Don’t put away that selfie stick. In fact, the camera lens is your ideal marketing tool to build your brand in the upcoming year.
According to MediaBistro, 82 percent of Twitter users are watching video content. Up to 45 percent of folks are locked on Facebook and YouTube videos too, more than an hour each week. And, 43 percent of people admit they would like to see more visuals from the marketplace.
The good news is you don’t have to become a cinematographer to create great videos. Uncut, documentary-style clips are a fan favorite. So, if you’ve got something to teach, keep that cell phone within reach.
“Explainer videos are one of the hottest things right now,” says Matthew Santos, vice president of products and strategy at Foxtail Marketing. “Thirty seconds to a minute is the prime target range. Using these videos in ads will also help you stand out in the ad networks.”
The “Write” Content Will Increase Sales
Don’t go as far as throwing out your keyboard. You’ll still be using “words” to convey sales copy, coaxing audiences toward conversion. In fact, it’s been reported that inbound marketing’s cost-per-lead is 61 percent cheaper than traditional marketing.
The buyer’s journey happens in stages, so understanding where your customers fall – the top, middle, or bottom of the sales funnel will largely determine how you’ll niche down to more specialized content.
Forbes contributor, John Hall, says sales teams use content to bolster pitches and strengthen client relationships. Everything is predicated on an era of personalization and “it’s no longer enough to make the sale, move on to the next one, and handle complaints as they arise…companies need customers to get maximum value from their purchases to encourage word-of-mouth marketing.”
In 2019, brand stories and intimate narratives will shift relationship dynamics from vendor to partner to raving fan to active brand ambassador.
So simply put, brand chatter and loyalty are the keys to your future success.
CEOs Will Be More “Socially” Inclined
The rise of fake news and political unrest has placed a veil of speculation on people as well as brands. Even if you’re a small business or “mom and pop” operation, there’s a reputation attached to your every move. Being the toast of the town – not the talk – should be the end-goal. Remember people buy from people especially when they are top of mind.
Back in 2016, just 40 percent of CEOs were active on social media, primarily using LinkedIn as their channel of choice. The next 12 months should see an uptick in posting to the company blog, writing on Medium, and posting from personal accounts.
However, if you want to be “insta” famous, turn to TV. In 2019, the platform with the most pull is Instagram. If you have (or want) a mobile audience, IGTV is the video streaming platform of choice.
Plannable’s Vlad Callus is calling IGTV the “new YouTube in five years.” And, brands like SocialChain are taking advantage of this tool to post long-form content. How? In the most strategic sense, they’re distributing audio content to a crossover audience. By filming their trademark podcast, each episode is then posted and packaged to Instagram. Double the traction, double the followers.
Alexa, Siri, and Google Will “Speak” Up For You
If you were seeking a “gal pal,” then 2019 leaves no shortage of recommendations. We’ve seen Google dominate over SEO, leaving us to curate keyword phrases for the sake of search rankings. Voice-enabled search is no different, offering up an opinionated slant on the best restaurants or holistic doctors in your neighborhood.
Media Update has some pointers, however, on how to make your brand discoverable via voice search:
- Use long-tail keywords and phrases, instead of abstract words, in your marketing content.
- Understand the questions that consumers would search to find you and devise content that answers and closes the loop.
- Use grammar, tone, and vocabulary spoken in everyday language.
Capitalize on these trends and make them a part of your social media plan for 2019. Oh, and if you need another gal pal for your social media strategy, give One Part Social a call.
We’ll make you “insta” discoverable!
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