In marketing one of the leading components to success is keeping up with trends and technology. Technology can change in the click of a mouse, and it is essential that we stay on top of these changes as not to fall behind. We call this, “Staying in the curl of the marketing trend wave.” We must make sure we are securely on our boards and riding along with the wave if we want to make it to shore. We want to share with you a few of our thoughts and insights into staying in the curl of the marketing trend wave in 2018.:

SMARTPHONES: One of the most visible pieces of technology that has taken over the world is the smartphone. Long gone are the days of PCs and notepads. Today, everything we could ever need is handheld and portable. We can, and do work from anywhere in the world. Think about that. Years ago, the technology we have access to today was unthinkable. Smartphone usage is the most common way to stay in touch with customers in the business world. At the touch of our fingertips, we can send essential e-mails, look up vital information and order precisely what is needed all within moments. Information given by Statcounter says that smartphones currently own 50.87 percent of market share, which is up from the 8.49 percent in January of 2012. The use of desktops, however, has decreased, dropping from a 91.51 percent usage rate in January of 2012 to 44.87 percent as of October 2017. By this information alone, we can see that handheld technology is imperative to success in today’s busy world market. Knowing these stats, it is vital that all digital design be not only mobile-responsive but geared toward smartphone consumption.

VIDEO: Another main trend that we see happening more and more is the use of video. All over the world, people are using Facebook Live and YouTube to promote their businesses. By doing this, it becomes more relatable to potential customers as they can see the face of the person they are to be working with. Digital advertising is becoming the new way to engage with your customers and clients. You can say and express so much more with video than you can with a photo or even just text. With this being said, short videos are still king. Many people won’t watch a video to the end if it is long. Start your video off strong and grab the attention of your targeted audience and then captivate them with useful and engaging information. It is a handy and cost-efficient tool in today’s market.

SOCIAL MEDIA: This one seems to be a given. While there are a variety of platforms, in the past year Instagram has exhibited staggering growth of users and engagement. Close to 800 million people engaged on Instagram in 2017 and that number is set to grow even more. Twitter is slowly losing steam as more people are moving to Instagram and Pinterest. Using social media is a cost-efficient way to get your business and your brand out there. However, a word of caution on social media, you cannot always be promoting your business – you must provide value to your end-user, not just “sales pitches”.

These are just a few trends that we have followed and researched when it comes to marketing in today’s business world. Heading into 2018, digital advertising will continue to be at the forefront of the trend wave. Make sure you are staying in the curl of what your competitors are using and what new forms of technology are introduced in the market trend wave.