Marketing News: Four marketing predictions for 2019

With the arrival of a new year comes a raft of predictions and expectations for the forthcoming 12 months. You’ll see it in every industry and area and it’s no different in the fast-moving world of marketing.

We’ve checked over some of the most influential marketing websites to present the major trends that could go on to define 2019.

Social media will remain vital
Around half of the UK is on social media and the large majority of 18-29 year olds have at least one online social profile.

The real-time experience data generated by social media will become more important than ever for forming the foundation of a brand’s marketing strategy, according to social media management software developer Sprinklr.

Yoli Chisholm their VP of Marketing suggests: This data answers essential questions:

• How are your customers engaging with you right now?
• Are they happy customers at this time?
• Is the product doing what they expect?
• Is your care team meeting the needs of every customer?

She went on to say that by managing the growing volume of social data, brands can provide personalised experiences, improve their products, transform customer care and create relevant storytelling that is powered by real-time audience insights.

Similarly, 2019 will be a big year for social commerce. Mara Greenwald, Group Media Director at performance marketing agency Performics notes how advertisers are beginning to catch up to consumer behaviour, with features like chatbots and messaging apps driving and processing purchases. Instagram also has some features in the works too.

Content is still king
Apologies for using such a tired and clichéd phrase but it’s hard to dispute that fresh, original content is everything – still.

It goes without saying that every company needs to entice, inspire and excite their audience.
But marketingdonut.co.uk says that the goal should not be to simply put content in front of people and hope they respond to it, but rather, encourage them to share and engage with it.
Whether it’s an article on an outlet or a video on social media, content opens the door for two-way communication, which is crucial for building trust and letting customers know that you appreciate their business.

Make it personal
David Newman, author of ‘Do It Marketing’ believes that organisations will do well in 2019 by enhancing their personal brand.

He predicts how speaking, networking, relationship building and becoming a visible authority will be increasingly important in 2019 as digital assets become commoditised.

“Entrepreneurs and executives who want to be positioned as thought leaders will speak at more industry events, present more conference keynotes, host educational seminars and CEO round tables, and find other ways to market their smarts to their customers and prospects live and in person.”

Tighter data regulation
GDPR was one of the most notable events of 2018, not just in marketing but for every business and organisation in the UK and Europe.

This year will almost certainly see the first big GDPR fine and there is now much more scrutiny in how personal data is handled across every department of an organisation.
Pete Meyers, Marketing Scientist at analytics firm Moz said: “GDPR, however you feel about it, was [a] shot across the bow from angry consumers looking to take back their data, and we marketers are going to need to be more conscientious about how we use that data.”

Whilst digital growth marketing expert and owner of marketing agency 3DogWrite Lisa Apolinski reckons privacy settings will increase, while data collection on social and other digital channels will shrink.

Further Reading / Sources

Facebook faces $1.6bn fine and formal investigation over massive data breach. The Guardian.
Top Three Marketing Trends in 2019.  Martech Advisor.
Ten Digital Marketing Predictions For 2019. Forbes.
10 Marketing Trends to Watch in 2019. Entrepreneur.