How communications will shape your 2017 business and marketing plans

2017 is finally here and as we celebrate the opportunity of a fresh start in our personal lives – what does this New Year mean for your business and your marketing strategy?

Communications strategies are set to define the success of most businesses throughout 2017, so you’d better make sure that yours is up to scratch.

The best way to do this is to ensure that you are accurately targeting your audience and addressing both their needs and purchase habits. Accurately measuring both your online and offline data, through using comprehensive software like Infinity, is the only way to make sure you have all the angles covered.

What’s changing in 2017?

Technology

Technology is evolving and, because of this, so is your consumer. Mobile search is creeping up on desktop queries, reaching an astonishing 80% high in 2016. In fact, it has been noticed by industry leaders that high-ticket purchases such as holidays and cars are now taking place on mobiles rather than desktops.

The development of new devices, such as smart TVs and wearable tech, should also be considered when developing your business plan for 2017. Only by attributing leads to each of these devices will you truly understand your customer’s journey and be able to communicate with them as effectively as possible.

More channels

With more technology, comes more possibilities for communication. 2016 saw the meteoric rise of Pokémon Go – the first augmented reality game – and more major developments are set to come.

Your business and your marketing team should create strategies that take advantage of these new ventures to make sure that your company can communicate effectively with your consumers. Whether it’s used for visualising projects or training, AR is the tip of the technology iceberg.

More channels mean more competition, so we predict that there will be a dramatic increase in the use of paid online advertising to make sure content is seen and that your message is accurately communicated. So, grab those ideal keywords now before they rise in price. However, with more channels comes more traffic. This sounds great initially - but it could cause confusion; how do you know where each lead came from? Which campaigns were successful? Infinity can help decipher it all.

An increase in personalised targeted content

We think that 2017 will see a shift from the ‘everything-to-everyone’ mantra that many marketers have developed over the years. Instead marketing teams need to be creating their own niche that they can own and deliver tailored content to. By correctly identifying and targeting their specific audience, they will dramatically increase conversions.

This year, marketing will focus on attracting the attention of “the right person, at the right time, in the right place” . However, this can only be done effectively if you are able to identify these three elements – something Infinity allows you to accurately measure.

The rise of context based marketing

As part of the move towards personalisation in 2017, the context of your content must also be considered.

Existing data can be used to predict and address the movements and buying patterns of future consumers. It can also help inspire content strategy by providing valuable insight into the customer journey and the different paths certain buyers may take – for example internal buyer committees with multiple stakeholders.

2017 will see content triggered by an incredible number of factors. These could range from purchase history and search queries, to physical location and weather, offering the consumer a far more personalised customer journey.

Technology has developed to a point where beacons, sensors, and the Internet of Things can all be employed to deliver highly personalised, real-time messages that speak directly to the consumer’s current wants and needs. We predict that having a deeper understanding and use of contextual content will dramatically improve ROI for your 2017 strategy.

Focus on customer experience

2017 hails customer experience as the key distinguishable feature between different brands. It is expected that customer service will eventually overtake product quality when it comes to purchasing decisions

Marketers must focus on improving their customer experience if their company is to be considered a market leader in their industry. Consumers are increasingly looking for quick, easy and creative solutions that don’t take up their time so by taking this approach with your content, 2017 will be a breeze.

How Infinity can help you in 2017

Infinity is rated the #1 call tracking solution in the Google Apps Gallery and should be the first move you make in 2017.

It provides a comprehensive overview of how users interact with all of your channels – both on and offline – and delivers insights into your marketing strategy and consumer behaviour.

By identifying leads from mobile, desktop, phone, offline or online search, as well as tracking PPC keywords, you can analyse your existing customer’s journey and develop a strategy that will be ready for the changes coming in 2017.

For more information about Infinity, get in touch with us today.