2019 is here! — a new year, new challenges, new opportunities for growth, and a whole new set of digital marketing trends!
To help your business prepare for what the new year might bring, we’ve put together a walk-through of some up-and-coming trends that you can expect to make a strong statement in 2019. From social media aesthetics and graphic design to writing and content curation to websites and project management, we’ve got the inside scoop to help you hit the ground running in the new year.
Digital Marketing
Trends can often be fleeting — the hot new thing one year can quickly fall off the radar in subsequent years. Inbound marketing, however, is a trend that is here to stay. As certified inbound marketing specialists, we are thrilled to see a continued emphasis on this method of digital marketing, because we see it work time and again for our clients.
As Principal Strategist & mConnexions owner, Julie Holton will tell you, inbound marketing “is all about putting your marketing to work for you, to generate leads for your business.” This method is focused on building trust and increasing engagement to grow strong relationships with your customers, creating long-term opportunities for development and growth.
If you haven’t implemented inbound marketing into your digital strategy, 2019 is the perfect time to start. This infographic will help you get started.
Content Curation
To emphasize the significance of inbound marketing is to recognize the importance of content marketing. In 2019, this term will become even more synonymous with the standard definition of marketing, as consumers seek out brands and content that establish a two-way relationship between consumers and the business.
At mConnexions, content marketing is one of the core values of our firm, and a cornerstone to all of our services – yes, it’s that important!
“Content is one of the best tools your team has,” says mConnexions Content Strategist Melissa Genther. “With the right content, you can establish trust, build relationships, and produce quality leads.”
The evolution of those leads will help cement your position in your particular industry, and the right content marketing will be focused on turning those leads into repeat customers.
Email Marketing
While every marketer has their own preferred way of connecting with clients, there’s one thing we can all agree on: there is no shortage of ways to communicate with our audience. One of the most effective ways to distribute content to current and future clients is through the power of email marketing — which is our next trend to watch in 2019.
A big part of the growth of email marketing in the coming year is the use of automation to send targeted, customized messages to consumers at the right time. Email automation also helps you target the users who are interested in hearing from you, cutting down on the unnecessary messages and focusing in on quality leads. It also works as a successful tool for retargeting.
However, don’t mistake the term automation as being bland or irrelevant; on the contrary, automation should be targeted and personal. A great example of a highly personalized automated email is the weekly playlist email that Spotify users receive each week, customized just for them.
The best way to be successful with any type of email marketing, including automation, is to know and understand your audience. This will give your 2019 email marketing campaigns the boost they need to convert leads into trusted consumers.
While email might seem like an overly simplistic form of marketing, there is a right and wrong way to send successful email campaigns. Make sure you have the basics down before diving into email automation.
Social Media Marketing
By now, every business owner and brand marketer should be aware of the power of social media marketing. Whether you’re tapping into the organic reach of posts on a business page or utilizing the targeting tools and big data while paying for ads, social media offers a variety of ways to reach clients and prospects.
“Big data has become a big buzzword in marketing, particularly when it comes to social media marketing,” says Holton. “A lot of marketers groaned when Facebook, for instance, rolled out major algorithm changes last year. Keeping up with the constant evolution of social media platforms is a pain for all of us. And every time there’s a big change, people like to say they’re going to stop using the platform. But there is no indication that’s actually going to happen. And when marketers actually dive in and embrace some of these new tools — you’d be surprised at just how targeted we can get in our lead generation, thanks to big data.”
It’s important to be aware of all social media platforms, not just the more traditional ones like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. In 2019, we expect to see Instagram gain continued traction as a business tool; in particular, as a way to emphasize the look, feel, and tone of a brand.
There are several recent statistics from Hubspot that put power behind this up and coming trend:
- 60% of adults online use Instagram
- Instagram has over 800 million active monthly users
- 50% of Instagram users follow at least one business.
- 60% say they’ve learned of a product or service through the platform
However, simply joining the platform won’t be enough to boost your business next year. mConnexion’s Social Media Strategist Katharine Witt notes that in order to gain loyal followers and potential repeat customers, “you must have a visually appealing feed that is consistent with your brand’s overall aesthetic and theme.”
This type of brand consistency also applies to your posted content. When consumers are scrolling through their feed, they should be able to recognize an image as yours, without even reading the caption.