Businesses that are not on the same page as the mobile users of 2017 are effectively asleep at the wheel. With forecasting reports for 2017 suggesting that advertisers are spending more on mobile advertising than desktop, and Google’s algorithms changing to penalise websites that aren’t mobile-friendly, its time. Time for businesses with an online presence to focus on their mobile compatibility.
The impact of mobile use on digital advertising is not the only change that can be expected this year. Let’s take a look at what else to watch out for, bearing in mind that the spotlight is on the device we hold in our hand.
Video
Businesses will continue to build their brand, and not through the typical advertising platforms that we have become accustomed to. As the marketing budgets continue to gear more resources to mobile users, in particular on social media, look for more growth in the utilisation of video advertising. Have you been on YouTube recently? What happens the moment you tap the app on your phone? Video advertising. How about Instagram? Videos are dominating advertising.
In 2016, we heard the phrase ‘content is king’ a lot. But it’s not just about the ‘what’ anymore. How the mobile user views a video is finally becoming more and more important to advertisers. In 2017, the shift towards a vertical presentation on mobile devices will continue. What that means is rather than having to switch the device horizontally to view the video in fullscreen, mobile users can watch a full-screen video easily in the normal way that they hold their phones. This is simple, yet effective. It encourages mobile users to watch and engage with video content, without having to inconvenience them. Research clearly indicates that people are less likely to view a video in its completion if it requires turning our phone horizontally. We have a lazy generation! Simplicity is absolutely key.
As technology continues to speed up mobile phone processing times with relentless upgrades in software and faster wireless networks, the ease at which we can view videos on our phones will continue to improve.
Of the 8 billion video views per day on Facebook, 65% are on mobile. Of the 8 billion video views per day on Facebook, 65% are on mobile. This is a huge percentage of your audience. While it is surprising that marketers are only now recognising and capitalising on this, if your company is closed-minded to this approach then you can be certain that your competition will only happy to make up the difference for you.
Influence in Marketing
Yet this is only the tip of the iceberg. We are beginning to see a shift from “celebrity power” use on social media platforms and instead, this is becoming more centralised. Look for less of the celebrity video advertisements from companies that have attempted to “power” behind celebrity endorsements. Instead, the underlying thinking of the “power” is in the numbers.
Marketers can spend less on their advertising budgets as they seek out the smaller influencers. These are the types who have a small niche of a couple thousand followers, rather than the million plus of the celebrity. With this, the influence carries more credibility as the target audience are less likely to assume that the individual is in it strictly for the money. The followers of these “smaller influencers” are more likely to relate to them, rather than be alienated by their celebrity stature. So there’s a stronger chance that they will respond favourably to their endorsement of a product or service.
Personalised Advertising
So, you go on eBay to make a purchase. Perhaps you just search a few items but decide not to make a purchase. You go over to Amazon to check their prices and availability. What happens on both sites? You quickly see suggestions of products similar to the ones, or the same that were searched. This is known as retargeting.
Look for less retargeting advertising in 2017 as businesses look for a more personalised approach. It is annoying to make a purchase on a site only to have the same product show up on your feed again as a suggested item. Companies will transition from this to helpful advertising, promoting products and services that can assist or complement the customer with their purchase or future ones. A smarter, more personalised approach is expected to be far more effective.
Multiple Device Tracking
Marketers are looking to find ways to better track consumers movements on multiple devices. With the prominence of new devices flowing into the market; i.e. watches, new tablets, pads, voice-activated speakers, as well as the soon to be extinct desktop, challenging times lay ahead. How can we best track consumer trends across the multitude of devices that are used?
With the progress that has been made in recent years, we can be certain that marketing departments of major corporations are hard at work finding ways to track consumer behaviour across multiple channels, not just mobile phones. The way we access the internet today has changed considerably. In fact, more than 60% of online adults use at least two devices every day and nearly 25% use three devices. It’s up to marketers to understand customer behaviour and use analytics to map their journey’s effectively across multiple channels.
Conclusion
We have seen what happens to companies who refuse to change with the times. The desktop computer will soon be extinct in the eyes of marketers. This is a mobile world we live in now. With the new prominence of video advertising and the subsequent changes in how and where it is presented to consumers, this is an exciting time. It is also a time that companies can either capitalise on or be left as a mere memory.
For more handy marketing tips, or to find out more about how Grow Digital Marketing’s smart software and services can benefit your business’ bottom line, contact us today!