Seven Marketing Trends You Can Expect to See in 2014

The beginning of the year is the perfect time to look forward to the opportunities and challenges that the marketing industry will face in the coming months. I don’t have to go too far out on a limb or gaze into a crystal ball to tell marketing pros to expect more of the same – on steroids in 2014. We continue to see dramatic innovations so it’s an excellent time to demonstrate your marketing magic.

Looking to find out more about the trends that will define marketing in 2014? As your guide, let me share my seven predictions for what’s on the horizon.

1. Super Storytelling. The media may change but the story still needs to be compelling, informative, entertaining and now increasingly visual. Brands will look for new ways of capitalizing on the power of storytelling to better reach their audiences. Creativity now can come from anywhere on the content spectrum, from bite-sized images and micro-video clips to ultra-long-form, “cinematic” storytelling. Creatives will be pressed to develop the next "Big Idea" that will give their message legs across multiple channels. The mandate for agencies is clear: find creative ways to tell stories that will engage customers throughout the marketplace.

2. Real-time Marketing. Be ready to expect unexpected opportunities for responsive, simple, and unconventional ways to get people talking about your brand. Last year, Oreo became the best example of “real-time marketing” with its Super Bowl “Dunk in the Dark” tweet. This year, we’ve already seen examples from Omaha Chamber of Commerce, who used timely tweets to take advantage of Peyton Manning’s “Omaha!” audibles during the NFL playoffs, and from L’Oreal, who offered “get the look” animations based on hairstyles seen at the Golden Globes. These timely messages at big events help brands get a lot of attention for a relatively small price. Expect to see these types of marketing stunts continue throughout 2014.

3. Social Media Amplification. While social media used to be perceived as "free" publicity, now you have to “pay-to-play”. Brands will increase their social media budgets as they are finding it to be less “social” and more “media”. Young brands that lack recognition will leverage the social equity and networks of industry influencers and celebrities to give themselves a quick leg up. Expect more to see more “sponsored” or “boosted” posts where a small investment can yield significant exposure. Brands will also start to take advantage of a wider variety of social media opportunities, adding Google+, Pinterest and Instagram to old standbys like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. As Google+ continues to integrate social media content into its ranking algorithms and businesses realize its SEO power, the sleeping giant will become more popular.

4. Content Marketing Management: If 2013 was the year content marketing exploded, 2014 will be the year we figure out exactly what that explosion means. Marketers will continue to churn out white papers, articles, videos, webinars, and ebooks, but now there will also be added focus placed on content marketing management solutions: measuring and analyzing how effective content marketing efforts really are. Expect to see a combination of well-known vendors and a flurry of new players competing to fill the void. Advertising agencies and PR firms that set the pace will add “Content Marketing Experts” to their available services. Throw in new competitors – SaaS (service as a software) companies and you have a whole new battleground.

5. Mobile Marketing Magnified. With mobile usage skyrocketing, this will be the year we see mobile marketing go from “would be nice to have” to “absolutely must have. Mobile users are predicted to surpass desktop users in 2014, so brands that aren’t investing in responsive web design (coding websites and emails so they look great across a range of devices) are missing out on an important opportunity. We’ll see mobile app development become a standard part of a brand’s digital marketing strategy. Expect mobile advertising to increase, while in-app advertising will become the next big thing in media buying.

6. Big Data Personalization. Big data offers marketers the ability to target customers like never before, so expect to see more brands undertaking hyper-targeted campaigns. Direct marketers can wow customers with personalized campaigns – more than just merging a name into a form letter. With the level of insight offered by big data, there’s really no longer an excuse for marketers not to target the right person at the right time with the right message. Potential customers expect to receive messages that are relevant to their interests. Brands that aren’t taking advantage of big data to help them provide these relevant messages will likely be ignored.

7. Everything old is new again. Since we’re even more electronically connected, we also appreciate “analog-style” ways of communicating, like a handwritten note, which can be seen as genuine or sincere even when compared to a personalized email. The return of the smartphone stylus proves that there are still people out there who enjoy having the option to jot down notes the old-fashioned way. (Personally, the Samsung Galaxy Note III is my new best friend.) Though we’ve embraced high technology, someone who encourages you to take a low-tech break, even with a thank-you card, will get your attention.

Let me know what you think about my predictions for 2014, and feel free to share any of your own!