Six Trends Every Marketer Needs To Consider

Six Trends Every Marketer Needs To Consider

Advertising’s shift to mobile continues, which is no big surprise to marketers. However, the shift to mobile isn’t the only advertising trend that marketers should be focusing on. Marketers need to consider a slew of other tactics.

SEO shifting focus to social media platforms, buy buttons taking over social, video dominating search, content getting an overhaul, and ad blocking are just a sampling of what other marketers are using. Some of these trends may look familiar, while others may surprise you—for example, Snapchat as a standard marketing platform.

Here’s a look at why you would be remiss not using them in your campaign strategy.

1. SEO Focusing On Social Media Platforms

SEO is now focusing more on social media platforms. In fact, Facebook is testing ways to become a publishing platform, specifically with “Instant Articles”—a way to allow third-party content to appear. Users will no longer have to click a link out to view an entire article.

Social media shares are continuing to impact organic search visibility, too, especially as the 2016 election season kicks into high gear. For example, websites that support Bernie Sanders are gaining organic search visibility, mostly due to their large number of social shares.

2. Buy Buttons Taking Over Social

Buy buttons are a hot commodity as social media emerges as a multitasking medium. Instead of leaving a site, consumers are buying that soccer ball directly from Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

With buy buttons, customers who crave instant gratification are able to buy with ease, simply with one click. For avid shoppers, this could be dangerous, but it’s great for marketers, especially as online payment methods continue to grow more efficient and convenient. Apple Pay and other mobile payment services offer shoppers the option to store their payment and shipping information for quick purchases.

3. Snapchat Is The Marketing Platform

Vertical video is now not only the norm but also the expectation. Nowadays everyone is using Snapchat: businesses, celebrities, politicians. But it’s more than just a hot trend. It captures the lucrative Millennial market, ages 17 to 34, who crave more real-time integrated marketing.

Already brands like ESPN, Comedy Central, and P&G are using Snapchat to reach their Millennial consumers.

Recently, P&G geotargeted ads for a CoverGirl campaign near Ulta cosmetic stores. Although Snapchat doesn’t provide a way to trace ads to sales, it does provide invaluable data, including number of views, number of times people used the branded filter, and how often people swiped to see the branded filter.

4. Videos Dominating Search

Now that Google is incorporating video ads into its search, one can assume it’s a sign that users are getting used to video ads online. At least other marketers think so, since they’re heavily focusing on using video ads, particularly on mobile devices.

High-impact ads deliver higher engagement on all screen sizes. And marketers are employing mobile video ads to capture that lucrative mobile device user. In fact, Super Bowl 50 is a prime example of users using mobile to view ads. During Super Bowl 50, 60% of 330 million ad views came from mobile devices. It’s the first time that the majority of the game’s views took place on mobile.

5. Content Gets an Overhaul

Original content is delving more into storytelling. To keep brands relevant and boost search ratings, marketers are producing original long-form content. For instance, brands like Progressive and Allstate have been employing storytelling for years.

Online marketers are realizing they need to stop spreading themselves too thin and instead focus their efforts on delivering content to specific channels. This tactic is increasingly important as the market grows more saturated.

Marketers are also creating more interactive content in white papers, video ads, etc. Many are incorporating questions, quizzes, and even the ability to shop directly from the ad (as homegoods retailer Wayfair does) to further engage their consumers.

6. Ad Blocking Levels Off[

Ad blocking](http://tech.co/unexpected-effects-ad-blocking-programs-2015-10) is cyclical, rearing its head whenever new ad block technology is announced. Marketers expect ad blocking to begin to fade away again, but they know that doesn’t mean you can get complacent.

Marketers are continuing to combat ad blockers by remembering that user experience is king. Ads that take too long to load will turn off consumers. And consumers who want content will steer clear of sites that tip the ad to content ratio balance.

By continuing to balance content and ads and by providing ads that load quickly, marketers are making it easier for consumers to live with ads. Users who don’t mind ads won’t block them, and that’s half the battle against ad blockers.