Top Marketing Trends of 2019: What Has the Year Taught Us About Marketing?
2019 is almost over and it’s been an interesting year for marketers. Technology has grown even more powerful, and newer marketing trends have become the norm. Read on to discover the marketing trends in 2019 that stood out the most. We’ve used these tactics at Bright Pink both for our internal marketing and for our clients, too.
Facebook’s Demographic is Growing Older While Instagram Is the Opposite
While Facebook had a difficult 2018, it’s still the number 1 social media network in the US. But, as you may know, it’s also the platform for “old people”, with 41% of its users being over the age of 65.
But that doesn’t make it bad from a marketing standpoint. Here’s the good news: if your ideal target audience is older adults and seniors, then Facebook is the best platform to market on.
On the other hand, you can find the younger demographic on Instagram, which has already passed one billion users. So, if your target audience is people under 30, Instagram is the place to find them.
Social Media Stories Dominated Marketing Trends in 2019
Facebook and Instagram stories — photos and videos that live for 24 hours before disappearing — are soaring in popularity.
These short-lived social media posts lean toward playful content with heavy use of gifs, boomerangs, polls, etc.
How can stories help you grow your brand? They have more exposure than permanent posts. They’re also a unique way to share behind-the-scenes snapshots and other fun stuff your company is doing.
Excellent Service as a Marketing Strategy
In the world of the marketing funnel, customers became obsolete once they became paying clients — until, of course, it was time to win back their business.
Today, the one-way direction of the funnel is being replaced by the flywheel. This marketing strategy puts more focus on the customer by placing service in the center. And just like that, excellent customer service has become its own marketing strategy.
By delighting and empowering your customers, they will do the marketing for you. Your customers will become your biggest advocates and promoters via digital networks and in-person.
Video Is Still Top Dog
The popularity of video has no end. According to a Cisco forecast, 82% of internet traffic in 2021 will be video. If you haven’t started making videos yet, your competitors are. Video marketing isn’t a new marketing trend in 2019 but it’s here to stay.
Using videos to get your message across is, by nature, the most comprehensive way to do that. Besides, video has plenty of SEO-friendly qualities that will help a company rank higher in search engines.
With YouTube being a Google subsidiary, the tech giant wants to drive more traffic towards one of their most profitable platforms. So jump on it to win SEO benefits for years to come!
GDPR / Giving Your Customers Greater Control Over Their Data
The European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is one of the biggest data privacy laws in over 20 years. GDPR impacts worldwide websites (including the US) that use data of EU citizens, even if the company does not have a physical presence — or doesn’t market their products or services — in Europe.
If your website gets traffic from EU visitors, your website should be GDPR-compliant, or risk heavy fines. The same regulations apply if your ads from Google, Facebook, etc. reach the EU sphere. Learn about GDPR and follow the privacy guidelines to ensure your business is compliant.
