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From topic clusters to personalization, 2018 has given marketers plenty of options to expand their audience. Now that we’ve reached the halfway point of the year, it’s time to think about what lies ahead for the future of marketing. Here are some upcoming marketing trends you’ll want to keep an eye on going into 2019.
Your content will need support from marketing and sales teams
If your marketing and sales teams are still having trouble communicating, you may be in for a rude awakening in 2019. Marketers will need to provide sales teams with content that clearly educates prospects and provides value.
Engaging content builds trust with your brand; if your sales team can’t capitalize on your content’s value, your lead conversion process may be cut short. Ensure that your sales team understands how your content is answering key prospect questions, and addressing their needs at each stage in the buyer’s journey.
Marketers will need a better understanding of how prospects communicate
Is your marketing team limited to blog comments and emails for communication? In 2019, they’ll need to actively converse with their prospects.
Marketers should be aware of their prospects’ preferred methods of communication. While social media channels — such as Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter — are a great place to look for a helpful conversation, even searches play a role in communication. Remember, users are making much broader, conversational searches, so you’ll need to be aware of how they make searches.
To keep your SEO tactics up-to-date in 2019, pay close attention to rising voice searches, and optimize your topics and keywords accordingly.
Marketing automation won’t be the be-all, end-all solution of 2019
Marketing automation has grown in 2018, helping marketers save time and money on tedious tasks, like email. However, automation comes with a cost; it doesn’t provide enough personalization for your prospects. Marketers will want to leave automation to more basic tasks, such as reminders and data organization.
When working with your current clients, in-person meetings remain the most personal and effective communication. Marketers should make it a goal to engage with clients outside of their automation tools. This can include scheduling phone calls or video conferences, and meeting in-person at least 1-2 times a year.
Advertisements won’t stand a chance against reputable content
By the end of 2018, an estimated 30% of Internet users are expected to use ad-blocking software. While ads aren’t completely dead, marketers will need to offer serious value if they want to keep more users from using ad-blocking.
Ask yourself, is your ad’s message actually making an enticing, valuable offer to someone? Marketers should consider how they promote their blog and call-to-action offerings, and use similar tactics for ad targeting. Remember, value comes in many forms, including:
- Discounts on specified services
- Encouraging, informative content
- Exclusive offers not found anywhere else on your website
Thinkdm2 stays in touch with the latest marketing trends, including b2b, digital, and content marketing. Worried about staying stuck in the past with your marketing and optimization strategies? Download your free ebook to bring your business’s website up-to-date, with SEO myths you’ll want to know about in 2018.
