Digital Marketing Trends 2019 – What Do We Know So Far?

Can you believe it’s April already?

In the short space of just a few months, we’ve witnessed Greggs launch a meat-free sausage roll, all 4 seasons in just 1 week back in February with highs of 20°C, the continuous confusion of Brexit and the “world_record_egg” Instagram account campaigning for more followers than Kylie Jenner.

You just never know what’s around the corner and the same can be said for the digital marketing industry. That’s why the team at Digital Ethos have put together a summary of 2019’s digital marketing trends and what we know so far.

Industry Growth

Most marketers love a statistic about digital marketing and we’re no exception. Statistics allow us to review the growth (or decline!) in customer behaviour and response to the latest digital marketing trends, platforms and technologies.

It’s safe to say that since 2018, the digital marketing landscape has evolved and continues to do so and in ways we didn’t think possible. With the change occurring at such a meteoric rate, it’s sometimes difficult for businesses to keep up. Luckily for you, we’ve condensed some key insights and statistics of 2019 so far:

• The average number of organic results on Google searches has dropped from 10 to 8.5. (Searchmetrics).
• The average word length of content that ranks on the first page of Google results is 1,890 words. (Backlinko)
• Segmented email campaigns have an open rate that is 14.32% higher than non-segmented campaigns. (Mailchimp)
• The average ROI on Conversion Rate Optimisation (CRO) tools is 223%. (Venture Beat)
• 72% of marketers worldwide said relevant content creation was the most effective SEO tactic. (Marketing Profs)
• Content marketing costs 62% less than traditional marketing and generates about 3 times as many leads. (Demand Metric)
• 94% of B2B marketers use LinkedIn as part of their content strategy. Other popular platforms include Twitter (87%), Facebook (84%), YouTube (74%) and Google+ (62%). (Content Marketing Institute)

Having taken the marketing world by storm, digital marketing has certainly become a prime marketing strategy of current times and is here to stay for a long time.

Digital Marketing Trends To Watch Out For In 2019

Back in November last year, we touched on the top digital marketing trends you need to know in 2019 and it’s good to see that they haven’t changed! Here’s a recap on some of our favourites:

Voice Search

Within the last year, 60% of people have started using voice search assistive technology, such as Amazon Alexa, Google Home and Apple Siri and it’s estimated that a third of all web browsing sessions will be activated by voice technology by 2020.

The real takeaway is that talking is a preferred way of interacting and now machines are finally catching up with the way people want to search and shop. This is a perfect opportunity for marketers to take advantage of this consumer behaviour and why wouldn’t you when there’s an added option to request Alexa to play cat noises in the office?

AI and Chatbots

AI is another juicy trend to keep your eye on during 2019 and chatbots have already taken a huge effect within the industry. They offer consumers what humans can’t and despite marketers not fully understanding their capabilities and limitations, the technology is already taking shape.

The most common use for AI and chatbots is to help improve customer service, whilst keeping a lid on budget. Although it may be a cost for the initial set up, it actually saves businesses money in the long run. This is because chatbots are quicker than humans in giving any data-related answers and taking requests, both of which are machine learning behaviours.

The crazy thing is, is that they can even have a personality and a sense of humour, giving consumers a personalised and calming user experience that is accessible at any time and any place.

Augmented and Virtual Reality

Finally, Augmented and Virtual Realities (AR and VR) is another key digital marketing trend for 2019, which is still in its infant stages, so watch this space.

In the age of FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out – for those who have so far missed out), consumers are scared of getting left behind so always want to be the first to be a part of and engage with their favourite brand’s messages and campaigns.

AR and VR can fulfil these needs, offering brands tremendous opportunities in the field of customer experience. In fact, the market is supposed to be worth £21 billion and is expected to reach £160 billion in just 4 years. (Statista)

What Google’s Algorithm Change Means For You

When you talk about change in digital marketing, search marketing has got to be the most chaotic of all. Google algorithm updates alone have kept so many marketers awake at night and this particular update is no exception.

Google confirmed a change to its algorithm, called ‘The March 2019 Core Update’. Google has placed a lot of emphasis on the word ‘core’ in announcements from Google Search Liaison Twitter account. This is indicating that the nature of the algorithm change isn’t targeting any particular industry, which goes against what some SEO experts have previously theorised.

This hasn’t been the only theory either. Some believe that this update has been a rollback to last year’s algorithm change, which originally affected the health and medical space who are now improving in search results and keyword movement.

However, would Google really go back on themselves by disguising last year’s blooper as this year’s update? Ultimately, we need more data and insight to really understand what has changed, but as always Google plays their cards close to their chest so, at this point, there isn’t anything to fix.

On the other hand, we have seen a great rise in keyword positions from this algorithmic update, because we believe in producing great quality content, so we can apply all our techniques and knowledge towards you to keep you competitive in the search results.

How We Work At Digital Ethos

The world of marketing is rapidly shifting from traditional to digital methods. Audiences are consuming more visual and stimulating content on the go, whilst there is a growing need to engage in multi-way conversations and stand out in the crowded online market space.

Whilst working agency-side has its challenges, we love what we do and can certainly say that the benefits outweigh the demands. With the digital marketing industry constantly evolving, we need to stay ahead of the curve in order to deliver innovative, data and insight-driven and modern campaigns that drive traffic to your website, whilst supporting your business growth.

How To Stay Ahead In 2019

At Digital Ethos, we listen to what our clients want and work hand-in-hand with them to provide expert advice, tailored objectives, strategies and tactics. We do this by constantly absorbing how the digital marketing industry is changing and keeping up to date with trends, best practices and new technology.

Staying ahead of the game can be a fulltime job in itself, but we understand how important it is, not just for us, but for you, your campaigns and your business. That’s why we make it one of our priorities to stay ahead all year and every year.

So how do we do this? There are so many ways, but on a daily basis, we read blogs, news and insights, receive email newsletters, update resources, attend training courses and conferences, such as BrightonSEO and most importantly, talk to each other and yourselves!

The key takeaway here is that we constantly work hard to remain experts in our fields, learn new skills and develop existing ones and keep you updated on industry movement so you are always reassured that your campaigns are performing to the best of their ability.

Digital Ethos Updates

The digital marketing industry isn’t the only thing that is constantly changing and expanding. We are too! Over the past couple of months, we have welcomed a few new members to the team, including Viscount Bailey, who is an addition to our business development team and has already made a good impression by making us some great Jamaican treats!

In terms of the campaign team, we have a new Social Media and Digital PR Consultant, Rachel Holey, who joins us from Arcadia Group in London and Lauren Thomas, our new SEO and Content Executive, who brings with her a wealth of experience from both agency and in-house spheres.

It’s great to see some new faces and we’re excited to welcome on board Nik Hudson, who will join us as our new Head of Digital Marketing at the end of the month from an award-winning PR agency with over 15 years of experience ranging from web development, PR, social and SEO marketing.

Digital Ethos are continuously looking for fresh talent to fill our current vacancies. Can’t see what you’re looking for? Pitch us!

We will also be attending the BrightonSEO conference on Friday 12th April and for those who are attending, please come and see us! For those who aren’t, don’t worry, we’ll be sharing our learnings and notes in a blog the week after.

And finally, we will soon be hosting a free weekly 15-minute marketing session packed full of tips, news and insights. More information coming soon!

Key Takeaways

With so much that’s happened so far in 2019 within the digital marketing industry, it’s difficult to remember the most important parts. Luckily for you, we’ve summarised the most vital points so you don’t have to:

• The digital marketing industry continues to evolve at a rapid rate in ways you wouldn’t think possible and with the rise of more complex technology, we understand that it’s challenging to see the wood from the trees.
• That’s where we come in. We always keep up to date with the digital space, especially when it comes to the latest trends, insights and best practices, so you always know that your campaigns are modern, current and performing at the best of their ability in the face of your competitors.
• The key trends to look out for this year, which have already taken shape include voice search, AI and chatbots and Augmented and Virtual Realities. Who knows where these could take your business?
• We are assured by Google that their algorithm update from March is one that doesn’t target any particular industry, rather it is something that applies to everyone. Despite not knowing what the change actually included, we can offer comfort in that we have continued to produce fantastic content for all clients that have resulted in positive search results.
• Our team at Digital Ethos has expanded with a few new additions to the team, including management, the campaign team and business development. We are always on the lookout for fresh talent, so get in touch!

That’s all for now folks, but if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.