Every year we see trends emerge and marketing strategies appear and disappear, having their turn to be at the forefront of the minds of companies. Various trends appear and dominate brands everywhere constantly, as the marketing landscape changes year by year.
Creating, building and maintaining a brand is an important process and one that is crucial if you wish to stay at the top of your game. It is an ongoing process as the importance of various strategies shifts.
Businesses, particularly large ones, should be keeping a focus on their customers’ needs and expectations, getting ready to not only cater for them but also to predict them and manage them accordingly. Here are some of a few areas that should be an important focus as 2016 unravels.
Mobile is bigger than ever
We have heard over and over again how important the internet is when it comes to mobile devices. Having an optimised website for mobile devices is almost imperative and has been for some time; Google now recognises the importance of mobile content and you may even be penalised if you don’t participate in it.
The average smartphone user checks their phone around 221 times a day, and with mobile now surpassing desktop use, it’s something that if you should definitely be focusing on if you haven’t already. Those who have are already moving on to better things!
A multi-touch customer journey
As platforms multiply and new networks pop up, consumers will have an increasing number of interactions and touch points with your brand through a variety of mediums. Using data to evaluate the success and failures of these interactions will probably become a very important focus of marketing strategies in the near future.
It’s important that big brands know their platforms; with so many different networks to engage with their consumers through, it can sometimes be easy to let things become lost in translation, or to be left behind altogether.
By better understanding your audience and what will work for them, you can create a marketing strategy that will work seamlessly.
The use of video
The use of video content is increasing year on year, with more senior executives watching video than ever before. With video becoming a preferred method of receiving content, it’s becoming a bigger and bigger platform to engage with your audience on a more personal level.
Being a big brand, it’s important to remember that consumers feel much more connected to you when there is a more personal approach. Video can often bring exactly that to a brand’s marketing material. With streaming and live video also becoming popular features and finding their place in marketing strategies.
Marketing strategies should drive conversation and get your brand out into the spotlight, while also working hard behind the scenes to drive profit and conversions. While focus areas will always change and marketing strategies will adjust accordingly, there are always going to be some important areas each year that big brands should settle on.
If you’re looking for a way to keep your brand afloat and stay ahead of the trends, check out Creative Spark.
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