Regardless of your industry or the services and products you offer, you can’t afford to ignore the latest digital marketing trends. Businesses didn’t need much more than a website and presence on social media in the not-so-distant past. Today, though, the digital landscape has evolved and continues to evolve so much that it can be difficult to keep up with what’s going on.  

Suppose you want to keep up and remain competitive in the digital era. In that case, it’s important to not only have an online presence but to keep up with digital marketing trends to ensure you remain successful. Focusing on the latest trends, building talent vs skill, and using innovative processes will pay off for your online presence. Keep reading to learn some of the latest digital marketing trends around today.

Artificial Intelligence

If you haven’t realized it by now, AI or artificial intelligence is here, and it’s not going anywhere, anytime soon. It is bound to be at the very heart of the global industry and business down the road, and it is already taking over more than a few simple jobs.

One example is the combined efforts of software giant Microsoft and drive share company Uber. These entities are now using Knightscope K5 robots to help patrol parking lots and larger outdoor areas to help predict and prevent crime. These robots can collect data, report suspicious activity, read license plates, and report information to the owners. It is now possible to rent these robots for a rate much lower than hiring a human security guard.

However, the potential abilities of AI in the digital marketing arena are virtually endless. For example, it can be used for analyzing consumer behavior and search patterns. The data collected from blog posts and social media platforms can then be used to better help your business understand your customers and ensure they find your services and products.

In-Email Purchases and Sophisticated Targeting

While email marketing isn’t new, it is something that has always involved adding links to your email, directing your readers to a landing page, product page, or blog post. With this, you allow your subscribers to buy something inside a marketing campaign, but they never have to leave their inboxes. Campaigns offer an app-like experience, too, offering embedded video and other types of interactivity.

Some email software solutions already have plans in place where users can access more data, which ensures more sophisticated targeting. This targeting is based on things like a customer’s most-used apps; most visited websites, customer service interactions, Google search, purchase history, and more.

Most e-commerce business owners have found email is the perfect medium to learn about customers’ needs, to recommend products, get feedback, and generate more sales. This is only going to grow in the future.

In the next few years, it is projected that organizations will evolve into more distinct digital marketing organizations that span everything, including paid channels, mobile messaging, email, web, and commerce.

Facebook Is Peaking

No longer is Facebook the King when it comes to social media. In fact, up to 41% of the users on this site are over the age of 65. While the site is not struggling, it is losing ground to reach the younger demographic, who want a more interactive and visual experience. This is why so many are moving to Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat.

Also, after the 2018 data breach situation, Facebook lost a lot of credibility. Some people became resentful and frustrated when the platform saw an uptick in cyberbullying, political propaganda, and fake news. In fact, because of all this, it’s been said that Facebook is now “dead” to the Gen Z demographic.

As a digital marketer, it is now essential that you learn who your target market is. In some cases, Facebook is unsuitable for some campaigns, especially as it keeps trending downward with the younger generation. While this is true, Facebook is still huge, and millions of people use it daily. You just need to make sure that the target audience for your product or service is still using this social media platform. If you don’t take time to see if your audience is there, you may be wasting your marketing budget, and you could be targeting the wrong platform.

Programmatic Advertising

This means using AI for automating ad purchasing, so you are able to target more specific audiences. For example, real-time bidding is an example of programmatic ad buying. This automation is faster and more efficient, which means there are higher conversions and much lower costs for new customer acquisition.

This is something that is working to change the face of digital advertising so quickly that it’s predicted that more than 86% of all digital display ads will be programmatic by the end of the year.

Chatbots

Modern chatbots are a type of AI software that serves as a virtual concierge to communicate with users and help them complete their goals. A chatbot can interact with people naturally, mainly through using text cat windows. However, it is also possible to engage in verbal interactions. As time passes, this system will collect even more insights and data. That’s because the AI continues to learn about customers, which makes it possible to keep improving service at all times.

Video is a Must

Do you use video marketing? If not, now is a good time to jump on this trend. No longer can text-based content compete with the power of video? This is especially true when trying to sell online services or products.

In the mobile world, people are continually watching video and using their smart devices. You have to tap into this market by using video marketing yourself.

Staying Aware of the Latest Digital Marketing Trends

As you can see, there are more than a few digital marketing trends you need to know about and stay aware of. Understanding what these are can help ensure you improve your efforts and that you take the right steps to continue serving your customers well. Being informed is the best way to get the best results from your online marketing efforts.