Since the first market opened in the Fertile Crescent centuries ago, businesses large and small have put countless hours into attracting customers. The marketing process has evolved from street vendors shouting out to people passing by to print ads in newspapers and magazines to commercials on TV. Today, the Internet is where the bulk of marketing happens.
The Internet offers so many advantages for a marketer. Technology has given businesses a way to target their marketing efforts while simultaneously opening up a world of potential customers. As Internet technology evolves we’re given more ways to expand our brand and get our messaging in front of motivated consumers.
Here’s a look at some of the most innovative ways Internet technology is being harnessed by marketers.
Predictive search engines
We’ve all heard of search engines and know that if we want to find something all we usually have to do is jump on Google. But what about when a person lands on a website? You’ve probably used the search tool on a number of websites, but the accuracy and functionality tend to be limited.
Predictive search engines are making this common website feature a key part of the conversion funnel. Using predictive search solutions on an eCommerce site can improve conversion by delivering up results that are better tailored to the consumer and more likely to catch their attention.
A predictive search engine is one that works proactively by predicting what a user is looking for based on:
- Past actions;
- Current context;
- Aggregated user behavior patterns;
- Active solicitation of information;
- Geolocation.
These intelligent search engines can also correct misspellings, deliver up related banner advertising, and show complementary items. Consumers are presented with results for products that fit their needs before the person even knows they needed them.
Marketing virtually through internet-connected home devices
The rise of smart home devices has been swift and sweeping, much like a tidal wave. It’s not surprising that there are already plans to use the technology to market to consumers where they spend the most time – at home.
Internet-connected consumer electronics that use artificial intelligence like Amazon Echo and Google Home are set to become an extension of SEO marketing. These devices act like a personal assistant that does the product searching for you. They also give platforms like Amazon the means to maximize a potentially lucrative marketing channel.
Now that Google is getting into the industry, marketing insiders are predicting there will be a number of ways to incorporate the tech giant’s new at-home device into their current campaigns. To put the possibilities in perspective, Google pulled a marketing trick of its own during the Super Bowl. When their commercial aired it activated Google Home devices. It was unintended but proved how powerful the triggers can be for delivering up ads in a person’s house.
Social media campaigns
Social media has radically changed the marketing landscape. The platform has digitized word of mouth marketing and given businesses a way to interact with their customers like never before. The use of hashtags alone has given businesses more ways to be found online.
As powerful a marketing channel as social media can be, few businesses know how to use it effectively. Social media marketing requires a lot of management, which is where most businesses go wrong. They fail to realize their social media must correspond with their other marketing efforts, and interaction within the community is a must. In nothing else, social media has at least given businesses a way to address negative reviews and do brand damage control.
Social media continues to evolve with new platforms being developed every day. While marketing through social media isn’t a new concept, it’s sure to be an innovative tool well into the future.
Real marketing in virtual reality
The virtual reality (VR) market is growing at a rapid pace, so much so the industry is predicted to hit a total revenue of $162 billion in 2020. Part of that revenue stream will come from marketing. In fact, a Business Insider’s report on virtual reality showed that users and developers both anticipate advertising being a part of the VR industry.
Paid content, games, and apps are projected to make up a significant chunk of the overall revenue generated by the virtual reality industry. This gives businesses an opportunity to use in-content advertising like those seen within YouTube videos. VR business systems are also currently being developed. One of the many management uses will likely be creating marketing campaigns based on VR user data.
Of course, businesses can leverage VR technology to showcase their products and services as well. For example, a clothing store could create a virtual shop that gives users a 360-degree view of clothes.