It’s that exciting time of year when we look into what 2017 has to offer. Jumping on the bandwagon I just wanted to share with you some of my thoughts on what we can expect from 2017.
Chatbots & robo-advisers
2016 has seen the emergence of robo-advisers, retail chatbots and we know that WhatsApp for businesses is launching sometime in 2017. The success of this marketing automation is bound to continue as brands look to become increasingly effective and efficient.
Increased influencer power, especially in Financial Services
There have been many conversations throughout 2016 about what the financial services industry can learn from other industries. When looking at the retail industry it is hard to ignore the fact that most brands have developed successful influencer marketing programmes. The good news is that 2016 has also been the year of the money blogger. As these bloggers continue to build engaged niche audiences and create interesting content we’ll be sure to see more collaborations between bloggers and brands in 2017.
More social media advertising
This week we have seen reports that digital will overtake linear TV spend, not overly shocking but still very impressive in its own right. As platforms like Twitter continue to struggle with a fluctuating share price the need to drive revenue has never been as important. 2016 has seen Facebook, Snapchat and Instagram develop their ad platforms significantly and this is likely to only increase in 2017 despite the rise of ad blockers.
AI, VR, and live video
Artificial intelligence, virtual reality and live video has been huge in Q4 of 2016, everyone’s talking about them, don’t you know... These budding forms of technology has pushed marketers to be ever more creative with their content and the industry is taking notice. 2017 will be the time to think inside the Google Cardboard box and take on AI, VR or live video.
IoTs and voice search
Not sure what to get your loved one this Christmas? I’d recommend starting your search on Amazon. On there you may (will) come across the Amazon Echo or Dot. These snazzy hands-free voice-controlled devices allow you to manage your household appliances without lifting a finger. If you haven’t been living under a rock you probably already know this but what you might not realise is that these devices are expected to transform and disrupt the search industry. Following a trip to Brighton SEO is was clear that many of the industry believe that this is just the start of voice-controlled search and we may find further changes to Google’s algorithm in 2017 to accommodate this phase.
You’ll notice that these things aren’t necessarily new but I believe these areas are very much in their infancy. If you want to discuss these topics in more detail just give me a shout.