Looking ahead to 2017 … and beyond
Apart from many obituaries for lost (pop) idols, the turn of the year also brought us lots of wild predictions. This year, it seems, everybody will switch to shopping online with the aid of virtual reality! Or maybe not. Instead, we will shop in brick and mortar stores, but without having to queue at the cash register, because this will be replaced with automatic payment! After all, Amazon is already making it possible.We would like to look at some things that are actually happening right here, right now. After all, there are interesting developments that need marketers’ attention right away.
The forecast for 2017 and 2018
- Economic growth continues
- Online sales figures, especially in food, will keep growing
- More people over 75 are using the internet and buying online
- Gen Xers (born between 1961 and 1980) are spending more online than millennials
As spending power and gross domestic product are on the increase, this is the time to seriously invest in online marketing!
Vital tips for a successful 2017
1. Put some serious effort into marketing automation
Marketing Automation is no longer just a buzzword, it is an absolutely essential part of successful digital marketing campaigns. It allows you to automate customer activation, abandoned shopping cart campaigns, asking for a review or sending a happy birthday mail, always delivering the right message, at the right time. This will provide you with a continuous source of leads, makes customers happy and generates positive attention for your brand. It will also save you time. Time you can use to concentrate on really valuable content …
2. invest in great content
The importance of quality content must not be underestimated. Great content provides more than product and price, it incorporates the total customer experience. In 2017, you need to surprise and delight your customers with originality and emotion. This adds value to your brand. Valuable content helps you to build a meaningful relationship with your customers. it also helps new customers and search engines find you. Furthermore, the latest technology will help you find out what your customers are looking for, so …
3. explore the possibilities of artificial intelligence
Whether you are using suggestions from Artificial Intelligence to help you communicate with customers, like KLM, or employ a complete CRM/marketing platform like Salesforce that includes virtual assistance from artificial brain Einstein, A.I. forms an essential part of marketing in 2017. The number of independently operating, intelligent applications will only grow. There is, however, new European legislation coming in 2018, that will have to be taken into consideration …
4. start preparing for the new European privacy laws now
It may seem strange to start talking about things that will happen next year at the beginning of 2017. However, the big changes in European law, that will come into effect on May 25, 2018, need your attention now. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the related ePrivacy Regulation will greatly impact the online marketing industry. The rules for the use of cookies will change and all use of personal data for marketing purposes will be on an opt-in basis only. and that’s only the tip of the iceberg.
Challenges
Persuading consumers to trust you with their personal data and to accept your cookies, will be one of the many challenges online marketers face in 2017 and 2018. We will keep you updated on developments throughout this year and the next.
Do you want to know more about data-driven marketing, marketing automation and artificial intelligence in marketing? We can help you find a solution that is right for your organisation, whatever its size. Feel free to contact us.
