A new year is upon us once again, and that means that it’s time for the annual race to predict the future by looking to the year ahead. These days, it seems as though every industry in the world is moving at a lightning pace, and the marketing industry is no different. That’s why today, we’re taking a look at just five of the trends that are set to shape the industry in 2018 and beyond. Let’s go.

1. AI-Powered Marketing

Artificial intelligence has the power to revolutionise every area of our lives thanks to its ability to crunch numbers and analyse big data to an extent that human beings can never hope to imitate. This has huge implications when it comes to marketing campaigns and to the software that we use in particular. As more and more marketing automation systems add AI to the mix, we’ll approach an era in which AI-powered marketing software is the new norm. If you’re not using it, you’ll fall behind.

2. Voice Assistants

As more and more people turn to virtual assistants and devices like Amazon’s Echo and the Google Home, the potential for marketers to tap into these devices continues to grow. This may seem more relevant to B2C marketers at the moment as they can optimise for voice search, but as we get more and more used to using voice assistants in the office as well as at home, there may well be a major opportunity for B2Bs in the years to come.

3. Live streaming

Live streaming isn’t exactly new, but it’s definitely gaining in popularity. Part of the reason for that is that Facebook is prioritising live streams in their news feed, presumably because they’ve seen an uptake in engagement rates when people use them. Video content already does a great job of grabbing people by the senses, so you’d be crazy to pass up the opportunity.

4. Blockchain

Blockchain technology is one of the hottest of topics at the moment because it’s the technology that underlies cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. It also has all sorts of applications when it comes to the way that data is shared and stored. Blockchain might not have an immediate effect on the marketing industry, but disruption is coming – and in the meantime, it’s going to disrupt the products we sell and the services we provide.

5. Augmented and virtual reality

These two related but different technologies have come along in leaps and bounds in the recent years, and there’s no sign of that growth slowing as we head into 2018 and beyond. As devices drop in price and become more accessible, VR and AR will go from being a gimmicky new technology to being a serious contender for the platform of choice for any new content that you offer. Definitely one to watch.

Conclusion

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