Digital marketing is often so intrinsic that we don’t really notice it anymore. Brands are all over the internet from social media pages to adverts, and often the different types intermingle so much so that we no longer see any difference between the things our friends and family post, and the commercial content that is aimed at us. To help you brand’s message stand out, here are four digital marketing trends that have been hot this summer.
1 – Chatbots
2018 truly is the year of the chatbot, and this summer has seen chatbot usage skyrocket throughout social media channels all over the world. Gone are the days of annoying and unresponsive AI chatbots, technology has improved over the past few years and these helpful bots are now smarter than ever. From customer support and brand awareness, to up-to-date news and reminders, using a chatbot for your business can help you to keep your brand on everyone’s mind. Currently, 61% of consumer-chatbot interactions are customer service based, and it is thought that this number will rise to 85% by 2020. It’s helpful to keep your chatbot’s responses fun and light-hearted to truly engage with your customers.
2 – Support Social Issues
Whereas it used to be the done thing to stay neutral, we are now very happy to announce that it’s cool to support good causes. Companies are now getting behind the issues that they care about and putting all of their corporate weight behind them. From Marks and Spencer’s backing of breast cancer awareness, to Adidas using their Lean In campaign to promote gender pay equality.
3 – Gifs and Emojis
It’s well known that emojis are the universal language of millennials, so why not get on board and use them to punctuate your emails, comments and other types of social posts? Not only do they signify a more light-hearted and fun approach, they are also extremely effective it getting your message across. Try implementing GIFs too for a fun and interactive experience. Populating images and graphics with emojis and text is also a fun way to communicate with your customers.
4 -Stay local
Sometimes it’s nice to focus on local events and things that are going on right on your doorstep, and that is why brands are embracing local this summer. Try and focus on an event that is happening around you and use it to engage your customers through hashtags or even by creating Snapchat geofilters that customers can use in a certain location. Whether it’s a festival, a concert, a sports event or a newsworthy happening, jump on the bandwagon and get everybody talking!
