7 Trends to look out for in 2016
The world of digital marketing is in constant transition. This constant change means each year tons of new hardware, new software, new companies, and new user preferences influence the way businesses are structuring themselves online. These digital trends can come and go in a blink of an eye while others remain proactive and dominate the market for years. Those who follow trends and adapt to the constant shifts and changes in the needs of these internet users will be the most successful in cementing their standing as industry leaders. And those who do not will definitely wish that they did.
Here is a list of 7 dominating trends for 2016 that are promising an interesting year in digital marketing.
1. Video > Everything
Videos are definitely not a new form of media but will dominate the internet in 2016. Are we surprised? No. In Q2 of 2014 alone, U.S. consumers watched 38.2 billion videos. It is said that 50% of video views will be happening on mobile devices in 2016. By 2018, 149 million tablet video viewers will watch videos at least monthly. This will account for 70 percent of all digital video viewers in the U.S. And now with Google finally jumping on board with IN-SERP video advertising, it may just be a clear as day that users are becoming more accepting of these videos ads so expect to see video ads popping out of everywhere. What does this mean for businesses? Create more video content! The best part is that creating videos won't break your bank ether but have been proven to influence more engagement. So start recording and posting!
2. The app invasion 2016
We may be far from the day where apps completely take over the traditional websites and are the median of choice but for now it seems 2016 will be a pivotal year in app adaption. Why? Because apps are doing exactly what websites are doing but quicker and better. Businesses will need to adapt to these changes if they want to succeed during the app invasion. Google acknowledges the use of mobile devices when accessing the internet thus recently implementing the new Accelerated Mobile Pages project that is in essence a light version of HTML. Pages load quicker and are more tailored to be more visually appealing for mobile use. What does this mean for businesses trying to sell online? Mobile-friendly websites are a must and apps are going to be the next big thing.
3. Desktop will soon be a thing of the past
So many announcements in 2015 lead up to what we now predict will happen in 2016 for mobile users. It was announced that in 10 different countries, mobile traffic was way beyond desktop traffic and thus the release of "Mobilegddon" algorithm update that began to phase out sites not properly optimized for mobile. Google also announced that you do not need a mobile and a desktop site and those mobile-only sites with no desktop counterpart is acknowledged as well. What does this mean? Google knows that soon desktops will be phased out so they are focusing more on mobile traffic for their rankings. What does this mean for businesses? Invest more of your time on mobile-focused online marketing. The needs of the online consumer are shifting towards quick and painless online purchases. The convenience of buying something in a few easy taps on your phone is something businesses can really bank on in 2016 and onward.
4. Digital assistants will reshape optimization
In the past Search engine optimization (SEO) and pay-per-click (PPC) advertising were used to increase your site traffic and draw in hundreds of thousands of internet users. In today's modern society, people are using their digital assistants more for searches and these assistants like SIRI and CORTANA only use traditional search engines when its necessary to find information. Businesses need to make sure they are easily accessible to these digital assistants and their style of information gathering. This new optimization will either make or break some businesses.
5. Virtual reality hits the market
2016 will be the year that virtual reality comes at consumers at all angles. One of the biggest will be in the games industry. 2016 is the year of VR headsets. Companies such as like Sony, Oculus VR, and HTV and Valve Corporation are all in competition to release the best in virtual reality. Sony recently announced that Play station VR will be selling their devices for $399 which is a major price gap between other headsets on the market, cementing them as leaders in this new wave. Another advantage Sony has is that there are already 36 million VR-ready PS4s in living rooms across the world. It seems like they've already established themselves in the market before launching. The real question is will consumers buy into it? According to Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg “People who try it say it's different from anything they've ever experienced in their lives." The company bought Oculus Rift for 2 billion back in 2014. What does this mean for businesses? Once users start to adapt to the concept of virtual realities where there are in a completely immersive computer-generated environment, the user experience will also start to shift. We are still not there yet but 2016 will also be a important year for virtual reality.
6. Wearable technology will continue to rise
2016 is the year of Smart watches, Health monitors. Pedometers, Activity trackers & again Virtual reality headsets. They're all part of the rising landscape of wearable technology, which promises to change the way we exercise and communicate. Things like the Apple Watch which was Apples first new product in 5 years was introduced in a celebrity filled event last year. An event so large that they had to build a temporary building for it. The price? Anywhere from$ 400- $17000, these watches are a big deal and we should be expecting more and more similar products on the market in 2016.
7. Advertising will become more expensive
Over the past few years the competition in digital marketing has increased. It seems users are more acceptant of advertisements online which opens up a new world of marketing and branding. It goes without saying that the increase of Ads will often be followed by an increase in the price. There will be so many more means of advertisement which means companies with the most invested in the proper platforms will become the winners while smaller companies might fall from the landscape completely as they find it harder to compete.
These are some trends that can and will happen at any given time this year, so the more prepared you are as a business the easier it'll be to shift and adjust to the market as it changes.
What are some trends you've notice so far in 2016?