5. Micro-influencers
If a brand message does not get across, there can be several reasons for this. One of these is the originality and authenticity of content. For example, marketers notice that the target group is increasingly able to see through fake (read: stock) images due to a decrease in engagement. In 2018, a definitive change will therefore take place: all online marketing expressions must be authentic. A realistic representation of reality will be rewarded with appreciation from the user.
The success of influencer marketing cannot be seen separately from this development. But the use of influencers is nothing new, right? Nevertheless, 2018 is described as the year of the ' rise of the influencer ' . This has everything to do with a shift in brand campaigns, where the emphasis has come to lie on relevance and authenticity. Where brands competed for the biggest influencers until recently, the ball is now in the court of micro-influencers . An influencer with millions of followers does not offer any guarantees. The use of a micro-influencer with fewer, but relevant followers for your brand, is much more effective.
It is expected that brands and influencers will enter into long-term relationships more often in 2018. This means that influencers will no longer be sought per campaign, but that a brand will philippines mobile number list bind two or three influencers to itself, who will be used for a longer period. These influencers are loyal to the brand and serve as an extension of its own content creation team. With a refined, relevant strategy, you can use the connection between influencer and target group to your advantage. A smart marketer will therefore free up budget for influencer marketing (again) next year.
6. Direct customer contact
Contact between companies and consumers must be faster, more direct and more accessible. Direct chat contact is therefore also one of the trends that will continue to develop next year. The most obvious platform is WhatsApp, with 10.9 million users by far the most popular app in the Netherlands. It is therefore not surprising that more and more companies are considering using WhatsApp for community management ( appcare ) or other forms of communication with customers. After all, the customer is always and everywhere online and expects this from the companies from whom he purchases products or services.
Chatbots
The direct communication style of social media like WhatsApp also creates high expectations: faster response times and the possibility to really have a conversation with a company. With chatbots we therefore see an equally direct and fast, but automated alternative. Chatbot software simulates human conversation and monitors sustainable relationships with customers. Although an automatic response is generated, the bot remains personal, polite and always available. Bots are attractive for companies with large numbers of customers, because one-on-one interaction remains possible.