New technologies start to become more prominent in marketing every year. And sometimes, not
so new technologies start to become more popular too. Marketing professionals need to keep
their finger on the pulse to understand the technology that’s on the rise in the industry and learn
how they can make the most of it. Marketing technology often helps to change the digital
marketing landscape, but it can be useful for marketing offline and bridging the gap between
online and offline too. If you work in marketing, pay attention to some of the technologies that
are coming to the fore.
Machine Learning and Automation
Any marketing professional that wants to keep up with what’s happening with technology needs
to watch out for developments in machine learning and automation. Chatbots are just one
example of how these technologies are being used. They’re an excellent tool for communicating
with customers and can use machine learning to provide more useful information and use more
natural language. The key with automation and machine learning is for marketing professionals
to use it and work alongside it, instead of using it to completely replace anything. Chatbots can
help with initial contact with customers, but eventually a human needs to step in.
Video and Social Content
Video has been growing as a medium for marketers over the last few years. It’s a great tool to
use in a variety of ways, from social media to website content and online advertising. Video is
one of the most captivating types of content, so it makes a powerful marketing tool. It doesn’t
have to be expensive to produce, either, and it can be used to convey many types of message.
Other types of social media content are important to pay attention to as well. Stories on visual
platforms like Instagram and Snapchat have become increasingly popular.
Voice Search
The rise of voice search is something that marketers need to pay attention to. With the
popularity of smart speakers and personal assistants and people using voice search on their
phones, marketers need to make sure they’re thinking about how to tailor SEO for voice
searches. The usual SEO techniques can continue to work for Google’s products, but other tech
might get answers from both Google and Bing. It’s also a good idea to consider the natural way
that people ask questions.
Beacon Technology
Measuring how well online marketing helps to bring people into a store or other physical location
can be difficult. However, one of the ways this can change is through the use of beacon
technology. Beacons can broadcast a Bluetooth signal to smartphones within range and can
offer people vouchers and loyalty benefits, as well as collect data from customers. It could help
to create a truly multi-channel marketing experience that includes both online and offline
elements.
Marketing technology will continue to evolve, so it’s important for marketers to stay up to date
with what’s happening. When you know how the latest tech is developing, you can be better
prepared to use it to your advantage.