Digital Marketing Nuggets for 2014

Some useful nuggets…

The winds of digital marketing trends are pickin’ up and changin’ direction.
(With us and you riding on the crest of them, of course)

Social Advertising vs Traditional Advertising – Goodbye for good to the ways of Madmen?

Facebook inline or ‘social advertising’ posts are expected to increase in popularity. This type of advertising is proving more effective than banner or display, as it is seen to engage with consumers in a more naturalistic way.

Social Diversification – It’s all about variety…

The Google Gods have determined the importance of brands using multiple social media platforms – with more kudos for certain platforms, depending on how effective they are at reaching your target audience.

The Rise of Ephemeral Networking (now there’s a buzzword for your next board meeting!)

There has been a sudden emergence of intermittent, short-lived image-sharing on the horizon with the explosion of Snapchat. Will there be future opportunities for marketers to exploit this medium? Yes. Does anyone understand it? Not really.

Content Marketing in 2014

Words can be one of the most powerful tools known to mankind (in the powerful words of Rudyard Kipling); however, we think a more effective tool is content marketing: words, video, and images used in harmony.

Marketing roles are constantly being redefined in a fast-paced online environment. According to a report by Forbes, the increasing importance of content as part of a company’s marketing plan means that companies will be investing more time and budget towards content marketing.

Editorial content & social signals

There has been a blurring between the lines of marketing content and journalism. Editorial writing is becoming more popular – content which aims to engage through descriptive and relative topics. The element of storytelling has a place within this; marketers who can create stories that entice and delight their target audience.

If brands hit this nail on the head, this increases their ‘social signals’ – likes, shares, retweets, and interaction with brand content, which is what Google relies on to rate content for SEO.

Video Killed the Radio Star

We don’t need to say anything about this that the video below doesn’t cover…

 Twin Screening / Multi Screening and Social TV

Did you watch Sherlock or did you watch Twitter? Did you notice in Episode 1 the first case of a TV show trolling Twitter users online? How about Ellen DeGenres crashing Twitter the other night with the Oscar’s selfie?

Everyone is using 2 screens. Play to the crowd.

Responsive Design

As Internet use is transferred more and more to smart devices, marketers will need an ‘everything’ strategy, to encompass all devices with one responsive experience. Testing the design across numerous screen sizes is an important element of this. For the first time ever we are seeing mobile / tablet outweigh desktop tablet on some of the major sites we are involved with. This is big.

Responsive Design in Email Marketing

Digital Marketing may have taken its first baby steps through the medium of email, but it looks set to hang on in there as a future trend. If the content is right, this medium can be used to gain personalised connections with consumers, and to compliment a wider digital strategy. If you’re email marketing is not utilising responsive design versions then you’re missing a trick. Contact ebow to get it sorted. We’re doing it for plenty of others.

Search Engine Optimisation / SEO / SEM

Search is the largest provider of traffic online. Google is THE LARGEST search engine. YouTube is THE SECOND LARGEST search engine. If you are not in their sights you are 100% missing out.