With every new year, there is always plenty of new things: new ideas, new tech, new moments, new predictions of the future, new trends, and more newness. With all this, it is easy to think that most of these new ideas aren’t worth learning and that they are just fads that will past. We decided to dedicate our first blog post of 2019 to 9 digital marketing tactics you can no longer ignore in 2019. Still don’t believe us? We have the stats to prove it.

1. Chatbots—Maybe you’ve noticed when you visit some pages on Facebook, the messenger box comes up and in it there’s a message that offers you answers to questions you could possibly have. With 1.4 billion people interacting with chatbots, it’s easy to see why businesses are starting to save majorly. People like chatbots because they’re responsive, give answers quickly, and never lose patience.

2. Personalization—we truly hope you haven’t been ignoring this one as it proves time and time again how valuable it is to marketing. Even 96% of marketers believe that personalization is a main driver in the customer- business relationship. In email marketing, personalized emails are 3 times better than just blast emails.

3. Video marketing—Now we know this can seem like a lot of work and expensive with having to buy a new camera, but hear us out, some of the best cameras we have seen are in your pockets right now! That’s right, your phones. By creating captivating videos, you give your brand more shareable content that works to get your name out into the public. With 52% of consumers saying that watching product videos makes them more confident in online purchases, why wouldn’t you want to use the strategy?

4. Influencer marketing—Sometimes word of mouth is the strongest marketing tactic you can use. People feel others are more trustworthy other than the brands themselves. So even if you can get clients to vouch for your products and services, you are likely to do better in future sales.

5. Social Messaging Apps—Here’s one that might seem like new and scary territory but hear us out. With 1.3 billion monthly users actively using Facebook Messenger, wouldn’t you want to market your company’s services where your potential customers are spending their time? It also gives you a way to personalize you marketing message just a little bit further.

6. Visual Search—With this new way of searching, users can get more specific results that brings users to your products. Pinterest has even started using this new searching method for users to take a picture of something they like and then they can learn where they can buy their own, something that can be used for most businesses!

7. Voice Searching—Did you know that 50% of all searches will be voice searches by the year 2020? Better get used to the changing technology because it’s coming quick. For example, Domino’s allows customers to make their orders through Alexa. Just think about how you can start using voice searches to help customers find your products or services more easily.

8. Social Media Stories—There is no doubt about it, social media is continually growing and will only get bigger. Now with the platforms adding “stories” your business can show insider videos of what it is like in your office or show off your products. It allows people to feel closer to your brand and continue building those important relationships you’re always looking to build.

9. Artificial Intelligence—From analyzing consumer behavior, search patterns, and other data, it is easy to see why AI is going to be an important tool for businesses. You can understand how consumers find your products, and that is really important information to have to make finding your products simpler. AI can help optimize your customer service and give you an edge against competitors.

We know some of these strategies seem like a lot to do, but they will only help your business grow and be more relatable.

As always, if you ever have any questions feel free to reach out to any of our digital marketing specialists. Happy New Year!