The world of online marketing is extremely volatile and constantly undergoes changes and transformations, which are in turn dictated by what happens offline. New technologies, new software, new equipment, new devices, new trends, new users, innovative companies, and corresponding consumers are constantly emerging.
The new year, 2016, already promises to be very rich in launches and, at the same time, with many new elements compared to 2015. Online marketing will undergo major transformations, which will bring a new direction to this segment.
1. Video ads will start to dominate. Present also in 2015, video format ads will be used increasingly, especially since their success has become evident, and classic banners have lost significance. YouTube’s entry under Google's management has also led to changes in the search engine algorithms, allowing for more intensive use of this format.
2. Applications and indexing. Google indexed many applications in 2015, but now these are becoming more complex and more numerous. The year 2016 will be the year when more and more large companies will understand the marketing advantages that a dedicated mobile application can offer. Promoting a business through applications is a wave that many have already caught and already have the desired results. Even though these applications do not yet have the same strength as a website, nor will they in the coming years, their role is increasingly important and they will become more elaborate and more used.
3. Mobile versus desktop. The year 2015 saw the major advancement made by mobile devices in the online world, with Google announcing that in over 10 countries mobile searches have surpassed desktop searches. If last year we talked about the obligation for every site to be mobile-friendly or to have a dedicated version for mobile devices, now the trend looks even more radical. Thus, it is possible that in the next 2 or 3 years the obligation to have a classic site format for laptops will disappear and be replaced by those adapted for small, mobile screens. Therefore, 2016 will be dominated by everything that means mobile-focused online marketing.
4. A new type of optimization will appear. Digital, virtual assistants like Cortana or Siri will be increasingly used and more involved in people's daily lives. Currently, these assistants access search engines to obtain certain information. The new type of optimization will focus precisely on this aspect: if you want your site to be found by the virtual assistant, then it would be good to ensure it is optimized accordingly.
5. Virtual reality and the Internet of Things. Virtual reality is getting closer to us every year, with new technologies, new devices, and new ideas emerging every month. Although there is still a long way to go before we use these innovations in daily life, the trend is very encouraging. The Internet of Things (IoT), however, is much closer, already being used in some personal use objects. Wearable devices will become increasingly complex and numerous. In 2015, the Apple Watch was launched, the first generation of smartwatches, followed by other models, including some made by Romanians. All these will gradually change the perception between online and real marketing.
These 5 trends for 2016 in online marketing are not the only ones and will certainly undergo transformations and adaptations to market reality and the general context. Nevertheless, outlining and knowing them can represent the difference between a good start and adapting on the fly to what others are already doing.
