The worldwide expenditure on digital marketing has grown to nearly £79.2 billion, with expenditure growing by 44% in the UK, according to Reuters. Establishing a solid digital presence enables companies to target their products and services to more precise markets and to remain competitive in this age of ubiquitous connectivity. Marketing network, Affilinet, notes that the average small or medium business in the UK will be setting aside around 16 per cent of their budget on marketing. If you are one of these companies and you’d like to boost your conversion rate and gain more followers, stay tune to these top trends and make sure to include a few in 2019’s digital marketing strategy.

A Bigger Investment in Video

A survey by Wyzowl has found that 90% of companies view video as an important marketing aid, and that 81% of companies investing in this tool achieve higher sales. Research conducted by Forbes, meanwhile, has found that 64% of marketing professionals will be giving number one priority to video in their marketing strategies. Video is seen as a faster, more dynamic, and pleasurable way for viewers to connect with a company, with predicted trends including the publication of more streamed content, the transcription of video tracks to boost video SEO. Finally, virtual reality – in which users can immerse themselves in a company’s video content – is going to be big, with th global worth of the VR market predicted to hit £17.7 billion by the year 2020. To use video to your best advantage, make sure your efforts look professional and represent the ethos of your company. Although there are a plethora of recording and editing apps, depending on the nature of your video, investment in a professional audiovisual team may make or break your next campaign. Content is also important; videos that educate, entertain, and demonstrate will help establish your company as a standard bearer in its sector.

High Velocity Browsing

As noted by Smart Insights, speed will be key when it comes to keeping customers on our website in 2019. They note that George at ASDA has enjoyed a 31% jump in its mobile conversion rate after relying on a Progressive Web App to boost its site’s speed by 1.71 times. This move saw a significantly larger click-through rate and increased the number of pages viewed by visitors. Bearing in mind that mobile phones now make up 33.38% and tablets represent 10.2% of devices used to access online data, catering your site to users-on-the-go is a necessity rather than a luxury.

Influencer Marketing

Around 72% of Instagram users buy items based on what they see in their newsfeed, and the vast majority of millennials admit that what they shop for is largely based on what they see on social media – according to Edelman UK. Regardless of the sector you are operating in, your target market will look to those it considers reputable, objective leaders, to check out products and services they are interested in purchasing. Successful companies are relying on influencer marketing in many ways, including simply asking influencers to try out and review their products and services objectively. Viewers are savvy and can easily tell when a product is being pushed upon them. Therefore, honest reviews that highlight your products or services and compare them to those of rivals, can connect you more deeply to your target audience thanks to the crucial element of authenticity.

We have mentioned just three trends – video marketing, higher velocity, and influencer marketing – but there are many more to keep you occupied. From AI for gathering information on clients to social messaging apps, there is plenty to keep your team occupied. The key to successful online marketing undoubtedly lies in finding the right fit for your business. If you are using video or social media to reach your target market, stay true to your ethos and make sure anything you post establishes you as a leader in your field.