New Year, New You. Resolve to Evolve. The best is yet to come. The list goes on and on….

But we know one thing for sure—the turn of the calendar and ensuing ‘blank slate’ leaves ample opportunity for improvement. We have all the confidence that you’ll make 2018 a year of growth and self-improvement, but how about Digital Marketing improvement? We have a few ideas up our sleeves for that.

As we look into our crystal ball for the biggest Digital Marketing Trends of 2018, one recurring theme we see is the increased focus on the individual customer journey. Customer experience, or CX, has long been a major concern for marketers. But as digital technology evolves, so do CX expectations and abilities. This year, add CX to your list of things to improve. It might be worth moving it to the top of the list too.

As marketers become more and more capable of capturing information about their leads through browser history and cookies—the next step is determining what to do with that information. There will be a push to go beyond audiences and demographics and get straight down to the individual level. By leveraging the technology and information available to us, we can create individual paths for customers based on their needs and preferences.

Here’s how the tech is put into action: UK-based Offer Moments creates interactive digital billboards that show you ads based on the clothes you’re wearing…as you walk past them. The company states they draw inspiration from sci-fi movie Minority Report, which is about policing people based on acts they haven’t yet committed. Even their founder admits “it’s a little bit scary.” While it might be a marketer’s dream come true to be able to read a consumer’s thoughts and actions, don’t risk making your prospects feel like their every move is being watched and cataloged.

The easiest way to understand what your customers want is simply asking them. Customers are happy to share and post about their experiences, which, when leveraged correctly, could turn into new conversions. A staggering 97% of customers read online reviews before making a buying decision. By controlling your individual customer journey from prospect to purchase and beyond, you’re in control of the online narrative surrounding your brand.

So how do you actually improve CX? What can you do to ensure your customers have that personalized, only-one-who-matters experience? In our 2018 Digital Marketing Trends Report, we dive into CX, along with eight other digital marketing trends you need to know this new year. 2018 is your oyster—ready, set, go.

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