The world of digital marketing changes rapidly. Back in the day, digital marketers only had Facebook as a good option for social media, but 6 years later, when Instagram came along, the game changed. Even within an app, Instagram, for example, tons of things have changed since it was founded. There are now shoppable posts, stories, live streaming, and many other unique features. When it first came out, all you could do was share a post and caption with a filter. Now the options are endless. The same goes for any digital marketing channel. Things don’t look the same as they used to. Now there are tons of new apps, current online marketing trends, and strategies you need to understand to have any success in digital marketing.
Staying up to date can be hard, but you’ve already taken the first step by reading this blog. This post is all about the opportunities you should be looking to implement into your digital marketing strategy to boost your results. Let’s take a look at current online marketing trends changing the digital marketing scene in 2020.
3 Current Online Marketing Trends
Podcasts
As we know, people are a bit lazy. Yes, they read blogs, but they prefer videos because it’s less work. No reading, just looking and listening. Podcasts are just listening, which appeals to lots of people. It’s an easy way to take in information and feel connected to people. And there are tons of different podcast opportunities to reach a broader audience. There are nonfiction narrative types, such as This American Life, interviews, such as The TED Interview with Chris Anderson, conversational, such as Dear Hank and John, and many others. Any conversation can be turned into a podcast, some with better success than others. One of my favorite podcasts, called My Favourite Murder, is two women telling stories about serial killers. That’s certainly not up everyone’s alley, but my point is that there are tons of different forms of podcasts that reach a unique audience.
Choosing what to talk about in your podcast is the hardest but most fun part. A great place to start is by looking at your blogs and choosing which ones can be turned into a podcast. Making a list of people who inspire you and seeing if you can interview them will also give you potential podcast ideas. You could do a podcast about how you started your business or what challenges you have faced and tell a fun story about it. Anything that is of interest to you can be turned into a podcast!
TikTok
You may think, “isn’t TikTok just for teens posting dance videos?” Nope, it’s not! Although this is a popular way people use TikTok, it’s not the only option. There are tons of new daily challenges, such as recreating childhood photos. These types of things may seem pretty unrelated to your brand, but the truth is, tons of brands are on TikTok and thriving. When I searched for digital marketing on TikTok, tons of videos and channels came up. People post about success formulas, best apps, how-to videos, and even how to use TikTok for business. I would recommend doing a quick search to see what’s possible.
TikTok is a great way to engage with your audience and put a face to your brand. It’s all about having fun. Different brands have gone for different approaches on TikTok and found innovative ways to put a face to their brand. For example, the Washington Post has a huge TikTok following. Recently they have been posting a funny video every day throughout quarantine. Their videos are relatable and also promote their business. One of their videos involved using a newspaper to make coffee art. Another brand that has found success on TikTok is Chipotle. They participate in challenges, such as the “put a finger down” challenge, where people read a list of things and put a finger down for what they have done. They made their own Chipotle version. Check it out here; it’s pretty fun.
TikTok is a place to have fun and get creative so if you choose to start a channel, make sure to have fun with it!
Video Live Streaming
First things first, do you have a video strategy? If the answer is no, it’s time to make one and include live streaming in it! Video is no longer an option for marketing; it’s a must. Video is a great way to engage with your audience and keep them interested in your brand. Like I said before, people love videos because it’s easy to watch. There is no reading involved. Live streaming takes video to the next level. You can really engage with your audience by answering their questions in real time. It helps make your brand more recognizable and real for people while building a strong and connected community.
It may seem scary to go live because there’s no editing out the mistakes, but we have resources to make it a little easier on you! First up, choose what platform to use for live streaming. There are tons of options, and choosing the one that represents helps you reach the right audience is best. Our next resource will help you learn, step by step, how to host an Instagram Live. Even if you are not using Instagram to host your live, this resource will give you some insight on what to do to have a successful Live.
Takeaways
The digital marketing landscape changes every day so staying up to date is challenging. Trying to stay ahead of the curve is the key, and to do so you have to ignore fear. Starting a podcast or going live is a bit scary, but at Colibri, we like to say “always getting better”. Maybe your first Live wasn’t perfect; try again and carry with you the lessons you learned from your first try. If you let fear hold you back, there’s no way to stay updated with the current trends. These platforms are all places to have fun and connect with your audience, so have fun with them!
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