The most important digital marketing trends and topics at a glance
In 2012, there was "only" talk of customer journeys and suitable tools, ROI, big data and cloud computing, as well as social media marketing as an independent marketing channel. In 2013, the focus was more on mobile marketing as an overarching discipline and how to extract relevant information from the vast amount of marketing data collected and thus generate added value for customers and companies. This year, the threads of these topics are coming together. It is about the Content at the heart of the networking of all channels and data. Coping with the flood of data remains just as big a challenge as mobile, which is now technically well developed, but still remains challenging in terms of communication and marketing. There is only one way forward for all success-oriented companies: From digital marketing to Digital transformation.
What users want: cross-channel, personalization and relevance
The days of mass banner campaigns, link building campaigns and e-mail madness in the inbox are clearly over. If you want to be heard by users today, you have to targeted, individual and personal and, above all, only relevant content communicate. Good content in the interest of users is therefore also increasingly the focus of Google rankings. This now also applies to all advertising formats and online channels. From personalized emails to individual advertising offers between mobile and TV. All interactions with the customer must be personalized and played out in real time. User and demand profiles will form the basis for controlling marketing campaigns in future and completely replace channel thinking. Users and customers want to be met where they are: locally, according to their needs and in a way that suits their device. This is where Location-based services in conjunction with mobile. TV, mobile and online as separate channels are becoming increasingly blurred. With the so-called Media and screen snagging the user moves easily between devices. In the process Advertising naturally in the user context and no longer acts as such, but as relevant content ranging from native advertising to gamification elements. Social media marketing is also joining the mix and is no longer seen as a separate discipline - the hype is over. Fans and followers are a little tired of the many offers and the interaction rate is decreasing significantly. The same applies here: if you want to score points and reach the user's ear, you have to be personal and relevant and set a few stronger stimuli than the competition. This overall data-based marketing approach with the customer and their customer journey at the center takes marketing into a new real time dimension. Today's users and customers have grown up and are fully aware of the marketing value of their data.
What companies need: Digital marketing becomes digital transformation
Now that users have long been on the digital train, companies still have to catch up with many of their processes. The trend is moving away from pure product and service sales and towards content and emotions that sell, inspire and create trust, which has been eroded here and there in the digital world. One speaks of the Content Enabling. Once customer trust has been gained, a partnership-based development begins. The customer becomes a recommender and co-designer - keyword Customer Integration. The customer wants to and should be actively involved in the production and service processes. For this to succeed, there needs to be feedback channels from the customer to the company ( -> IoT) and a solid user-specific database from which it is possible to derive what the customer needs and, above all, what they are missing.
To keep pace with these developments, companies are currently undergoing this digital transformation. 360 degree view of the customer and the relevant data from marketing, sales and service, which can be used to Seamless customer journeyy draw. Only in this way will companies be able to optimally accompany and address their customers. Prerequisite for the Digitization of business processes is a efficient and, above all, integrated IT landscape, in which tools harmonize, data interact centrally, can be evaluated and thus a Behavioral targeting enable. The aim of this is then to Marketing AutomationForecasting models for response, purchase probabilities, etc. are linked to data-based planning and campaign management. Powerful CRMs and multiple marketing tools that cover this well and can be integrated into corporate IT are in demand on the market.
Design that adapts 360 degrees is in demand
In order to continue to do justice to the cross-channel, the following applies more than ever before: Mobile first, but connected. To ensure that devices and locations transport and display content seamlessly and appropriately, you no longer just need Responsive web designbut Reactive Design. The page not only optimized for the various end devices and the same content is played out, but the content adapts to the user's situational interests, e.g. depending on the click interest in the e-mail newsletter, the appropriate product or topic is then sorted at the top of the website when the user clicks on it.
Data protection must be competitive
Following the European data protection amendment and many Uncertainty among users and companies alike it becomes clear that the digital economy actively shapes data protection must. This industry is now out of its infancy and has a responsibility not only to deliver great, creative solutions, but also to consolidate security and trust among users. So far, European data protection policy has been of little help here, as uncertainty and fear have led to over-regulation and even theses such as "The Internet is broken". Here, tried and tested concepts and competitive impulses from the Digital economy - digital natives The data protection industry needs to actively help shape competitive data protection, which is a mixture of healthy German caution and American, competitive pragmatism. Politics left to regulate - often by digital immigrants - but who are grateful for concepts that work and more understanding. Above all, transparency is the key issue: What happens to my data? in demand. Also in the IoT area this is seen as highly necessary alongside digital commerce and advertising.
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[1] Image source: http://dmexco.de/fotoshow/3/14/87/1050/0/0/1.html
