It’s official: Thanks to growth in 2015 and 2016, digital is about to eclipse TV as ad platform of choice for most businesses. Digital advertising will account for a spend over $72 billion in the U.S., more than 38% of all ad spending.
In 2017, the digital realm will be bigger and more competitive than ever. However, B2B firms with a clear digital strategy vision have massive advantages. As 2016 fades, it’s time to consider marketing resolutions that will make a difference in the new year.
1: Make Better Use of Data Across Marketing
Data isn’t a dirty word: It’s key to understanding your customers and how you can serve them better. Implementing analytics across your Web properties helps you understand how users behave and what content interests them. This can lead to actionable insights about where you should focus content and how you can improve user experience.
2: Embrace the Potential of Video Content
Video is rapidly becoming the most popular Internet content. Mobile users love video, and 42% of B2B decision-makers were using B2B in their research process in 2015. Still, very few marketers have made video a core part of content strategy. With YouTube fully integrated into Google search results, there’s never been a better time to emphasize video.
3: Implement More Personalized, Empathetic, Focused Marketing Content
Personalized content raises sales 20% on average and personalized CTAs are 42% more effective. However, personalization is only one aspect of humanizing your content. It’s also important to keep an eye on the big picture: Are you answering your customers’ important questions? Are you consistently connecting them with content and offers that matter to them?
4: Break Down Internal Silos That Can Stifle Collaboration
Everyone has heard of smarketing, the idea that sales and marketing teams should collaborate closely to achieve shared goals. Web innovation is driving further interest in collaboration. For example, content teams should work with advertising to ensure all customer-facing messages are consistent. And everyone should be getting together to talk strategy at least quarterly.
5: Spend More Time on Mobile (But Not Just for Video)
68% of Americans have smartphones, far outpacing what many market analysts believed would be the saturation point. In the very near future, adoption could reach 80% or more. When planning mobile features, take a multifaceted approach: It’s not just about video, but also about a responsive experience, good landing pages, and effective mobile ads.
Digital marketing may seem complex, but the key to ROI is to get started and iterate as you go. Combining different techniques, you cab develop the digital approach that works best for your business. If you can’t stick to all five marketing resolutions, pick the one that interests you most!