Traditional marketing tactics will always be known and loved. But with the major advancement in technology and society over the last decade have really reshaped how we do things. The shift from traditional marketing to the digital world was accelerated even more over the last 2 years with the pandemic. Research done in 2020 by McKinsey shows businesses were 3 times more likely now to say that 80% of their customer interactions are digital, compared to before COVID. This burst the transition years ahead of what predictions were based on previous surveys. 

Digital branding agency Fresh Engagements has seen this shift firsthand. They specialize in online services like social media branding and PR campaigns. In the last year alone, they've seen both their current and new clients accelerating their online marketing efforts. Because so many are committed to this move to digital marketing, it's more likely than not here to stay. That means it's crucial that those entering the online marketing space know the latest trends, and how to translate their skills to them. 

We've asked the experts at Fresh Engagements to share their top 3 digital marketing trends and tips on how to maximize them.

Conversational Marketing

Conversational marketing is a customer-based dialogue-driven method of marketing. It consists of one-on-one real-time interactions directly with your customer. It allows you to foster these relationships while improving the online experience by communicating and customizing these interactions.

Examples of conversational marketing are live chats, chatbots, and the use of messaging apps. Facebook has a great example of a built-in conversational marketing tool with their Messaging platform. Businesses pages can create and customize a wide range of automatic replies based on types of messages, time of day, and even who is contacting you. 

Those looking to break into the conversational marketing space will need to have a wide range of skills. This includes things like experience with communication tools like MailChimp and Octane AI and an understanding of APIs, CRMs, and other marketing automations. Depending on the role you're taking on you might require a higher set of technical abilities versus traditional communication skills

Interactive Content Marketing

These days basic video content marketing doesn't cut it. To really gain your audience's attention you need to get them interacting with you. That is why interactive content marketing is such an in-demand tool in online marketing. If you've ever seen a video tour, augmented reality, or website polls then you've experienced interactive content. By using this available technology customers are able to feel engaged. They can experience what your services or products are like without even leaving their homes. 

There are infinite possibilities and benefits to interactive content. However, compared to other marketing techniques, this requires high-level technological skills. Expect to need knowledge in areas like coding, user experience management, and developing data driven UX road maps to find success here.

AI-Powered Optimizations

There is no doubt that AI is the future. It's already embedded in many different areas of business including sales and marketing. Some may worry that artificial intelligence will eventually take over many jobs and skills. But just remember that AI simply cannot do the work all on its own. That's why it's smart for those in the digital marketing industry to potentially start thinking about learning more about AI. 

In fact, there are already plenty of opportunities for those with artificial intelligence experience in the marketing world. But before you dive in you should understand how AI is powering marketing strategies and what skills will benefit you most. The primary use for artificial intelligence in marketing is to deliver information. This gives insight into things like customer demographics, behavioral analytics, and content recommendations. 

So, you'll want to consider if you have skills in areas like data analytics, research capabilities, coding, or project management. 

Remember, just because particular marketing strategies are trending doesn't mean you need to apply them all. The first thing you should consider is if it works for not only your business but your customer. If your marketing tactics don't resonate with your target audience, it's all a waste. You should also work on strategies that compliment your particular skill set to improve your odds of success.