Your social media presence is on point and you’re reaching your target market. Your website design is sound and regularly updated with quality content. Your web analytics prove you are converting visitors into customers. It’s time for aggressive advertising to scale up your company’s performance. So, what kind of campaign should you undertake? What are the latest trends in digital advertising?
- Digital video is still one of the top marketing mediums. Computers and mobile devices provide numerous platforms and there are a multitude of options for the placement of video ads.
- Outstream video is one of the latest and most popular forms. This type of video auto-plays on-page, full-width and usually without sound after a user has read/scrolled to a certain point. If a user scrolls away, the ad pauses. Outstream opens up video ads to the entire web, allowing you to place ads outside of actual video players and in all kinds of content. This less intrusive style of advertising helps your company to cut through the clutter and engage your target market.
- Short videos (15 seconds or less) containing compelling and relevant information that elicit an emotional response are a popular and effective advertising technique. Humour, shock and/or action are used to grab a viewer’s attention.
- Shoppable video advertising allows customers the option to buy products from an image/video. Your company tags multiple products in a single, lifestyle image giving users the ability to hover for more information (items for sale, prices, brand names). This enhances viewers’ product discovery, provides inspiration, allows better content and influences a customer’s journey at an early stage.
- 1:1 video is an efficient advertising tool used instead of emails or phone calls. Your company produces a personalized video message for your customers.
- Live video is used for product demos, interviews and Q & A sessions. Remember to set up a notification that will inform your viewers when you will go live.
- Video transcription is the process of translating your video’s audio into text and is proven to boost SEO, provide a better user experience (particularly if the transcript is interactive) and assist viewers who are in a sound-prohibitive environment.
Interactive content: There has been a shift from traditional text-based content toward dynamic, engaging and memorable content that offers users a two-way experience. Interactive content includes social games, quizzes, interactive landing pages, polls and embedded calculators making users feel connected to brands and more involved in the buying process. Interactivity in marketing maximizes the engagement of consumers.
Mobile-first marketing begins with an ad created for mobile phones then expands to accommodate tablets, laptops and desktops. It caters to the on-the-go lifestyle of consumers who use their phones to check email and/or browse whenever and wherever. Mobile-first ads are generally filmed in an upright position and display multiple images for users to swipe through. With global data traffic forecast to increase to 49 Exabyte per month by 2021 and the average daily amount of time spent by adults on mobile devices approximately 203 minutes, this advertising strategy is gaining traction.
Remarketing ads enable your company to show targeted ads (through the use of cookies) to users who have already visited your site. This allows you to send custom content/messages to your target audience, provide more personalized/timely ads and boost your revenue as remarketing ads have a high return on investment.
Chatbots are computer programs that simulate human conversation offering streamlined, individualized service through chat. Communication occurs via messages or voice commands and is independent of a human operator. This method of advertising/servicing consumers is accessible anytime, allows simultaneous communication with multiple users, is cost-effective, provides faster onboarding than training a human and allows completion of repetitive tasks without boredom. Chatbot ads are quick to determine what a user wants and return results specific to the viewer’s requests.
Influencer marketing is a word-of-mouth approach to advertising that uses key leaders to augment your company’s message. Influencers may be carefully selected celebrities and/or well-known Instagram or YouTube personalities. They help promote your business through their social channels.
User-generated content (UGC) is content created and published by unpaid contributors (fans, frequent purchasers/users) who promote your brand through blog posts, website pages, images, social media posts, testimonials, videos and tweets. Considering that UGC is more likely to influence a conversion than professional content, can you afford to ignore this advertising stream?
Cinemagraphs are still photographs incorporating looping video elements. They’re visually alluring, more interesting than photos and less involved to produce than videos. Use cinemagraphs as part of your marketing campaign to set your company apart and delight your users.
Over the top advertising (OTT ads): It is increasingly popular to stream content from over the top services (Netflix, HBO Now, Apple TV+, Google Play Movies & TV, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, etc.) via integrated Smart TVs, personal computers, mobile devices and digital media players. OTT advertising is the placement of ads on OTT content. This advertising method allows your company to use advanced analytics and targeted ad insertion to get your ad to the right person at the right time. OTT advertising has the potential to generate massive revenue.
Visual/Voice search: Thanks to Siri, Google, Alexa, and a host of other ‘smart’ devices, verbal interaction with devices is developing at a rapid rate. A voice search strategy will help you stay relevant, create a unique and optimized customer experience, foster relationships and build brand loyalty. Visual search is also on the rise. Using an image to start a search is becoming the norm. We’re finally catching up to the way people want to search, shop and discover new things.
Advertising is constantly changing and it’s important to keep up with the trends. Ensure you’re relevant to your customers. Connect with them in ways that make their journey easier and more enjoyable. Don’t be afraid to embrace new technologies or experiment with different styles of promotion. Adopt online advertising trends into your advertising strategy.
Need help with your digital marketing strategy? Call us at (403) 456-0072 or email [email protected]. Allow us to be your very own marketing department! Connect with our tightly-knit team of knowledgeable digital-first consultants, each eager to help your business grow. Contact Us today.
