Digital Marketing Trends: Three Actions to Take in 2017

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Episode 44 of Landscape Digital Show reveals three digital marketing trends that you want to take action on to get results in 2017.

I’m surprised to be seeing fewer 2017 digital marketing trend forecasts because it’s not whether your predictions prove to be right or wrong but that you get the conversation started.

And that’s my goal with this episode. I am a fanatical student for all things marketing and these predictions are based on my research, observations, and study. But you should do your own homework to be sure.

What I’ll be sharing with you today are backed by not just one or two people or companies, but many. This is what leading digital marketing experts are using to get practical results now and for 2017.

Let’s unpack them one at a time.

#1. Human Conversations

One of the reasons most content falls flat is because it was created by someone without an intimate knowledge of the customer or targeted audience.

Our industry survey indicated landscaping company owners have the primary responsibility for digital marketing. However, and I’m speculating based on personal experience, it is doubtful that they are the ones creating the content.

It’s very likely that task is handled either by an outside agency or someone in the office that is not distracted by, well, customers.

You see where I’m going with this don’t you?

In an earlier episode of Landscape Digital Show, we discussed interviewing customers to create case studies that will resonate with future customers. If you take the time to talk to customers you are getting much more than a case study.

That context, depth of detail, and customer’s unique perspective are what is going to make your content come alive. His or her words and how they use them are what will truly resonate with other buyers just like them.

Give it a try because many others are already doing this. Take the time to have human conversations with your customers; it will inspire your marketing.

#2. Facebook Advertising

Most of us know Facebook advertising from boosting a post. We discovered that for a few dollars we can reach thousands of targeted people with our content. But sadly, nothing substantive happens.

That’s because the targeting is happening at 30,000 feet, such as male vs female, income levels, interests, and so on. Don’t get me wrong, that’s all good information but it’s nearly impossible for us to sufficiently define our ideal buyer to reach them on Facebook.

After all, you are trying to find a few hundred or thousand people from among billions. That’s not easy to do on your own.

But now Facebook can automatically do this for us. To get started install the Facebook pixel on your website. Just Google it or ask your webmaster to make this simple coding fix. It takes just a few minutes.

Once that code is on your website you can target your most recent visitors on Facebook. This is called a website custom audience and Facebook builds it for you automatically and in real time.

Now you can target this new audience and drive them to your desired call to action. This may be opting into your list, liking your Facebook page, taking advantage of a special offer, and more.

You can then ask Facebook to match that audience using the mountains of personal data that we all give Facebook every day.

You can also import your email list to Facebook to create an email custom audience and target that group, while also having Facebook create a new audience that matches it. This is what Facebook calls a lookalike audience.

The point is marketers are getting amazing conversions from running ads by targeting these custom and lookalike audiences. And at least for now it’s economical and easy to do.

So, stop shooting in the dark with your advertising and give Facebook advertising a try by doing it the right way with custom and lookalike audiences.

You’ll never again be tempted to waste your money on boosting posts.

#3. Repurposing Content

The intent behind repurposing content is simple. You are trying to steal audiences.

That’s right, getting people from where they now to where you want them, which is on an email list or subscription service that you control.

This is why we say you don’t want to build your house on rented land. And that rented land includes Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest, and all of the other social media that you do not control.

That said, these platforms have massive audiences and you don’t. So, after publishing content on your website or blog, repurpose it in an appropriate format on these other platforms to encourage engagement.

Just be sure you include a call to action that brings them over to your house, which is your website.

Show Notes

• Get a step-by-step content repurposing plan in Episode 29: Content Repurposing: 5 Tips for Doing it Right
• Never miss an episode. Subscribe to Landscape Digital Show on iTunes.
• And if you are on Facebook, please like the Landscape Digital Institute page. I’ll greatly appreciate that!