7 Marketing Trends for Building a Strong Brand

In the past, marketing "materials" were considered to be business cards, business letterheads, a powerful logo, and maybe some pens.  But with the digital revolution, marketing “materials” have evolved into much more.

Today, buyers are interacting with your brand across many different channels. So, your marketing team has to manage print marketing, an entirely new digital environment, and content marketing strategies - all of which have their own nuances. 

If you want to create the perfect marketing storm for your brand, you need to find a way to make all of the marketing efforts meet across channels, audiences, and platforms. 

So how do you create this perfect storm?  Simple. Pay attention to the trends. 

Check out these marketing material trends for building strong brands.

1. Personalize your CEO

Make Zuckerberg and Bill Gates are household names.  Why?  Social media has made it possible for businesses to speak directly to their clients, and top-notch CEOs like Zuckerberg and Gates understood the benefit of a personality with a face.

Names and faces forge connections.  When you step into the spotlight and address your customers, they see the connection between how you speak and the content that you write.  This relationship makes what you say in all of your marketing materials something your audience can feel connected to.

2. Native advertising

Sometimes subtle is best.  People are bombarded with sponsored ads.  Billboards blow up the skyline, and email marketing efforts clutter inboxes.  There are so many in-your-face marketing efforts that people are growing immune to their influence.

Think about how people use the internet. Most people go online looking to solve problems, not to go shopping.  This means when your native ad offers valuable content, consumers grow to trust what you have to say. 

Thus, they turn to your products.  In fact, studies show that because native ads are not overbearing, 25% of consumers are more likely to read the ad and they are 53% more likely to share it.

A stable balance between banner ads and native ads can definitely help you reach people across many different channels. 

3. Be an expert through content marketing

Clients turn to brands they trust.  And, it’s your job to earn their trust. If you’ve taken the first step and personalized your CEO, use your blog to leverage this relationship.

Provide your customers with high-quality content, and they’ll engage with your brand.  Studies show that 36% of today's Fortune 500 customers use their blog for customer engagement, and 77% of internet users read blogs.  The numbers clearly indicate that content marketing through blogging is a trend you can’t afford to ignore.

But blogs isn’t the only form this content should take. PlayStation takes content marketing to the next level with its YouTube channel of tutorials.  The video game giant's YouTube channel is full of gaming examples and tips for users.  Gamers can go to the channel and find release dates, game tips, and just about any other advice they need to up their ‘game’.

4. Get on board with voice

The invention of voice search and the virtual assistant has opened up a new marketing channel for businesses.  In fact, experts predict that by 2020, you will have more conversation with search bots than you will with your spouse.  And, they further predict that 30% of your internet browsing will be done without a screen. 

You need to take Siri and Alexa seriously.  They can become a considerable asset in your marketing arsenal. Despite the overwhelming data that suggests voice and bots are the next big thing, only 26% of businesses have actually invested in a voice marketing strategy.  You don’t want to be on the other side of this breakthrough. 

5. Implement AI in your website

Technology has transformed the 9 to 5 lifestyle.  Gone are the days of grocery shopping and calling to book an appointment.  Instead of being greeted by the Walmart greeter or a receptionist at your favorite salon, you’re now greeted by a chat box in the corner of the webpage.

Big data has made it much easier for AI to help your brand with its marketing efforts.  In fact, 72% of businesses agree that AI offers their company significant advantages.  

But how can AI become a useful type of marketing material?

• Smart searches - AI can analyze your clients' search patterns and then offer solutions to meet their needs
• Smart ads - AI can help you develop more intelligent and more insightful ads
• Deliver t-

6. Video, video, video

Video and audio are projected to make up 89% of 2019’s internet use.  In fact, the statistic to support using video as a robust marketing material are too long to list, so here’s just a few to give you an idea:

• Video increases landing page conversations by 80%
• Companies that use video see revenue 49% faster than those that don’t
• Websites with video have 55% more traffic than those that don’t

Despite the numbers, only 41% of marketers are using video.  The trend is taking off.  You need to get on board and find a team to handle your video marketing division. 

7. Audiences love entertainment

Appealing content is something that customers love.  Now that mobile has entered the entertainment game, people are on a constant search to find something they like.  In fact, studies show that consumers spend 3.3 hours each day on mobile looking to be entertained.

So, give them what they want.  Develop some entertaining content and showcase your brand while doing so. 

YouTube can benefit your brand in more ways than just creating ads before videos.  Remember Blendtec’s series “Will it Blend?”  The company literally put a video camera in a blender to showcase how powerful the blender was.   Viewers flocked to the YouTube channel to see what Blendtec would blend next.  And the reason why was because people love to be entertained.  

Entertainment marketing such as behind the scene videos on social media are incredible popular.  This gives customers a quick look at your business and allows them to personalize your brand.

Video is not the only way to add entertainment value.  Many companies have integrated their Instagram feeds into their websites.  And then asked users to share pictures of them using their products with a particular hashtag. 

Conclusion

Marketing materials have evolved; there's no questioning that.  And so you need to balance your print and digital efforts to reach across many different channels.  To do so, you need to experiment with the trends outlined above.

Just remember, the ultimate goal is engagement and growth.  The more your audience engages with your content, the more likely you will be at growing your brand.  These tips will undoubtedly point you in the right direction for creating that perfect marketing storm.