Online Marketing Trends for 2013 You Cannot Miss
As 2013 is approaching, it is high time for marketers to sit down and think it all over again. If you don't know where exactly you are going, most likely you will not get there. Staying with the trend and going with the wind rather than against it – is what is important.
I personally believe that there must be time for everything – for acting fast and for taking time to just sit down, look inside your company, look outside your company, digest it and come up with an efficient and fruitful plan.
As 2013 is at the door – let’s stop and think together…
What will be the online marketing trends that will have a signficant impact on your business?
As usual, I searched not only inside myself, but also outside – I invited the LinkedIn community to participate and as I was passing by Quora – got experts from there involved too.
Here is what I believe will be the trends in 2013 and beyond:
Trend #1: The Rise Of Big Data
We happen to have a very intimate relationship with data. We want is personalized. Really. Yet, we are not comfortable about giving away personal information.
So, I think that the trend is about creation of additional utility for customers based on data analysis. No other choice for businesses left. Simple as that.
The idea is rooted in permission marketing. If you are not yet a regular guest at Seth Godin's blog, you may want to become one.
Trend #2: Video
Yes, video is on the rise. Does anybody out there still watch TV? Even if they do – things are changing. It's more about YouTube channels now.
Video is just the best way to showcast your product or service, engage your audience, increase time spent on a site.
Melissa Galt, Keynote Speaker, Success Coach and Relationship Marketing Specialist, says:
By 2014 video will be the #1 marketing tool, so in 2013 that will grow significantly.
Trend #3: Mobile
If we are talking about the trends – Mobile is the one to start with. It's just hanging in the air. The opportunity for businesses lies in the traffic you can get: all the users clicking on the ads from Mobile devices, hanging out in social networks and…
YES!
coming to your websites which must be multi device friendly.
Here is what Casey Breznick, Marketing Analyst, is thinking about it:
With increased sales and access to smart phones across the world, the push for increased frequency of pop-up, full-screen ads while browsing on smartphones will certainly be a notable one in 2013.
Samuel Tillerman, PR Consultant at MassiveImpact:
As more and more marketing moves onto mobile devices (especially in a B2C context), we'll see these two revolutionary changes in 2013 or soon thereafter:
1. Real-time performance (RTP)
2. Location-based targeting
Real-time performance (RTP) targets people in real time based on their past purchases or transactions,
Such an ability, of course, needs the latest technology and a direct connection to one's mobile traffic sources and publishers.
Here is another wonderful quote from Dekker Fraser, Web Designer and Marketing Strategist:
People will start realizing that mobile PPC ads are very cheap.
Trend #4: Marketing Automation and Analytics
The need to analyze all the content created online is on the rise. The more content there is out there, the higher quality of it must be for your product or service to get noticed. To make correct decisions – you need data and analysis.
There is a great opportunity for marketers in that trend. Experimenting with different types of content, analyzing the effect and correcting your marketing can save you a great deal of money. It also can help you identify the greatest opportunities.
A great quote from Stuart Wood, Account Manager at Anametrix:
As content marketing continues to expand we will see more advanced ad targeting driven by analytics and content through marketing automation software. This is the logical path because currently marketers are pushing an incredible volume of content and consumers are becoming more discriminating in what they are willing to look at given their finite resources of time and attention. So not only will marketers need to know when and what types of content to push on what channels- they'll need to improve HOW they convey their message.
Trend #5 Content Marketing
That's definitely my favorite trend. I love the idea behind Inbound and Content Marketing. I think it's very genuine and just right.
Sharing knowledge, giving out content for others to enjoy and gaining trust over time – is my favorite way to market.
When my favorite way to market becomes the major trend – what can be better?!
Just check out the trends.
Here is what Michael Flanigan, Vice President of Expressionary, thinks about it:
Inbound marketing becomes more important. Knowing the customer is even more important. There will have to be a more real time and less plan related. Marketing plans will have to be agile enough to repsond to events like Hurrican Sandy, etc.
Trend #6 Decline of SEO
There is a decline in the role of traditional SEO. On-site SEO matters less. Off-site SEO is now more about building relations with people, content marketing, online branding.
SEO is not gone; it still does matter. Yet, as a Marketer you may want to relocate your resources and care more about social reactions and relations rather than pure technical on-site stuff.
So, the opportunity for businesses in this trend is relocation of resources.
Here is a great advice from Samuel J. Scott, Director of Digital Marketing and Communications and SEO Team Leader at The Cline Group:
Here is advice from Kent Lewis, President & Founder of Anvil & Formic Media:
Less Value Placed on Keyword Targeted External Links: Since Google’s Penguin update keyword targeted anchor text in external links are more of a warning sign to Google than a benefit to search rankings. As Google continues to place more value in social signals and authorship, look for the value of external links to continue their decline in 2013.
Do you agree with the trends? Where do you think lies the greatest online marketing opportunity for 2013?
Comments (0)