What does 2017 have in store for marketers? Here are four trends and tactics that you should keep in mind as you plan your 2017 marketing campaigns, across every season of the year.
•Instagram influencers: These are people with large followings on social media who work with companies to promote products and services. When it comes to blueberries, the Council has worked with influencers in many campaigns; most recently, Sipping Through the Season. Influencers help spread our message in a natural way to consumers who view them as experts and seek their recommendations, recipes and ideas. While you may not even notice them in your social media feeds right now, you’ll begin to see influencers working with products and services more deliberately in 2017.
•Video marketing (how-to recipe videos & lifestyle ads): The stats are in, and video is the future of digital media. In fact, 72% of ad agencies sayonline video is more effective than TV ads. For promoting blueberries this can be as simple and direct as showcasing how a recipe is created, or as fun as a lifestyle ad that highlights how blueberries fit into day-to-day life for different target audiences. Whatever they focus on, videos should be short (less than 30 seconds), humorous or informative, and used for social media and in other online placements. Keep an eye out for the newest USHBC videos, promoting year-round availability, going live on littlebluedynamos.com in early January!
•Facebook Live media interviews: Media relations is changing and we don’t have to fight it. While we used to exclusively work for traditional news placements, consumers have changed the game by oftentimes getting their news within social media. Many media outlets are catching these audiences by conducting Facebook Live interviews as opposed to traditional broadcast and print pieces. This method typically reaches a more engaged audience – it’s reaching them where they already are and it has the feeling of “breaking news.” You’ll begin to notice this transition in early 2017 as some magazines, include Self, are stopping print production all together.
•Email marketing segmentation & personalization: “Segmented emails to consumers can help generate 58% more click-throughs.” What does that even mean? If you separate your email list by your subscribers’ interests, ages or by other characteristics, they will read and click on your content almost 60% more. That’s a pretty big increase for a small change. If you want to do even more to engage these consumers, it’s all about personalization. Once email lists are separated by specific factors, refining your content, subject lines and even send times based on their preferences can help increase the number of people opening your email.
Keep your eyes open for more trends and ideas on RidetheBlueWave.com, as well as ways we’re making use of these trends as we head into the new year.
