Top 10 marketing trends for 2012

Successful marketing strategies in 2012 will need to be thought through carefully. The developing nature of social media, the decline of traditional marketing as an effective method of reaching customers and the increasing sophistication of ways to communicate with consumers mean that marketing needs to keep pace in order to thrive. What are the predictions for trends in 2012?

1. Out with the old. It is becoming accepted that the old-fashioned outbound marketing methods are less and less effective. Spam and cold-calling are often treated with suspicion or disregarded by customers. The world of social media has a very different face and the power of the individual is growing. If consumers are to be reached effectively, marketing strategies need to take into account the new rules of engagement.

2. User-generated marketing is one of the new buzzwords. Over the last year, customers have become more and more powerful by writing reviews or sharing experiences using social media. There are many examples of such videos on YouTube or comments and discussion on one of the social-networking sites. A key to the marketing response to this tendency is to strategize to influence and trigger users to generate positive content about products and services. For instance, some companies such as Klout are rewarding targeted ‘influencers’ to promote their brand with incentives and other ‘carrots’. It’s worth thinking through a coherent strategy to use this tool successfully.

3. One size does not fit all. In the past, marketing has often focused on a couple of approaches to reach their audience and target market. However, one of the key (and potentially lucrative) characteristics of today’s market is the ever-growing spectrum of marketing channels. To keep up with competitors, marketing experts will need to streamline their presence over the variety of channels to create a persuasive brand experience.

4. One thing that many of the marketing commentators agree upon is the explosion in the use of the mobile as a marketing tool. Almost all consumers now have access to a mobile phone and they can make purchasing decisions and browse shopping opportunities on it. Since the number of people who own and use a mobile, smart phone or tablet is skyrocketing, the savvy marketer will make the most of this phenomenon.

5. Video is also a key marketing tool for the current market place. There has been research into its efficacy and the reports are that those businesses who appeal to potential customers with a video clip have had impressive rates of conversion. The video appeals to emotions and websites such as YouTube are becoming increasingly popular. The design of the sites is also becoming more user friendly to facilitate this sort of promotion.

6. It is a tried and tested technique, but even before the explosion of social media, one of the most persuasive ways of enticing a potential customer to try your goods or services was to let a satisfied customer do the work. A testimonial or recommendation from a third party works wonders. Coupled with the increasingly vocal voice of the consumer on a variety of online media, a canny marketing strategy can use this to good effect. Those who can manipulate and capture consumer recommendations are on to a good thing.

7. This leads to another perceived trend in the market place – the personalisation of marketing to a consumer. There are more and more niche and specific online communities and this can be used to the advantage of a marketing expert. These communities will have a character and specific requirements which tailored marketing strategies can take advantage of to generate business.
8. As well as tailoring to specific consumer groups, there has also been the observation that the nature of social media is such that brands are targeting a global market. There are suggestions that marketing will start to take this into account in 2012. Rather than focusing on, for example, the American market, companies will increasingly turn their attention to the wider global audience to capture their attention and interest as well.

9. Given the essential nature of social media, companies will also have to take particular note of the technical side of their business. Of course, in the past there has been much attention directed towards Google’s algorithm, famously updated last year, but it is also necessary to pay attention to the feedback about brands on social media, such as how often the brand is referred to on Twitter and other sites.

10. There is expected to be a much closer relationship between social media and corporate marketing strategies. The plan must be to engage and target the social-media market. Consumers’ voices are becoming more prominent and they have also been described as having more clout in determining product or service value. As such, online interaction with consumers is essential to generate the marketing buzz which, in a perfect world, would go viral.