There’s no industry on Earth that hasn’t been touched by the advent of the Internet and advancements in science and tech. From the ways we communicate to the ways we eat, shop, move, and even sleep, the impact of technology is clear.
In marketing, especially, the advent of the Internet and advancements in tech has led to the creation of a new digital playground for marketers and businesses. We’ve previously touched on how in our article on ‘How to Promote Your Brand in the Most Professional Way’, which discussed methods like social media, blogging, and email marketing. Today, we’ll talk about a few more innovative marketing methods that are taking the industry by storm in 2020.
Augmented Reality:
If there’s one new marketing method that’s currently in the spotlight, it’s augmented reality (AR). While the technology itself isn’t necessarily new, it’s been seeing more frequent use for marketing and retail purposes in recent years. In an interview with Entrepreneur, Sellry CEO Michael Bower said that AR is poised to completely transform many industries.
Fashion and homeware retailers have used it to help buyers make decisions from the comfort of their homes. Giants like IKEA have AR apps to help customers better visualize products using their smartphones. Although it isn’t exactly widespread, AR is absolutely on the cusp of a boom, and marketers would do well to pay attention.
Geofencing:
Digital advertising has been the backbone of digital marketing ever since its inception, but there are ways to make it better. Chief of these ways is through geofencing, which allows you to display advertisements to consumers within a specific location. No extra apps are required— all you need is your customers’ GPS.
According to Triadex Services, location-based digital marketing methods like geofencing add precision and efficiency to your campaigns. It’s a smarter way of advertising, allowing you to choose when and where your customers will see your materials. Plus, it can also be used in conjunction with other marketing methods, keeping your brand at the forefront of your customers’ minds.
Machine Learning:
One marketing tool that’s proven it’s worth in recent years is machine learning, and it’s not hard to see why. Machine learning, which is based on the idea that machines can take in data and “adapt” or learn from it, has become a foundational aspect of digital marketing.
Business Insider’s report on ‘AI and Content Marketing’ outlines a few of the many ways machine learning has become essential in the digital marketing effort. When used in conjunction with other techniques such as content marketing, it can be used to identify actionable opportunities, maintain a consistent writing style, and scale up content production by providing briefs to accelerate the writing process. It can be used to create more creative and relevant campaigns, as well as help marketers and businesses measure campaign performance accurately and effectively.
Voice Search:
While techniques like SEO have become an integral part of nearly all online and digital marketing in recent years, marketers may soon find themselves adding a new tool to their arsenal. As voice recognition and speech-to-text technology improves, voice search may soon become the latest favored technique.
In fact, Chicago SEO Geeks founder Andrew Oziemblo writes that marketers need to start familiarizing themselves with voice search now before it hits the markets in earnest. Over 65% of 25-to-49-year-olds make use of speech-to-text functions on their devices, and that number is only likely to grow. Businesses should take the opportunity to optimize their websites and content for voice search, including using long-tail keywords and optimizing location-based marketing.
