Digital marketing tends to change almost daily. What is proving popular and effective one day, can be replaced by the new release of an app or Google changing its algorithm. While the digital marketing scene is rather turbulent, this doesn’t mean you can’t keep up, and although it may seem easier to stick with what you know, this may cause issues for you and your business further down the line.
To keep up, you need to remain knowledgeable and ensure you’re watching the latest news. Have alerts set up on your phone, so if something were to change (imagine Google releasing Fred 2.0 without you knowing!), you’re ready to jump on the latest changes and adapt.
For those who are wondering what the latest in digital marketing is in 2018, here are a few key trends for you to potentially utilised in your next campaign.
The Rise of IGTV
You may have heard of Instagram’s latest innovation, IGTV, but what does this mean for digital marketing efforts? While Instagram is remaining one of the most influential social media platforms to date, taking on Snapchat with Instagram Stories and the addition of filters, it’s now tackling YouTube, by allowing its users to create 1-hour videos and uploading them to either the Instagram app or the IGTV app itself.
This move into long-form content is a blessing for video creators, as well as businesses who want to post good quality videos that aren’t subjected to the graininess of Instagram Stories.
Optimising for Humans
Forget about appealing to robots (to a point, of course), and think about what makes humans happy. Of course, you’ll still want to use hashtags when posting on social media, but instead of putting in 30 or more hashtags, cut them down so that there’s only a handful and that they’re all completely relevant. Meet the needs of a smaller audience, rather than thinning yourself out to a larger community that isn’t interested.
The same goes for content on all platforms. For your website, have content created that provides something of value to your target audience. On Facebook, do not push something that isn’t appealing to your audience, even if it may help you earn more followers.
Conversational Keywords
Gone are the days when you were allowed to keyword stuff to your heart’s content. Now, keywords have been altered so that the more natural and organic they are, the more likely Google is going to reward your efforts. Rather than the keyword petite black dresses London, people are more likely to search for black dresses for petite women in London. What’s more, with the rise of voice search, caveman talk (e.g., Thai restaurants Bristol) is less used. Although the need for natural keywords has been in place for a while now, many businesses still don’t understand how to include them. Liaising with a freelance SEO consultant, so that they can help build you a digital marketing strategy, can improve your chances in the SERPs.
Digital marketing is no easy feat. When you think you’ve got the hang of it, you’re left face-to-face with a new algorithm or the latest feature on a well-used social media platform. While you don’t want to flip-flop from one tactic to the next, change and the ability to adapt is a must.