The key to effective digital marketing is staying on top of all the new trends. In the current digital landscape, trends change and evolve almost daily, making it essential to continuously monitor and adjust your marketing strategy to stay ahead of your competitors.
One of the biggest errors a business can make is setting up their website and just letting it live as is forever. Because of how rapidly things shift, you need to be constantly updating and making new content.
While this can seem like a daunting and time-consuming endeavor, staying on top of the trends is really the only way to not just set your business apart, but keep it afloat. Luckily, there are things you can do and tools you can use to help keep you on top of the trends.
1. Social Media
Social media is the language of the modern age. Because most marketing trends are born from social media, recruiters for marketing positions look for talent who are fluent in Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.
With over 3.7 billion people using social media worldwide, it is the best platform to connect with your audience and grow your business.
Here are a few ways you can use social media to follow marketing trends:
- Follow your competitors and other people in your industry to see what marketing methods they employ.
- Keep your accounts active and monitor your analytics to see what is and isn’t working.
- Follow specific hashtags on Twitter and Instagram that relate to your niche.
- Engage with your following to better understand their needs.
- Connect with professionals in your industry on LinkedIn.
2. Google Alerts
Instead of spending your time searching for trends in your niche, you can set up alerts through Google that will notify you every time Google finds a new trend that matches flagged topics. Simply input what keywords you want to track, and Google will do the rest.
For example, if you own a stationary company, you may want to monitor keywords such as “best lined notebook” or “smoothest ballpoint pen.”
You can also plug your keywords into Google Trends to watch for what people are searching and if there are any patterns in their searches. You can then use these trends to guide your content and focus it on what people are searching for.
3. Blogs and Publications
It is some people’s job to be constantly watching for new industry trends. Take advantage of this by following blogs and newsletters in your niche.
If you find a blog that you like and find informational, subscribe to their newsletter to get their content emailed directly to you. This way, you’ll never miss the latest trend update.
There are also many publications that you can subscribe to for content on digital marketing trends and how to effectively navigate the digital space. Taking the time to read up on digital marketing will be extremely beneficial for developing an effective content strategy and understanding how to adapt your strategy with time.
