MediaBrains, Inc. , a leader in business-to-business (B-to-B) online advertising, specializing in industry directories and contextual advertising, recently published a list of top marketing trends to watch in 2008. I got to thinking about each one, and how it effects the online marketing world.
1. Green is Growing
As global warming and the environment become hot topics these days, companies are changing their habits to be more ‘green’. There are sites dedicated to green topics, social networks for green promoters, and organizations of green enthusiasts showing up everywhere. 2008 should be a big year to promote environmental changes and making a difference.
2. Social Networks: Join the Club
Social networks keep popping up all over the internet on any topic you can imagine. They are created for groups of people to share ideas and opinions and express themselves. There are social networks that embrace the masses (ie. MySpace and Facebook) or social networks that focus on a certain niche (ie. Care2, Last.fm, Flixster) or social networks for career networking ( LinkedIn). Social networks continue to grow and help marketers more specifically target their consumers.
3. Capitalizing on Online
Online marketing has been growing every year. There are new mediums and developments making it easier to reach consumers. Marketers for many companies have been allocating more funds to their online marketing budgets. According to Forrester Research, interactive marketing spend will more than triple over the next five years, reaching $61 billion by 2012.
4. Mobile: The Hottest Web 2.0 Yet
Mobile Web has always been a topic of conversation. The platforms used on cell phones always looked different than the format on a computer screen. However, now with the Apple iPhone for example, mobile Web technology is developing and becoming a more viable option.
5. Video Content is King
Video content provides the option to present a much more personalized experience for the user. Videos allow you to not only tell the user what or how to do something, but actually SHOW them as well. This creates a more interactive and personal experience for the consumer. With sites like YouTube , videos are accessible to anyone on almost any topic imaginable.
6. Lead Generation
Lead generation relates back to being able to reach a more specific market through online mediums. The ability to reach the consumer that is interested in your product is a major value-added option and saves valuable resources in the process.
7. Targeted Messaging
The ability to see a significant ROI of marketing relies on being able to target the right consumers. Instead of wasting money on marketing to the masses that may not be interested in your product/service, online marketing helps narrow the field. You want to be able to reach the consumer at the right time, whether they are in the process of research or ready to purchase. Whether it be through pay-per-click, SEO, banner ad placement or social networks, targeting is much easier online.
8. Segmentation
Along with targeting, is being able to segment your consumers. You need to develop your messages based on the audiences you are trying to reach. You may have several different audiences you want to reach with your product and online marketing allows you to segment different messages. Again, whichever online mediums you may be using, you need to keep in mind the consumers’ wants, needs, and position in the purchasing process.
These trends will be very apparent in the upcoming year. They are all important to the future advancement of online marketing. It will be very interesting to see how they all develop!
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Tags: Green is Growing • Lead Generation • Mobile • Segmentation • social networks • Targeted Messaging • Video Content
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