Digital marketing trends that’ll improve consumer experience

Consumer experience marketing

We're two quarters into 2018. And digital marketing has already changed during the first few months of this year. There are new social media platforms to explore. There are new algorithms and updates on familiar platforms. And, as always, there are new technologies. This is an exciting and constantly changing industry to work in, and should you enjoy moving at a fast pace and embracing new challenges to improve consumer experience and increase conversions, this is an ideal time to be a digital marketer. If you’re curious about digital marketing trends, read on.

Voice

2018 is being punted as the year of voice. And for good reason. It is, and has, changed the lives of consumers everywhere. It came as no surprise that voice dominated the recent CES event. Many of the exhibitors at the annual technology conference showed off their new gadgets with built-in voice control. New tech is one thing, but where voice really finds its feet is in search. It's already been predicted that between 30 and 50 percent of searches will be done without a screen by 2020.

Video

In recent months, it has become increasingly obvious that the video needs to be part of every digital marketing strategy. Statistics have shown that consumers are more likely to retain information via video than they would have after reading an article. The good news for brands is that there are many platforms available to share video content. Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube, it's all about finding out where your customers are and delivering the kind of content they want to see. In fact, seven out of 10 users watched videos on YouTube to assist with a purchasing decision.

Live-streaming

Working hand-in-hand with video is live streaming. There’s just something about the urgency of live video which appeals to consumers. In fact, Facebook said recently that video, especially live video, was increasingly becoming a large part of user experience on the platform. Live video gets six times the number of engagement as a regular video. This is a space where brands have the opportunity to be truly creative.

Mobile over desktop

More and more consumers are already choosing to shop online via mobile rather than desktop. It’s important that your marketing strategy allows consumers to buy your products on the device they choose to use while having the ideal experience of your website. Google is also increasingly prioritizing mobile-friendly websites, so it’s essential that you adhere to these regulations if you want your website to show up in search results.

Consumer experience is king

Maybe 2018 will finally be the year of brands treating customers in a way that makes them feel that they are valued and appreciated. Relationship marketing is not a new concept. But it is one that’s sure to become increasingly prevalent this year. And promising increased customer loyalty, interaction and long-term engagement, it can’t be a bad thing. As AI becomes more mainstream, and people begin to accept it in their lives, consumer experience will begin to improve as more brands integrate with live chat and chatbot apps. Web-based all-in-one chat systems will deliver improved consumer experience and support. Clickatell Touch is one such option. It's live chatbot technology that combines online chat with bot-driven interactions. Touch allows you to automate workflow processes in your call center or office, ensuring you never keep a customer on hold again. It also offers the benefits of machine learning to further automate interactions. This is a technology we couldn't have dreamed of a few years ago and is now possible in the palm of your hand.

If you’re interested in learning more about support and how to communicate with customers, read our recent article. It also highlights the differences between B2B and B2C customer support. It explores their similarities and differences and discusses the one thing important to both groups and how that can be implemented in any business – whoever your target audience is.