Five Media Trends for 2018

New Year, who dis? It’s a new year and resolutions aren’t subject to just your personal life. You know, hit the gym, get in shape, financial stability, get the guy etc…. Your clients (or business) and a breakthrough-marketing plan to increase profitability, should be on top of the list too!

I went ahead and did some research on some of the most buzzed about media trends on the horizon that you need to be implementing in your 2018 marketing strategy. So here we grow…

Mobile Advertising

Optimizing for mobile and having an integrated mobile marketing strategy is imperative to any marketing plan and that’s not changing anytime soon. People spend 69 percent of their media time on smartphones and that number is expected to grow. Additionally, mobile advertising is projected to represent 72 percent of digital ad spend by 2019. Remember to increase your mobile spend strategically!

Video Consumption

Now more than ever, users are allocating their time watching video content online. That’s 78.6 percent of internet users in the U.S. By 2019, research reveals an anticipated 84 percent of online traffic will be video. Inarguably, the targeting capabilities offered by ad-video companies like YouTube, are advantageous. Therefore, including video advertising in your media mix is a must!

Streaming Content Online

If you’ve been following along with my blogs, I wrote about cord-cutters and how they’re affecting the linear TV industry (you can read here). It’s no surprise by now that people are streaming their favorite TV shows and movies online via Hulu, Netflix, etc. on their mobile devices, tablets and Smart TVs. The need for cable and satellite subscriptions, especially among millennials, is minimizing, resulting in a more digital centric world. How will you adapt?

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

AI (Artificial Intelligence) systems work on the back-end of products you already commonly use, such as Google. It’s a machine-learning tool that uses algorithms to enhance online ad campaigns in areas such as targeting, ad copy, creative and even bidding. The use of AI by marketers is projected to grow 53 percent over the next few years. Capitalize on AI and the vast amount of data accessible to optimize, strategize and manage online paid campaigns.

Voice Search

“Alexa, where’s the nearest coffee shop?” We’ve all used voice search and it appears to be trending more as we become glued to our smartphones. We have Siri by Apple integrated in our iPhones, Alexa by Amazon and more companies are coming out with voice search capabilities. We basically talk to our technological devices and ad companies are taking notice. An astonishing 50 percent of searches are expected to be voice searches by 2020. 

Will you be implementing any of the above for your marketing in 2018?

Nidia Verdugo, Media Buyer