2013 was quite an event-filled year in terms of search engine optimization and social media management. After all, Google rolled out a big update for Google Penguin in 2013 along with Hummingbird. Many websites are still reeling from the effects of these updates. In terms of social media management, 2013 packed quite a number of challenges as well. In particular, Facebook changed how it would display shared content on members’ time lines. Naturally, all these changes impacted content development. Just like with prior changes, what worked before needs serious modification now. Here are some of the big changes we see in the coming year. Get ready to get rocked.
Responsive design is here to stay
As more and more consumers of Internet content view online content using mobile devices like smartphones and tablets, expect more web properties to adopt responsive design technology. Responsive design is a no-brainer. If you want your site to engage your visitors, you need to present your content in a way that will foster engagement. In other words, your content has to be resized to fit whatever the screen size of the gadget the user is using to view your site. That is precisely what responsive design is about-it presents your content in the best way possible regardless of the device being used to view your content. Expect this trend to continue. The best news, however, as far as responsive design is concerned, is the move to further lower costs thanks to this technology becoming a default feature of many of the hottest WordPress themes out there.
Relationship marketing will continue to yield better ROI
You have probably heard the old email marketing slogan of ‘the money is in the list.’ It’s almost as old as the commercial Web. Well, expect direct marketing to maintain its status as one of the most responsive and effective ways of reaching your customer base. As social media matures and lead collection processes become more granular, expect even better engagement and fine tuned customer conversations to yield better ROI for email marketers.
Retargeting can be a game changer
One of the most exciting trends for the coming year is retargeting. Retargeting happens when you visit a site from an ad click presented by an ad network. After leaving the site, and presumably not buying anything, you notice ads for the site you visited whenever you visit other sites in the same ad network. This is a game changer because this technology solves a key problem faced by online marketing services: consumers don’t click when they first see an ad. They have to see the ad several times before they trust it enough to click it. Retargeting solves this in a very big way.
If you are planning on launching your online presence in 2014 or are looking to take your online campaigns to a whole new level this coming year, make sure the online marketing company you’re doing business with are aware of these trends and have strategies to fully leverage them. These trends impact all aspects of web development and marketing, from content development to search engine optimization to social media management.
