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We’re halfway through the year already. It’s the perfect time to look at some of the data driven marketing trends we’ve seen this year. It’s also the perfect time to look at what may be next. The world of advertising and marketing is ever-changing. What was popular last month may not be effective a few months later. To keep you up to date, we’re going to take a look at the predicted top marketing trends for the next 12 months.

Human Brands

Long gone are the faceless organizations from yesteryear. Now, it is all about being as human as possible. Brands are putting all of their efforts into providing customers with a more personal experience. We’ve seen this become quite popular on social media. Now, social media managers sign their names off on the tweet. Customer service representatives use their names in Facebook communications. It’s all about becoming a face and not just another big name organization. If you want to piggyback onto this trend, then you need to build solid connections with customers. This is the only way to provide that human experience that potential customers are crying out for.

Less Strategies

Digital marketing used to be about trying as many different techniques as possible. To pull in potential clients. However, times are definitely changing. Now, businesses are trying to streamline their marketing efforts. They’re working out which different avenues work for them and sticking to them. Social media will remain a key player in the marketing world, but some other things may become obsolete. It’s all about working out the ROI in the different marketing methods. If one thing works well for you, then concentrate on that. If you’re not making a profit from another strategy, then cut it loose. It’s all about working smarter, not harder.

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Mobile First

With the most recent Google update, it seems as though mobile-friendly is set to take over the internet. This means that websites will not just be mobile-friendly, they’ll be mobile-first. Business owners are already looking for ways in which they can increase the customer experience on phones and tablets. We think that those businesses will soon concentrate solely on creating a mobile-friendly website. This will also translate into other aspects of marketing, such as newsletters. Finding a way to turn your business into a mobile-first company, will set you apart from the crowd.

Quality Content, Not Quantity

This has been a long time coming, but we think the day is so very close. Google have put a lot of emphasis on the quality of content they see on websites nowadays. Those who are pumping out blog after blog, without adding value, will soon see their rankings drop. However, those who have something truly unique to say will work their way up. When it comes to your marketing efforts, it’s imperative you work on creating high-quality articles. Articles that provide value to your customers. Anything else may end up at the bottom of Google’s black pit.

These are our predictions for the top marketing trends over the next 12 months. Do you think we could be right? If not, what do you think will be the sole focus for businesses over the next year?