As we head into February, hopefully you’re starting to see how the changes you’ve made to your marketing strategy for this year are manifesting. However, trends are hardly static, and as soon as you start implementing one set of tactics, new developments emerge that can help you decide how to fine-tune your efforts.
Mobile is major! More and more people are browsing on their mobile devices, so it’s imperative that your sites are mobile compatible. Additionally, it is often worthwhile for companies to consider creating their own mobile app. This is generally important for sites that lend themselves to being accessed on-the-go. Businesses that offer location-based components, ecommerce stores, and easily-digestible mobile content like articles or blog posts would likely do well to offer a native app. Many companies can simply ensure that their mobile site provides a good browsing experience, without incurring the additional cost of developing an app.
Another thing that is growing by leaps and bounds in the first quarter of 2012 is video advertising . Consumers are responding both to the rapport that can be established over video, and also the comfortable familiarity and resemblance to television ads. Online video advertising can be done for a fraction of the cost of TV ads, so there’s no reason not to branch out and connect with a bigger audience in this way.
Exclusivity is another feature that consumers seem to love. Having trouble getting your customers to “like” your Facebook page? Offer special, exclusive content or offers to those who do, and watch those numbers soar. Many businesses have even found success with offering a tiered paid subscription service that lets subscribers in on special deals or offers. Keep in mind, though, if you’re going to charge money, the reward customers get will have to be worth it.
On the flip side of the exclusivity issue is loyalty. Getting customers is one part of your goal, but keeping them is even more important. Establishing a loyalty program with rewards is a great way to make sure customers stick around, but you should also create a series of perpetual action opportunities that give your customers incentive to try various products or services.
Social gaming is a huge deal right now. If your business has an actual bricks-and-mortar premises, location-based services like Foursquare can help you take advantage of all that social gameplay has to offer, by creating deals and offers for people who prove their loyalty with frequent visits. You can even create points-based social games on your Facebook page, giving your fans and followers some friendly competition, and keeping them interacting with you the whole time.
Probably the most important thing you can focus on right now is using transparency to increase your online integrity perception. Being completely open and honest with your audience about who you are, what you stand for, and how you feel about things like privacy can make potential customers more confident about trusting your company with things like personal data. That sort of connection is essential in this age of online purchasing.
