Racing Ahead: Key Tactics to Include in Your 2018 Digital Marketing Plan

It's Q4! As businesses proceed to run the last leg of relay 2017, and consider planning their marketing priorities for 2018, it is important to take a close look at what’s really happening in the marketplace. In this post we highlight key trends that we believe will help you invest in the right digital marketing tactics that are going to position your firm to win the race.
 
Customer centric content:
While we are all geared up to embrace the perfect outdoor weather season here in Dubai, consider you are looking to buy a pair of sneakers for running an upcoming race. You are going about your routine and a display ad shows up with a message that reads “The best sneakers in town with flexible copolymer and cross linked foam. Buy now”. And a competitor’s message that reads “When the shoes get lighter, the moves get faster. Shop now”. Which ad would you click on? You get the point.
 
Creating customer centric content has been on the front burner this year and we believe it is going to be as important as we head into 2018. Marketers need to take a hard look at the content they are putting out and ask if it is customer-centric? To be able to create content that talks your customer's language, marketers need to create buyer personas, that highlight buyer's roles, demographics, goals and challenges and even quirky bits of their personalities. This detailed representation of the buyer will allow to create targeted, vertical specific content that entices your buyer to click on your content piece. 
 
Video marketing:
Given that YouTube is now the second largest search engine on the web, it is no surprise that video marketing is growing at an alarming rate. A recent study from Cisco states that video marketing will account for 80% of all internet traffic by 2019. Thanks to its viral nature and the ability to connect emotionally with the target audience, videos done right create stronger customer attention and promote brand awareness, which ultimately translates to more leads and sales.
 
Video marketing can also boost your search rankings. Studies show that adding video to your websites and landing pages, improves click-through rates. In fact, according to Forrester, including video in emails lead to a whopping 200-300% increase in click-throughs; and including videos on a landing page increases conversion by 80%, thereby increasing your SEO score.
 
If we were to decide on who should get the last-leg runner position in the 2018 digital marketing relay, we would definitely put videos on top of the list! Given all these benefits, video marketing should stand out as the top priority tactic to include in your digital marketing priorities in 2018 and beyond.
 
Social media for live streaming:
We already know how effective video marketing is. Live videos are only an extension of this most popular digital marketing tactic. In 2017, we witnessed in front-row seats, every social media platform introducing live streaming as part of their growth strategy. Live videos provide a platform to share your message in a more immediate and real-time fashion. Plus, audience today look for human connection with the brands they follow and live streaming provides an opportunity to establish close customer relationships.
 
One does not win a relay if you don’t carefully choose your sprint runners. Selecting and investing in the most return worthy digital marketing tactics in 2018 will be key to staying competitive and finishing strong. And the race of course isn’t really over as soon as you cross the finish line, you need to continuously evaluate your tactics' performance to achieve your growth milestones. Get in touch with us to see how we can help you beat and get ahead of competition.