The year 2015 was an exciting year for digital and social media marketing!

There has been a buzz of activity, as well as constant change and evolution. In order to be successful marketing your business, whatever the industry, you will need to adapt to all of the changes and use the latest and most effective strategies.

(image credit: codefuel)

In this article we will discuss the top 5 marketing trends that need to be part of your 2016 strategy. Even if all of them do not fit your business model, make sure that at least one of them takes hold in your business this year.

#1: Mobile Marketing

2015 was a huge year for mobile marketing and sales, and there will be no slowdown as we move forward.  Statistics are reporting that mobile usage will completely dominate over desktop usage in 2016. Google decided to include a site’s mobile-friendliness in its search engine rankings. It was also the year that Google released their algorithm update to phase out websites that are not optimized for mobile.
Lesson: Make sure your website platform is optimized for mobile. You can do this by re-visiting your online storefront provider and double checking that you have updated to be mobile friendly. You would be surprised that many sites have not made the change! Google is completely ignoring them in organic search results.

Not even sure how to set up an online “storefront”? No problem, you can check out our guide to that here: http://courses.intentionalmarketeruniversity.com/courses/setting-up-your-brand-environment

#2 Video Marketing

(image credit: intralinkglobal)

Video ads are not a new thing. They surged in growth throughout 2015 and show no signs of stopping through 2016. Facebook and Instagram have also released video ad capabilities to everyone.

Additionally, Google includes video content in its search engine algorithm. This is a big step as it shows that Google is accepting the existence of video ads. Remember that Google owns YouTube so the future possibilities are endless.
Videos help businesses engage their audiences by entertaining them through colors, sounds or music. Videos most importantly add a face to a business and therefore humanize them which in turns builds brand loyalty and trust. Video not only attracts attention, but it enriches the customers experience, and it is more effective than any other content to create buyers.

Lesson: whether you love video or loath video, you neglect a HUGE marketing opportunity by simply ignoring it. Don’t worry! IMU staff has put together an amazing bundle of video resources just for you. Grab them today and dominate YouTube tomorrow: http://courses.intentionalmarketeruniversity.com/courses/video-for-profit-bundle

#3: Social Shopping (Buying)

Social media advertising has been quickly rising this year and in 2017 it is predicted that ad spend on digital is set to surpass TV advertising! (Source: http://bit.ly/1OcaWVm)

Whoa! Now THAT is big!!
This also means that you and your business cannot ignore the need to advertise on social media. This means both organic posts, and also trying your hand at paid advertising. In our business, we started at $3.33 a day and it yielded HUGE results! Do not be scared at the words “paid advertising”. It does mean that you have to have thousands in your advertising budget.

Now, different social media sites offer “call to action” buttons directly from the ad itself. Facebook and Pinterest have added “buy now” features. This is a great way to increase your conversions and sales! It’s a win for you as the business, and a win for the consumer for the ease of purchase. As said before, do not let paid advertising scare you! No matter how small your business is now, it is important that you act bigger than you are and level the playing field. Start today to do what the  big dogs do and get some paid advertising out there. Not sure where to even start?! We can help you with that: http://courses.intentionalmarketeruniversity.com/courses/paid-promotion-and-ads
#4: Live Streaming or “In-the-Moment” Content

Social media is just that: it’s social! It should not be treated like ebay where things are just put up for sale. It is a new piece of the sales funnel. Users are eager to join you as you share what you are doing at the moment. This builds loyalty and trust and brings them into your sales funnel as a “lead”. From there you will nurture and finally make offers.

However before that, have some fun with your fans! Over the past few years, live streaming has been very popular. Periscope launched, and it allowed users to record a short moment in their life and share it with the world. This is an awesome way to connect with your audience and humanize your brand. Depending on your industry, you can share a myriad of things like behind the scenes, company announcements, tutorials, tips and tricks, and all kinds of other things. Periscope allows a link in your profile which is the perfect way to send your viewer to your call to action. (website, capture page, etc.) Grab our Periscope for Business training here if the concept of live streaming catches you off guard! http://courses.intentionalmarketeruniversity.com/courses/periscope-for-business-mini-course

#5: Marketing Automation

(image source: technofaq)
This is nothing new. This is also something we couldn’t live without here at IMU. We understand the importance of saving time and therefore improving productivity. What are things you can automate?
– Emails to your subscribers
– Segmentation of your subscriber list and corresponding emails
– Social Media posts (all platforms you are using)
– Blog Posts
….to name a few as examples. Scheduling our content allows us to continue to have our lives with family, our children, and even allows for time for other interests. It also allows us to grow organically through the automated systems we have built.

Learn How To Use Automation Tools To Systemize and Power Your Entire Sales Funnel On Social Media: http://courses.intentionalmarketeruniversity.com/courses/socialmediaautomation

These top 5 trends are just a few of the many trends that are surging in 2016. There is one thing for sure; digital and social media marketing is growing at the speed of light!

Jump on the train and your business (and your bottom line) will thank you for it! Tell us what you think, out of all 5 2016 trends, which one will make an appearance in your business marketing starting today?