17 Marketing Trends for 2017: Trends 13-17

As more and more content is thrown at consumer, it is becoming harder for brands to stand out. Consumers are continuously being overload with a flood of information and brands are starting to fade together. As a brand you must look within to find differentiating characteristics in order to stand out for the competition. Do you want to stand out in 2017?

Take a look at trends 13 -17 to make your brand stand out:

13. SOCIAL: SOCIAL EVOLVES TO CUSTOMER-CENTRIC ENGAGEMENTS

• Automation with platforms like Hubspot and Marketo are becoming smarter
• Payment options will increase in usage in social, continuing to grow all-in-one platforms
• Expects to see more expiring content (like Snapchat) on social channels
• Organic social traffic is getting harder without pay-to-play
• Google and Facebook control over 76% of internet advertising growth12
• Facebook still reaches the most millennials, followed by Instagram and Snapchat¹²

14. STORYTELLING: STORYTELLING = STORYSELLING

• Every employee knowing and sharing your brand story will be a key driver; the best brands are based on great stories
• Storytelling is as old as human communication; we are hard-wired to listen to stories and learn from them
• With rise of social live feeds, real time storytelling will significantly increase
• As first point of customer contract, websites must reflect the authenticity of its brand
• It’s all about engagement– consumers interact and engage with brands they feel connected to

15. VISUALIZATION: VISUAL COMMUNICATION BRINGS CLARITY

• Visual storytelling will be vital to content marketing success
• Google states the first impression of a webpage happens in the blink of an eye (50 milliseconds)
• 94% of consumers who rejected or mistrust a website said it was due to design
• Research has shown that when people hear information, they are likely to remember only 10% of that information three days later; however if a relevant image is paired with the same information, people retained 65% of the information three days later3
• Infographics are liked and shared on social media 3X more than any other type of content

16. PERSONALIZATION: FROM THE MASSES TO THE INDIVIDUAL

• When it comes to targeting consumers, marketing efforts can never be too customized
• Platforms like IBM’s Watson can reference personality profiles to match their communication style and tone with the type of person being addressed
• Personalization for content is a matter of demonstrating how well you know your customers
• As tools have become smarter and people’s resistance to general advertising grows higher, the need for personalized and relevant content and advertising delivery becomes more important

17. STRATEGY: AN INTEGRATED MARKETING STRATEGY MUST BE IN FORCE

• Marketing strategies are becoming more complex and codependent relying on the integration of digital and traditional marketing activities
• Marketing is no longer a department – its everyone’s responsibility from the brand itself to consumer becoming marketer of a brand
• A 12-month proactive integrated marketing strategy must be in force that allows for flexibility with real time consumer behavior insights; a disciplined mindset is essential

12 Meeker Report

3 HubSpot.com