Looking Back: Our 2016 Digital Marketing Trends Predictions
Each year, new digital marketing trends emerge, requiring marketers who work in the industry to consistently master new features and practices. For 2016, we predicted the domination of mobile-friendliness, Instagram and content marketing. Actively taking part in these platforms and features has allowed us to experience shifts in the direction of the industry. As the year comes to a close, we felt it was appropriate to address these topics and see if they're passing trends or are here to stay.
Mobile-Friendly
The switch to mobile-optimized marketing is an obvious transition. In 2016, Nielsen reported that 80% of mobile subscribers have smartphones. With that massive audience in mind, the need to market on mobile-friendly platforms surges to a top priority for any brand with a web presence. This prediction was an easy one, but it definitely has made its mark in the digital marketing industry and will continue to increase as mobile phone technology progresses. The advancement and marketing capabilities of "small screen" devices (watches, tablets, smartphones) will steadily increase throughout 2017, it's just a matter of time.
Adding "stories" to its growing arsenal of features was a big step for Instagram in 2016. The social platform has grown to nearly 400 million monthly active users, offering advertisers opportunities to easily market to its massive audience. As for a marketing trend, the mobile app boasts heavy engagement and its social activity is sure to continue increasing with the addition of live video, said to be released in 2017.
Content Marketing
An obvious prediction, content has become the biggest driver of marketing strategies in 2016. Forbes reported last year that 88% of B2B marketers use content marketing as part of their overall plan. Content is user-driven, providing a fountain of information for consumers interacting with their favorite brands. Content can be in the form of a blog, infographic, website, social media - almost anything brand-related. Interactive and visual content were integral to the growth of content marketing in the past year and will surely continue into 2017.
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