What’s new today is old tomorrow. The world is changing, but that’s no surprise to marketers. Marketing agencies typically advertise themselves as “innovators” - they’re the front runners of the creative space and latest tech. With ever increasing technological advancements in facial recognition, geo-fencing, or even supermarket robot assistance, marketing agencies need to continuously innovate to stay ahead of the game. 

So where are marketing agencies primarily innovating?

Search Marketing - SEO, Visual Search, and Voice

Since the mantra “content is king” still rings true today, prioritizing search engine optimization (SEO) to get ranked and seen online continues to be crucial… though the tactics have shifted. 

Read Related - SEO Tips for 2019

Search marketing in 2019 goes beyond keywords and back-links. Visual search helps marketers get ahead of the game since people’s brains register 90% of information as visual. Machine learning technology evaluates endless data to expand the systems field of experience and collect answers to endless queries - improving the customer experience each time. 

However, the “hottest” and most critical trend of 2019 is voice search technology. 

More and more companies are investing in voice technology because it creates a smoother and more simplified user experience for consumers. In 2018 alone, there were already over one billion voice searches per month. Now there are predictions that, by 2020, 50% of all searches will be by voice. 

Nebo Agency recognized the need and relevance of voice search in the marketing space and launched their own platform to manage both digital and voice content in one interface. 

Since voice is becoming more prevalent in consumers’ lives - Nebo has made it a priority to invest time and research to perfect voice efforts for their clients. 

Storytelling - Social Media, Video, and Podcasts

Humans are storytellers by nature. We love to learn, experience, and share about the world around us - hence why new social media platforms continue to pop up and perform well. 

Marketers are constantly adapting to new social platforms and the challenges those platforms present. But, when every brand and their competitor is on a platform, standing out becomes more difficult. 

Marketing agencies like Dagger used Instagram to showcase and celebrate Atlanta’s culture by creating Butter.ATL. Not only does the account tell the story of the history, people, and the city of Atlanta, but it also demonstrates the agency’s creative and social media marketing capabilities.

In many ways, 2019 has become the year of the podcast. Though podcasts and radio shows have existed for years, more and more people (and even brands) have leveraged podcasts to share their stories, expertise, or opinions. 

This was reaffirmed at our most recent Setup #MarketersBreakfast where Maureen Maggioni with Salesforce mentioned the success of her company’s podcast that talked about salesforce products and how consumers were using them. 

Podcasts provide longer form content that humanizes brands. Allowing people to peek behind the curtain and listen to an expert results in more trust between the business and listeners. Live videos also give viewers a peek behind the curtain and a more authentic feel. 

Read Related - Injecting Humanity into a Brand

Additionally, incorporating consumers using user-generated content is a more authentic approach to marketing. Instead of a written review, consumers can now film themselves talking about or using a brand’s product and share it with their network. 

Technology - Video, Progressive Web Apps (PWA), and Artificial Intelligence (AI) 

Video is a popular method to share content that tells stories of the brand’s partnerships or mission. In 2019, 72% of businesses claimed video increased their conversion rate and 70% of consumers claimed to share a brand’s video. All of that to say, through video, brands bring their stories to life.

Mobile has opened countless doors for marketers. But, in 2019, it’s not all about apps anymore - marketers are now also developing PWAs - Progressive Web Apps that are essentially websites on mobile. 

One of our agency partners supports a Global B2C brand that wanted to build a business case for a “product configuration” in a native mobile app.

How did they do that? The North American marketing team worked with the agency to build a progressive web app (PWA) in less than half the time and at a fraction of the cost of a native app. They launched the PWA at a major trade show to test user experience and brand engagement. The data captured adds value to the conversation with the corporate team and is helping forge the way for future development of a native app that customer brand loyalists will love.

And then there’s AI. Despite the caricature that sci-fi movies paint of AI, in many ways, AI has already integrated into our everyday lives via phone assistants like Siri and sign-ins, chatbots, and robots.

Read Related - The Future of Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics in Marketing

Artificial Intelligence lends itself to more efficient processes and a stronger return on investment (ROI). Whether the process includes collecting data to improve personalized or predictable marketing efforts or measuring marketing strategies based on audience behavior and analytics, AI is becoming an integral process in everyday marketing functions.

Marketing is going to continue to evolve, but marketers need to continuously work together to educate, inspire, and challenge one another to innovate and optimize their processes. 

Read Related - The Importance of Ongoing Marketing Education

Are you a client-side marketer who needs help innovating your current marketing strategy? Contact us to get in touch with a qualified marketing agency.