Five Up and Coming Online Marketing Trends to Watch For

It’s probably fair to say that the digital marketing industry is one of the only industries that swings and changes more rapidly and regularly than fashion. While many of the fundamental basics remain the same, absolutely everything else is in a constant state of flux. The Internet may have revolutionised marketing with extraordinary new possibilities – it also represents a constant and ever intensifying challenge for the modern marketer.Even over the course of a couple of years, the rulebook can be entirely rewritten. As of 2016, we once again find ourselves looking at an extraordinary array of new and upcoming digital marketing trends set to take over in the near future. So for those with an interest in outpacing the competition and remaining ahead of the curve, here’s a quick rundown of five up and coming online marketing trends you cannot afford to ignore:

1. Vertical VideosFirst of all, it’s no secret that mobile represents the present and future of all digital marketing. But what’s interesting is the way in which the shift has been happening for some time, but there is still such incredible room for improvement. You only need to look at the way in which most businesses still simply create a ‘mobile version’ of their primary websites, as opposed to actually building with mobile in mind from the ground up. One digital marketing trend already making waves is that of the vertical video – a trend catering to mobile users specifically and one that brands like SnapChat are leading by example with.
2. Virtual Reality (VR) With the HTC Vive, Oculus Rift and an endless string of newcomers on the way, virtual reality is finally set to make a name for itself in 2016. Of course, chances are it will be sometime before VR takes over as the new standard for home entertainment, but it’s certainly gaining traction. And of course, it will be those that get in at ground level (as in right now) that find themselves with an enormous advantage over the competition when every marketer on the face of the earth decides to jump on the VR bandwagon, further down the line.
3. App-based SEOWhile it’s not to say that the days of the browser-based web are limited, apps are absolutely the future of the Internet. It’s unlikely that traditional websites will ever be completely replaced by apps, but it’s more than clear that the biggest brands on earth (not to mention Google) are giving apps more priority than ever before. Strong app-based SEO will become a biggie when it comes to determining which apps outshine the rest.
4. Augmented Reality ExperiencesNot quite the same as virtual reality, augmented reality is a concept that was initially pioneered (quite badly) by way of Google Glass. Still, our physical and digital worlds are already being melded in some ways by things like QR codes and interactive mapping/navigation tools. Even if you are not particularly won over by the idea of virtual reality, augmented reality is something you really won’t be able to get to escape in the near future.
5. Interactive ContentLast but not least, customer experiences that follow the traditional one-way interaction model are slowly but surely becoming a thing of the past. Brands, businesses and digital marketers are all finding themselves with little choice other than to deliver the most diverse and immersive customer experience possible by way of extensively interactive content. Simple examples include quizzes and store calculators, but this really only scratches the surface of what’s to come.