By Victor T. Miller
The world is all about fast-paced change, enabling innovation to become the lifeblood of every business, and the key driver of success. For some brands, this means that their inherent ability to create and bring new solutions to the world will put them at the forefront of their industry. For others, however, that means they will need to step up their game to scale their operations and gain more visibility.
This is where the latest and the most effective marketing strategies step in to save the day. As of 2019, we’ll see many an ingenious solution for the over-competitive market, but the following six will stand out. Use them as areas of continuous improvement for your business and let your brand soar despite the overwhelming tempo of progress.
Content remains king
Inbound marketing has always been, and always will be a vital segment of every business. It’s in the very fabric of your brand, delivering language and imagery that not only gives value to your customer, but also builds your reputation. As a staggering number of people implements ad blockers, your brand can no longer rely on advertisements to sell, but on educational content.
As Google gets more challenging with their algorithm changes and requirements, your brand has to come up with truly authentic storytelling pieces to get more traction. With more competitors to face and a quickly advancing tech world, every business needs to diversify their content production in order to deliver on their promise.
Automation through chat-bots
Dealing with a multitude of users also means that you need the manpower to tackle the numbers. This positive growth in communication especially via social media allows brands to get a closer look at what their customers want and how they can optimize their CX. Enter: chat-bots!
With the help of this nifty invention, brands can now simplify their communication with the customer. Automated, simple to use, and very reliable, chat-bots are helping brands get the needed customer insight, guide their users through any setbacks in their shopping journey, and establish a connection with the audience through platforms such as Facebook’s own Messenger.
Video content surges in popularity
Among all forms of content now in demand, video is by far the most appealing for the modern-day consumer in a constant hurry. Instagram Stories emerged as a response to this growing trend, while Snapchat, YouTube, and Facebook also base a huge portion of their views and likes precisely on this type of content.
For brands that are still in their early stages of development, this is one of the best ways to get up-close and personal with your audience: invite them to make short clips using your product, post your own sneak-peeks of your brand’s life, introduce live-streaming, and the like. Diversify by using videos with subtitles for people who prefer to watch with sound off, and videos with no language whatsoever – some music is always a good idea, but keep it muted unless the user chooses to listen.
SEO reigns supreme
There’s no way to overemphasize the importance of being liked by Google and other search engines, as well as their pursuit of more refined ways to rank businesses in the SERPs. In order for your website to deserve Google’s love and the first-page throne, you need to always update your pages according to the latest search engine needs – and keep in mind that 94% of your organic website visits come from Google.
To be able to meet the growing requirements of search engines, more brands are relying on SEO services in order to be able to focus on other aspects of their business growth. The SEO game has become a very intricate one, combining on-site optimization, paid ads, continuous keyword research, and the like. For brands wanting to stay at the top of their game, it pays to know what search engines appreciate and how to stay a few steps ahead of the competition.
Influencers front and center
You already understand that your business is worth very little without the support of its audience. In the modern climate, however, this support expands to include social media influencers, as well. Not limited to celebrities alone, any modern business needs to find a way to build relationships with people who have a significant impact on your niche. If you’re in the fashion business, and there’s a local girl whose Instagram profile counts followers in thousands, it’s time to make friends.
Genuine reviews, brand ambassador contracts, images of these popular people using and advertising your brand, it all provides a real-life context for your brand in the eyes of your customers. They will be far more likely to consider your offer if they see that you are in business with an Instagram star they adore. It doesn’t have to be a supermodel or a movie star, it’s more than enough to start with micro-influencers that have access to your target audience.
Feedback in the spotlight
Just like the word of your social media stars carries a certain level of significance, the same goes for your previous customers. Not all of them might be inclined or accustomed to leaving public reviews on Google, Yelp, or social media, but with a bit of encouragement from you, they might be happy to support you publicly. After all, if positive reviews can lead to a 133% increase in conversions, wouldn’t you say this is a worthy investment for your 2019 marketing strategy?
Don’t shy away from criticism, as well, because these bits of negativity can serve as a perfect source of information on how to improve your service. However, don’t let it remain at soliciting feedback, but take action and let your customers know what steps you’ve taken to accommodate their needs – they will appreciate your effort, and the negative review might just turn into a positive one.
Every day, the world is richer by more companies trying to make their way to the top, and novel strategies to grant them this wish. As you face your fierce competition, you can utilize these methods to maximize your growth potential and make the most of your marketing efforts in the upcoming year.
Victor T. Miller is a business and marketing Specialist. BizzMarkBlog.
Marketing strategy stock photo by Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock
