The marketing landscape is always changing, and digital trends are no exception. As we work our way through 1Q 2018, we thought we’d dive into a few of the digital trends that we are watching. Sassafras Marketing creatives are already utilizing many of these digital trends and techniques. What does this mean for our clients? They can continue to expect cutting-edge, best-in-class creative design, digital marketing and amazing storytelling on each and every project.
We’re especially drawn to Ogilvy’s 5 Key Digital Trends for 2018 and Smart Insights’ Social Media Marketing Trends 2018.
Ogilvy made five predictions of things we would likely see lots of this year, and Smart Insights focused exclusively on social media trends to watch. On our watch list:
Chatbots
Chatbots aren’t what they were a few years ago; clunky, invasive and annoying. Instead, think of them as a way to instantly connect with customers. More and more, those interactions seem personal. Chatbots might be right for your business and website if you have (or create) a reason for them. Make people want to use them and appreciate their utility.
Augmented Reality (AR)
The continued rise of AR appears on nearly every 2018 “trends” list, and for good reason. When used on a mobile device, it’s quick, easy and interactive. A great use of this trend? IKEA’s Place App, which lets users imagine how products will look, feel, and fit in their homes, without ever having to leave! Another example: Apple’s Animoji feature. iPhone X owners can send 3D animated emoji they can control with their face – and it’s astonishingly addictive!
Video
While not new by any means, the use of video by marketers is bigger and badder than ever. People prefer video to static images, and prefer images to text alone. If you’re a marketer and want your content viewed, or better yet, shared…there’s a good chance you’ve turned to video.
Even better? Short videos. Think short, shareable content that can be consumed on a smartphone. Facebook, Snapchat and Instagram are all leading the way in social video and tools like Facebook Live or Animoto make it easier than ever to create and share.
Innovation is at the core of the Sassafras brand and drives our work activity each day. We are constantly working to see how we can best utilize new and inventive platforms in unique ways to market for our clients. Join us! Let us help you design your story.