Representative image (iStock)Vineet Malhotra
The marketing industry, along with everything else, is very susceptible to change and is constantly evolving. Missing out on the latest marketing trends can leave brands behind in terms of competitive advantage and generating more leads. We’ve seen a continued accelerated adoption of digital and cloud technologies in marketing this year. In this regard, next year will be no different.
Brands will continue to need to employ technological solutions in their marketing efforts to adapt to our increasingly digital lives. In fact, it will be crucial for businesses to adapt to the challenges of measuring and responding to changes in consumer behavior across different communication channels. And with cookies coming to an end, markets will need more technical tools than ever to get their messages across.
Here are the top MarTech trends every brand needs to follow and adopt in the coming days.
Hyper Personalization
Today we have access to increasingly sophisticated technologies that allow us to measure and predict consumer behavior. It allows us to identify micro-moments and sales opportunities that only last a few seconds. This ability to find and respond to such moments, combined with personalized approaches, will continue to be a priority for marketers.
Brands that understand and cater to the needs of their customers as individuals and offer them something unique at the right time and place won this year. For example, when you arrive in a new city, you might receive a notification with restaurant or hotel recommendations from Booking.com or TripAdvisor. Another example is how Clorox brands recognize and respond to key signals such as: B. someone looking at flu trends in a city and getting prevention tips from the company.
Consumers are drawn to immersive and relevant experiences and content. Brands can use this hyper-personalized micro-moment approach to further strengthen their relationships with their customers.
Integration with wearables
Wearable tech will also play a key role in search engine optimization in the near future, just as mobile optimization has now become the standard when it comes to ranking. Brands may need to optimize their platforms for wearable devices like smartwatches to rank higher and increase their conversion rates.
Blockchain technology for digital marketing
The introduction of Blockchain technology has brought some significant changes to the way people use the internet. It has also created new opportunities for marketers to venture into new spheres on top of their existing marketplaces. Brands need to become familiar with how blockchain affects their marketing efforts.
Blockchain has found some notable use cases in finance, healthcare, and supply chain. And marketing is no exception to blockchain’s potential use cases. First of all, the technology offers an ideal solution for challenges around intermediaries. Additionally, the interactive features of blockchain would help brands communicate their messages to the audience.
Another example of blockchain in marketing is the adChain platform, which acts as a transformative protocol in MarTech with features like real-time lead tracking and campaign audits. It also leverages the open and shared nature of the blockchain to block pay-per-click providers from accessing fraudulent ad clicks and traffic. Blockchain martech advocates also promote other use cases of the technology, such as improved transparency, increased security, and reducing privacy concerns for brands, marketers, and consumers alike.
Mixed Reality in MarTech
The big idea of metaverse and networked digital realities has not yet caught on. However, it’s a different story when it comes to augmented reality with technologies like virtual, and augmented mixed reality. Marketers have already started focusing heavily on incorporating them into their marketing strategies and campaigns. And going forward, brands will see them being used in more connected ways with new innovations.
Augmented Reality or AR will continue to play a huge part in brand marketing strategies as it gives brands the ability to offer virtual fittings. Not only will it help brands potentially reduce returns, but it will also provide more immersive shopping experiences and foster brand loyalty.
With the increasing availability of affordable VR headsets, virtual showrooms and malls are becoming a real possibility for brands. VR is increasingly being used by real estate companies to provide potential buyers with virtual real estate tools. The development of new tools such as haptic feedback devices also allows users to feel virtual reality. This gives brands the opportunity to give their customers more hands-on experiences that were previously not possible.
(The author is Chief Technology Officer of Hashtag Orange. The views expressed are personal.)
The report reveals the cross-industry trends in the marketer community on consumer data strategy.
