2017 is already here and like any fresh start it makes people wonder what it has in store for us. For marketers and business owners, the natural question to ask is: how will online advertising evolve and where will it head?
As we have been telling our readers for some time now, social media has become the key battlefield for advertisers, and it will continue to be so. The physical medium for accessing social media platforms has also changed: less and less people use the static desktop computer and opt for being connected with their friends and favourite brands on the go, via their smartphone.
Another factor which will influence digital ad trends in 2017 is the consumer’s increasing resistance to traditional forms of advertising. Along the decades, people have been exposed to various types of ads, both offline and online, and are less and less willing to notice them. With the rise of ad blockers, they have put yet another barrier between their mobile and computer screen and companies trying to sell them various products.
So, what should companies invest in during 2017 in order to create effective online ad campaigns?
- Videos, Videos and More Videos
There is no doubt about it, video is the king of online ads. Whether it looks professionally edited, or homemade with the aid of a mobile phone, video is the number one medium for attracting people’s attention and encouraging conversion.
The affordable technology available for video recording and editing makes it easier than ever to make beautiful and persuasive videos, either by editing together static images or sharing computer screen captures, if you do not feel like shooting an actual video with the phone camera.
- Life Is Live – So Is Advertising
Periscope and Facebook™ Live have given regular people the power to broadcast live whatever they are doing, becoming effective TV reporters or stars of their own shows. Live videos have become so popular that even actual music, film and sport celebrities set some time aside to connect with their fans in this powerful and affordable manner.
For marketers and brands, live videos represent a great opportunity to attract new followers, to create meaningful interactions and dialogue and, yes, to promote sales. No successful marketing campaign in 2017 can afford to exclude live videos and ignore the power of direct, actual conversations with potential customers.
- We Want More Native Advertising, Please
As we have mentioned above, people are building mental resistance to traditional advertising and setting up actual barriers to keep it at bay by means of ad blocking software. This means that the whole concept of advertising must adapt in order to survive. Ads need to look and feel like native content – videos, social media posts, blog posts, how-to articles and any other such content types which people find interesting, useful and entertaining.
This involves a whole new mentality with regard to ad creation – hard selling must be replaced with a more subtle art of persuasion, based on building a direct rapport and trust with the potential customers.
- Brands Will Turn Towards Niches for Differentiation
Mass advertising for a uniform mass of people has outlived its usefulness. Now brands turn to specific niches, trying to identify a certain need which they can fulfil better than anyone else.
Finding a niche to claim as your own is the new gold rush of 2017. Companies are trying to find the deeper and more specific scope of their products and services and offer a more personal and customised experience to their customers.
- An App for This, an App for That
Mobile apps are on the rise and they have already become powerful branding assets for companies. With the right approach, they can also become the most modern and relevant medium for advertising. Investing in a mobile app will be one of the most strategic marketing expenses for 2017; you will have a tool which accompanies people wherever they go, giving them instant notifications and helping you build a closer relationship with your prospects than ever.
Of course, apart for these advertising strategies and trends, actual social media interaction with potential customers, focusing on creating conversations, and building trust and loyalty will also matter as much as before and will not be able to be replaced by anything else.