their information.
We also saw a number of new social media platforms come to the market and a few slip further and further away.
So what tools and resources will provide you and your business the best returns in 2016?
In this article, I cover 5 of the most valuable marketing trends for 2016 and why they’re important to use in your marketing plan.
*There’s also a video half way through this post if you’d prefer watching to reading
Too Many Choices!
With all of the tools and resources available today it’s easy to become overwhelmed and think that you need to be doing everything.
The truth is, a few simple and well executed tools and strategies can deliver far superior results in less time and with less effort than by spreading yourself, and your resources, too thin across dozens of different and lower return providing marketing options.
By choosing to concentrate on even a few of the tools I’m going to cover, you can better connect with your current and potential customers, and help position your business as a leader in your industry.
So let’s get to it, here are 5 of the most valuable marketing trends to use in 2016.
#1. Facebook
This may come as a surprise to some, but Facebook will continue to dominate as the social media business building platform of choice for 2016.
While many small businesses and entrepreneurs have been integrating newer and hipper social media platforms into their marketing such as Instagram, Snapchat, Vine, Pinterest, and the up and coming Periscope, Facebook will continue to deliver the most tangible, and consistent results for most businesses.
Yes, the other social media platforms are definitely worth exploring and integrating into your marketing plan, but your foundational social media platform in 2016 should still be Facebook.
To really leverage the power of Facebook, continue to use it to engage and interact with current and potential customers, but also be sure to take advantage of it’s incredibly powerful, and cost effective advertising platform to build brand awareness, increase sales, and send targeted traffic to your website or other social media channels.
#2. SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
Forbes conducted a study and found that 97% of consumers search for local businesses online.
This means if your business can’t be found online, it might as well not exist!
One of the best ways to get your business found online is through SEO, or search engine optimization, which is the process of optimizing your website so it appears higher in the search engines like Google, Yahoo, Bing, and even YouTube for when someone is typing in a keyword or search term for a service that your business offers.
SEO will continue to provide a huge return on investment for businesses in 2016, but be sure to either learn to do it yourself, or hire a reputable and established company.
SEO isn’t something you want to outsource overseas to save a few bucks, as bad SEO can do way more damage than good.
#3. Mobile Responsive Websites
Working alongside SEO, is having a mobile responsive website.
We’ve now crossed the threshold where more than half of all internet use is done on something other than a desktop computer.
This means if your current website isn’t designed to look and work amazing on a tablet or mobile phone, you’re likely losing customers and sales.
If your website is already “mobile friendly” the odds are still good that it could be further optimized for your mobile phone visitors.
Ask yourself:
what action do I want my website visitors to take when they visit my site?
And then make it as easy and clear as possible for them to take that action.
#4. Online Video
2015 was the year of video marketing.
But don’t worry, it will continue to grow even further in 2016 and beyond so there’s still time to join the party.
In fact, in 2015 over half of all internet use was spent watching online video. This is an important trend to pay attention to as it clearly indicates changes in the way people are consuming their information.
By 2018 online video usage is estimated to be at 80% of all internet traffic.
In regards to the all important return on investment, 52% of marketers worldwide name video as the form of content that provides the highest ROI.
When it comes to online video there are 2 groups of marketers.
The 69% of marketing, sales, and business professionals who have used video marketing, and the 31% who are planning to soon.
#5. Retargeting
Nobody likes being blasted with irrelevant sales messages that don’t apply to them.
Fortunately, there’s a solution, and it’s called retargeting.
If you’re not already taking advantage of retargeting than I think you’re going to be pleasantly surprised with the results.
Retargeting involves putting a tracking pixel on your website so you can deliver specific ads and messages to customers who have visited, or taken a certain action on your site.
This action could be as simple as visiting your website, or something more complicated like visiting certain pages, filling out forms, or making a purchase.
The beauty of retargeting is that it allows you to design custom crafted messages and advertisements specifically for people who have shown interest in a certain topic.
This in turn allows you to dramatically cut down your advertising costs and deliver laser-focused and valuable messages directly to interested customers only.
Any Other Ideas?
So now I turn it over to you…
- Are you currently using any of these in your business? Which have you found the most valuable?
- Are there any other tools you’ve tried that you’ve had good results with this year?
Leave your thoughts in the comments section below now.
