Digital Marketing Resolutions to Start the New Year Off Right!

Every new year gives us a chance to start anew and look back and see how we can change or improve. This applies to us personally but it also applies to your business. Here are some things you can do to maximize the potential of your website based on the latest trends predicted for 2019.

The first business resolution we can make is –

Learn something new every day about websites and digital marketing!

The digital landscape tends to change rapidly and more so each year. So, keeping up on it will keep you from getting behind.

Here are some of the new developments and trends that should become digital marketing resolutions for you in 2019.

Omnichannel Marketing

Some time ago digital marketing was much simpler, there was just the internet and emails. The opportunities were limited, you could only reach users when they were on a computer. Now there are many more channels to connect with potential customers. You have social media, Google Ads, re-marketing, and internet radio to mention a few. Consumers are now more sophisticated than ever and find their information through many channels. Resolve to use more marketing channels!

Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP)

Search engines drive a huge amount of traffic, especially on Google. And about 60% of search traffic on Google comes from mobile devices. As a website’s load time increases, its bounce rate increases which could negatively lead to a lower Google ranking. AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages) is an open-source framework that allows browsers and apps to load your site’s blog posts quickly on mobile devices. Make a resolution to use this technology to reduce your bounce rate!

Video

With platforms like Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Facebook Live, video is a big trend online that will continue to grow. Traditional content that people had to watch on their TV in the past is now available through their smartphones at the touch of their fingertips. According to Cisco, 82% of internet traffic will be through video by 2021 but you don’t have to wait till 2021, you can start taking advantage of the trend now. Resolve to start using or create more videos!

Chatbots

With the improvement in artificial intelligence over the years, chatbots have improved by having the ability to hold a basic conversation with visitors and answer most-asked questions like a live human customer support representative would. Chatbots are already used extensively in Facebook, by the tens of thousands for different tasks. Make a resolution to use this new marketing tool!

Voice Search

With the improvement in voice recognition, voice searches have been increasingly getting more popular. Smart speakers can be used to order items and control smart devices your home solely through verbal command. According to a study by OC&C Strategy Consultants, voice commerce is expected to rise to 40 billion in the U.S. Resolve to learn how to optimize for voice search!

Upgrade PHP 5 to 7

PHP is a scripting language that is used in web development. PHP 5.x was plagued by hundreds of security issues that were patched over the years. If your site is using earlier versions of PHP, some of these vulnerabilities may still be present. Cybercriminals know about these vulnerabilities. Make a resolution to upgrade from PHP 5 to PHP 7 before you hackers attack! Learn more by reading – Why You Should Upgrade From Old PHP Versions to New PHP 7.