Every new year begins with resolutions, goals, and trends. This is true in both the personal and business realms with the world of marketing and advertising standing at the forefront. By reminiscing our successes and failures in order to forsee the future, we predict the coming year will see 3 major themes occur.
Vertical Video
Producing vertical video may be a no-brainer but the vertical video revolution has been on the rise with the increase of video ads in Snapchat and Instagram. Snapchat also began encouraging its media outlets to record video vertically starting early 2017. Media coverage coming from Cosmopolitan, Vice News, People and many others have officially made the switch. With well over 100 million daily active users, Snapchat has proven, without a doubt, that users are more willing to capture content and engage with video without having to rotate their phones.
The vertical video phenomenon became official when Facebook adjusted their platform to accommodate vertical video content. Previously, Facebook encouraged content providers and advertisers to post videos in either standard wide-screen format or square format. When Facebook realized that vertical video content was twice as likely to be viewed than other forms of content, they immediately shifted.
The efficacy of vertical video as a marketing tool is illuminated by the following statistics:
- Snapchat reported that vertical video was 9 times more likely to be viewed then horizontal videos on the app.
- MOVR Mobile Overview reported that smartphone users hold their phones vertically 94% of the time.
- Ooyala Global Video Index reported that millennials are twice as likely to pay attention to videos/advertisements viewed from their phone as they are to videos/advertisements coming from a computer or TV.
Brand Safety
In large part, online advertisements are managed and shared by algorithms. In the past, this has caused issues for name brands. Youtube famously served advertisements for some of its most prominent brands on terror organization recruitment videos in 2015.
Unlike online and digital content, brands had total control over where their print advertisements were placed. This granular oversight allowed for strategic planning to target specific consumer groups. However, digital advertising can be vulnerable and therefore, it is crucial for brands to protect themselves and establish brand safety nets. There are many different forms of brand safety that are available and in place to protect the brand and the branding mission. Implementing strong brand safety measures will ensure your brand is never associated with controversial or toxic content. It protects the integrity of your brand and helps sustain consumer trust.
Consolidation
Consolidation is a trend in which large businesses buy small businesses and make them a division of their own. Digital marketing is a relatively new field in terms of large-scale consolidation. We have seen tech giants, such as Apple and Google, lead the way with corporate acquisitions through their insatiable appetite for start-ups and small tech firms. By incorporating various businesses into the general corporate structure, Apple and Google are able to integrate specialized technologies into their products and operating systems. Additionally, they are able to support the small firms with the resources and talent they need for in-house marketing and product development.
Consolidation can allow independent companies to offer various services in-house such as digital marketing, SEO, SEM, CRM, website development, and video production. The current trend is for companies to combine services and offer single packages that can guarantee more consistent messaging and marketing. Instead of requiring business owners to juggle multiple contracts, develop strategies with different teams, and struggle to maintain fluidity and adaptability in their marketing, a single company can offer a gamut of services under one roof. This consolidation reduces overhead, decreases consumer pricing, and results in more effective marketing.
At Garlic Media Group, we are constantly in touch with the trends of tomorrow. We work hard to stay on the cutting edge of our industry and utilize the most recent technological advancements. Our business is equipped to manage your digital marketing, content production and business development from the ground up. We are a dedicated team, comprised of creative and experienced professionals who are adept at communicating your brand’s voice and tone with engaging accuracy.
