We are through Q3 and top companies have the habit of starting to plan for the next year right from the very beginning. But, if you have not initiated planning yourmarketing strategy and budget for 2018, be prepared to face questions regarding tactics you are opting to use that would go best with most of your customers. And most importantly, which tactics can result in the most efficient conversion.

1. Bow down to Machine Learning

97% of business leaders feel the future of marketing will consist of clever human marketers working in collaboration with machine learning-based automation entities.

The ability to respond quickly and accurately to shifts in customer behaviour will be vital in tomorrow’s world as people become more demanding, as well as tech savvy. Machine learning will assist in those efforts, offering nuggets of predictive knowledge in the waves of structured and unstructured data that can be leveraged to your advantage.

2. Social will get darker…dirtier but smarter!

In today’s consumer-led market, people aren’t just sharing links to articles, videos and images on their social platform feeds. Now they’re engaging socially using other, less monitored channels, which include:

With dark social reported to be responsible for 84% of outbound sharing it’s not an area to ignore in 2018. Driven by mobile and messaging, it is gaining serious momentum – and understanding it is crucial.

3. How fast are you in providing instant results?

96% of users reach for their smartphones to conduct research on the spot. The most successful brands will be those that have the ability to correctly anticipate and address these impulsive informational splurges, or micro-moments, by providing the right information at the right time to the customer in need.

With more people making on the spot decisions than ever before, in 2018 we expect to see a significant rise in micro-moments, and mobile-first websites will be pivotal in offering consumers instant information upon immediate request.

4. Video advertising will be cutting-edge

The demand for video is growing at an incredible rate. In fact, 52% of marketing professionals across the globe feel that video is the type of content with the best ROI. What’s more, 43% of people said they want to see more video content from marketers.

With the  younger demographic viewing more video on a wider range of devices than ever before, in 2018, video advertising will prove very fruitful for brands or businesses looking to market their products or services.

5. Let’s get personal?

In 2018, offering a personalized online experience will be vital as consumers demand more from brands and want to avoid the virtual ‘noise’ to purchase the products and services they want. In fact, companies are so convinced of its value that two-thirds expect a 6% increase in annual revenue from personalization, with those in several sectors —apparel, financial services and technology—anticipating increases of 10% or more.

6. Chatbots – Chatty Kathy!

Whatever your thoughts on Chatbots, there’s no doubt that they are turning heads and in 2018, will be one of the key ingredients to B2B Digital Marketing success.

By 2018, it’s highly likely that 75% of developer teams will include AI functionality in at least on applications or service. Plus, according to Business Insider, 80% of companies want to integrate chatbots into their strategy by 2020.

Chatbots are intuitive, equipped with the ability to improve their efforts from continual learning algorithms and serve to meet the demands of the fast-paced, hyper-connected digital realm in which we live. By using AI-based chatbot functionality, prominent high street clothing brand H&M has launched a branded chatbot platform called Kik (also used by other brands) that engages with audiences and acts as a personal stylist, learning about your style by scanning your social photos and recommending outfits.

The face of digital marketing is constantly changing and as daunting as it may be, 2018 will present more opportunities than ever for brands and businesses that utilize the above trends to their advantage.

The post 6 Digital Marketing Trends to watch out in 2018 appeared first on Digital Leadership Institute.