As competition for our attention online increases, companies and brands are innovating new ways to get our attention, even while our attention spans continue to dwindle (the average attention span clocks in at being roughly 8 seconds long – so, congratulations for being above average if you’re still reading this!).
Here, we inspect the 3 key trends to consider when adding to your 2018 social media marketing strategy:
1. Chatbot Technology
With language being the most natural form of human communication, voice-responsive technology enables information to be more immediate, more hands-off, and allows people to interact more naturally with technology.
And whether you’re ordering pizza from Alexa or asking what the latest Bitcoin futures contract price is from FinVox – chatbots represent a disruptive change that has been going mainstream.
Virtual Assistants such as Alexa, Google Home, or Cortana, are convenient, hands-free, and are becoming accessible for brands to use to customize a user experience – through a brand voice and direct, personalized messages.
Virtual Assistants are interactive, always actively listening and accessible to those with disabilities. Chatbot and VA’s can also integrate responses via app, email and SMS text messages. Chatbot usage can also be measured and analyzed to help iterate and improve a company’s messaging and user experience.
There are various chatbot-building platforms on the market today that enable brands to customize responses and messages. Multiple industries are leveraging chatbot technology to enhance their value proposition and improve the customer experience, including the financial industry, which is why Gate 39 Media recently released its own chatbot technology: FinVox.
2. Relevant Apps
And 2018 continues to prove time and again that hyper-relevant apps are a large part of people’s lives – from payment and banking, fitness, and home monitoring apps, to food delivery and travel services — apps are even as ingrained into our lives than ever before. The apps that truly prove to be the most successful are those most relevant in streamlining the lives and businesses of its users. However, relevant apps not only offer an easy user experience, but provide extra value in the form of additional insight, information, blog posts, and supplemental information that adds to the user experience. Check out our blog post on “App Anatomy 101: What Makes an App Effective”.
An example of the necessity of great apps in daily operations is the agricultural apps farmers and ag producers use to steer their marketing decisions. From cash grain bid information, the latest commodity futures prices, to USDA reports, weather data and more, on-the-go farmers leverage relevant mobile apps to stay informed to keep their operations profitable. It’s no wonder apps in this space are becoming more competitive as the need for integrated real-time information across apps and systems grows.
3. Enablement. Insight.
While a great user experience isn’t a trend exclusive to 2018, it is one that underscores the above technology. Customers want a great looking app or system that just works. A great user experience includes an easy-to-use and consistent experience every time; from smooth adoption and onboarding, to system and feature updates that don’t interrupt usability and workflow. Customers who use apps are also seeking the power that comes with being able to perform a full range of tasks on their own, without assistance or delay. Customers want immediacy plus the “extra” value-added insight to make better decisions on tasks before them. This could include an in-app news feed, resources, or insight to enhance the core experience.
Interested in discussing what new trend or technology could help enhance your marketing? Let’s talk about your goals.