The start of a new year encourages reflection and anticipation of upcoming changes and innovations. In digital marketing, sector transformations make any forecast risky. However, this does not prevent us from highlighting what awaits us in the short term. We present a list of the 10 online marketing trends for 2019. Pay attention!
1) Facebook could be reaching its peak
Despite still leading the social media market with over 2.2 billion active monthly users, 2018 was not a good year for Facebook. In addition to the personal data breach affecting 14 million accounts, there is a growing perception among internet users that it is a platform for political propaganda. Furthermore, its user base is progressively ageing. In fact, in the United States, 4 out of 10 users are over 65, an age group not typically of interest to businesses. Its ability to attract younger users also continues to decline.
In early 2018, Mark Zuckerberg significantly reduced the organic reach for posts published on corporate profiles — forcing them to pay for acceptable reach. Facebook's diminishing appeal among highly sought-after commercial targets could deter current and potential advertisers.
2) Instagram: conquering younger users
Many consider Facebook's acquisition of Instagram — which took place in 2012 for $1 billion — to be Zuckerberg's most profitable operation. The leading platform for photo and video publishing has already surpassed 1.5 billion users. It is also a refuge for under-30s who are leaving Facebook or prefer other options to share their daily lives or follow their favourite influencers.
It remains to be seen how Instagram will tackle the challenge of retaining this segment, one of the most coveted by brands. However, everything indicates that this trend will solidify in 2019.
3) Video, in constant growth
This statement is a classic in any list of New Year initiatives, with one difference: it always comes true. There are plenty of reasons to continue believing in this format: in addition to YouTube achieving the silver medal on the social media podium, with nearly 2 billion users, many other platforms are strongly promoting video, such as Netflix, Facebook Live, and Amazon Prime Video. This also transforms television, as paid channels like Movistar are using mobile phones as a means of content distribution.
This trend will grow: according to Cisco, a global leader in networks and new technologies, 82% of internet traffic will be video by 2021, by which time there will be 345 million connected devices in Spain. The tech giant also states that live video will account for 13% of total video traffic by then, compared to 3% in 2016.
Some forecasts predict that investment in video advertising will be 10 times higher this year than in 2015.
4) Chatbots will continue to be boosted
One of the applications of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in digital marketing is the use of virtual assistants or chatbots, capable of interacting naturally with users through text chat windows or even by voice. Facebook is one of the platforms that already allows businesses to implement this customer service channel.
The result is immediate assistance, which is a significant advantage. According to Brandwacht agency data, 60% of users recommend a brand if they receive a quick and helpful response to their online queries, while 80% expect a reply on the same day. Moreover, 30% of Facebook users and 25% of those using Twitter reduce this timeframe to half an hour.
The excellent results of chatbots in 2018 suggest they will continue to gain popularity this year.
5) More voice searches and more related branding
With improved voice recognition, voice searches are gaining increasing popularity. This technology is used both to search for products in online stores and to control smart home devices via voice command.
According to some reports, voice searches are expected to account for half of all searches next year. This is not surprising, given the exponential growth of mobile phone ownership and the proliferation of virtual assistants, such as Siri, Cortana, Google Assistant for Home, Amazon Alexa for Echo, and many other similar solutions.
Given this growing habit among internet users, attention to snippets, optimisation of local SEO, using long-tail keywords, and reducing website loading speed can be valuable allies for achieving good positioning in Google Search Engine Results Pages (SERP) in 2019.
Furthermore, in response to this phenomenon, some online marketing experts advise organisations to include the creation of a unique voice in their brand strategy or branding.
6) Content will remain king and become even more specialised
Content marketing is an essential component of digital marketing, and quality is a non-negotiable aspect of any strategy. As a trend for 2019, there is renewed interest in thoroughly analysing the target audience. A comprehensive understanding of this market and addressing it more effectively is emerging as a must.
Although content aimed at a general audience will not decline — it is always a source of organic traffic — content directed at niche markets is gaining traction. This aspect, combined with improved techniques for measuring content effectiveness, will ensure that content marketing remains at the forefront.
7) The boom of native advertising
Programmatic buying of native advertising — that is, ads that adapt to the form and function of the platform on which they appear — will experience very strong growth. At the same time, the business model will evolve towards CPM (cost per thousand impressions).
The rise of this form of advertising will also continue to encourage the use of ad blockers, which help users browse without being bothered by ads. This is not new: last year, it is estimated that over 30% of US internet users resorted to them.
8) More investment in Google Ads
In 2019, companies expect to increase their investment in Google Ads compared to the previous year, a growing trend since 2016.
The reason? Its effectiveness. If this surprises you, it's time for a digital marketing agency to review your PPC strategy. This ensures your budget is only spent when you have achieved your profitability objectives and a return on investment (ROI) has occurred.
9) More individualised and automated e-mail marketing
Email will continue to be an important communication channel, as billions of people still use it for personal and professional purposes.
Email marketing is evolving, and generic emails will no longer be as effective. For campaigns to yield expected results, it will be advisable to combine marketing automation with more personalised content. For example, a successful formula involves automatically sending an email when someone is detected browsing a specific product or service online, offering a special discount or a promotional video with extended information.
In 2019, email can be a trigger to convert a visit into a sale, especially when combined with retargeting techniques.
10) Event marketing makes its mark
Millennials — people born from 1980 onwards — already possess significant purchasing power. Although they grew up with the internet, they spend their money on physical objects and real-life experiences, such as dinners or travel. This is a scenario that brands should not overlook.
Cooking workshops, tastings of new foods or drinks, festivals, commercial presentations, local events, sports competitions… In 2019, it's not enough to sell products and services: you need to focus on experiences, which reinforces brand recall and corporate image. It is also an excellent opportunity for companies to interact face-to-face with their stakeholders. It will also be time for the offline world!
Considering adopting or strengthening some of these digital marketing trends for 2019? If so, contact us or call us without obligation on (+34) 654 20 61 16 or (+34) 93 532 93 78. At B2 Performance, your digital marketing agency in Barcelona, we will analyse your strategy and help optimise it to improve your results. We will be delighted to assist you!
