The new decade welcomes marketers with new ways and avenues to make an impact while reaching out to customers. Marketing continues to evolve at a rapid pace which centres around technology. The overarching focus is more on customers and these trends highlight the importance of targeting the relevant audience and keeping a tab on their consumer or user behaviour. In today’s highly competitive markets, brands are looking at new ways to create an engaging experience through innovative marketing campaigns. Let’s take a look at the new customer-oriented marketing trends which have created waves in the digital landscape.
Location-specific. The location-specific method is getting momentum as more mobile users have become savvy customers. Effective marketing is no longer about the right person and the right time, but also the right place. By promoting your business through the location context, it is the ideal way to engage with the local target market. Examples of location-specific tactics on social media include location hashtags or custom hashtags to get discovered online. Online advertising via Facebook Ads provides geographical functionalities which will prominence in the specific area to attract people to products and services.
Ephemeral Content. The latest buzz in the social media arena is ephemeral content and it is video or photo that is available for a certain time. It has become popular with more users posting content on Instagram stories or TikTok. The appeal of ephemeral content taps on the aspect of content creation which users can create. Content is king and ephemeral content offers a sense of exclusivity. By making content ephemeral, brands can utilise it to provide offers or new product launch. As the customer’s attention span is becoming shorter, such visual content for brands will create an impact for immediate awareness or creating effective lead generation.
Video. There is no doubt that video continues to grow and it is an effective way to reach more consumers and convert new customers. More users on social media are watching videos on product reviews before buying a product. Brands are utilising videos in their marketing efforts as it reflects the product and services to the customer’s behaviour. By incorporating interactivity, marketers can churn out videos to decide what information the customer wants to see and when. Video provides a strong ROI (return on investment) for marketers as well as creates value to generate traffic, leads, and sales.
Virtual Reality & Augmented Reality Adoption. Technology advancement provides marketers with options on both practical applications of Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR). The emphasis of experiential marketing using VR and AR allows brands to meet customer expectations and deliver the best experiences. Tech-savvy customers are more adventurous to explore digital experience to make a buying decision. The best use of VR in marketing is virtual reality tours which allow users to immerse themselves in a realistic setting. The application of AR provides customers to see how a product such as clothing would look on them digitally. It is an area where interactivity plays a part in engaging consumers and connecting them into a value-added customer experience. Positioning your brand using VR and AR provides a competitive advantage as it will elevate brands to the forefront of the market.
As the new decade unveils new trends or technologies, companies are revamping their marketing efforts to make an impact in the consumer market. The positive side of using these trends is to find innovative ways and engage customers or reach new prospects. However, it is important to put customers’ needs and satisfaction first by incorporating their behaviours and patterns into each marketing strategy. The ultimate goal is that the marketing trends will create a holistic connection for customers and brands; providing successful outcomes and meeting each other’s objectives.
He is a seasoned integrated marketing specialist based out of Singapore. His core competency is to acquire leads for clients through omni-channel marketing approach. Follow him on LinkedIn.
