7 Digital Trends To Watch In 2014

13 Dec' 13 | By Amanda Smith

1) Snapchat Marketing
The very nature of Snapchat and its fleeting, personal, one-to-one experience yields very high engagement levels. As the content shared on Snapchat is only available for a few seconds before it’s gone, the theory is that the recipient will pay more attention to it. There are currently four times as many images shared on Snapchat a day as there are on Instagram, and with the launch of ‘Snapchat Stories’, brand marketers now have the opportunity to ask customers to share their stories or interact with them to increase engagement.

2) Google+
Google+ has beaten Twitter and LinkedIn to become the second largest network with over 540m active users across 31 markets. Ever since the platform pushed the integration of its other services such as YouTube, Google Maps and Android, marketers and brands are more aware than ever of its importance in social media and search marketing campaigns. However, it’s not just its SEO benefits that have made this platform one to watch next year, but its features such as Hangouts, Communities and interconnectivity that have reinforced its importance within digital marketing.

3) Content Marketing
2014 is the year that content marketing finally grows up. Marketers will need to make sure that they have a solid content marketing strategy in place that ensures measurable results and profit. According to Social Media B2B, companies that blog generate 67% more leads than businesses that don’t.

4) Video
Videos, in particular short videos, will continue to rise in popularity. As people are getting busier, they want their information quicker, which is where platforms like Vine and Instagram come into their own.

5) Discovery Shopping
Since the explosion of Pinterest and other shopping sites such as Fancy and Pinshoppr it’s not just brands that are dictating the trends. These powerful communities of shoppers and traders are influencing decisions by making their tastes known. In the same way, shop owners can collect ideas, gain customer insight and opinions before making stock purchases. This trend will free retailers from unsold stock, end of season clearance sales and much of the guesswork.

6) Wearable Technology
Wearable Technology is already having a moment. This year Google Glass was launched to the first bunch of ‘Explorers” and Samsung introduced smart watches to the masses. At the moment each piece of tech has its own precise function, but in 2014 we will see devices interacting together.

7) Push Messaging
From 2014 your phone will anticipate your needs, tell you what you need to know, and answer that burning question – sometimes before you even need to know the answer. Welcome to Google Now. Synced to your Google accounts, email and calendar this software has access to all of your personal information and location data. It uses this to send you handy messages and tips like traffic updates before you leave the house, when to leave and whether to take an umbrella.