Hubspot just released what they think will happen in marketing trends in 2013 and beyond. It’s a great set of predictions from some pretty smart people, but they’re geared towards larger companies.
How many small businesses do you know that have a CMO, a CIO and so on… I want to highlight my top 6 predictions and how they’re relevant to small and powerful businesses.
Prediction 7: Social & Content Impact SEO Even More
This is a good one to start off with because it’s about a topic most of us loath, mainly because we don’t understand it – SEO.
“Over the years, good search SEO was all about knowing the tricks of the trade. The SEO of tomorrow will be less about having the right H1 tag or the right keywords on the page and more about creating really good, original content that is socially consumed and shared.”Awesome.
What does this mean?
Instead of focusing your efforts on trying to blog about the right keywords, focus on how to create fantastic content. What does that mean? Create something you want to consume. That’s it.
As a small business you’re selling yourself and your personality, so share what you like, create what you like, and you’ll attract people who are like you – chances are they’ll also make the best clients.
Prediction 11: Marketing Speaks Like A Human
“No one likes marketing speak…Corporations become less “faceless” and the trust between companies and consumers continue to grow.”
Awesome, we have no problem here.
I included this to point out that as a small business you don’t have the resources of a Coca-Cola, KPMG or “enter big brand name here,” but you have one asset that they don’t – you’re human. Seriously. The faceless corporations are realizing they need to become more human to survive.
Even though this is the hottest conversation topic for the guys in suits, it will take a long time for that to happen because it changes the way organizations having been functioning for centuries.
Your biggest advantage is you. Be human. Be yourself in everything you do (email, blogs, tweets, etc…) and people will believe you.
Prediction 12: Email Lives On
“No, email is not dead…. Marketing emails will become less “batch and blast” and instead more personalized, relevant and targeted based on real-time data…”
Darn, I bet you were hoping email would die.
However, it’s far from it. I was having a chat with the guy who built the largest digital media business in Canada a few years ago, Kerry Munro, and he said that we hadn’t even scratched the surface of email marketing; and I think that still rings true today.Don’t worry about trying to send newsletters and formal copy.
The emails of 2013 will be less generic and more personnel. Send emails that you’d want to receive. Be yourself.You don’t need to send mass emails – instead of sending a big one every month, carve out 5 minutes a day to send 1 personalized email to a potential customer. Hmmm…that’s actually a good idea.
Prediction 18: A Picture Is Worth 1000 Words
“Infographics, photos, picture boards, video, and other forms of rich-media will increase over the coming years as humans look to digest more information faster than ever before.”
No surprise here. And what does this mean for you? If you’re blogging, include big beautiful photos. If you’re posting on Facebook, include big beautiful photos. If you’re tweeting, include big beautiful photos. You get the point. Any time you can be visual, do it. It takes less time than writing, and is better received.
TIP: I’ve found that tweets that include a picture get more comments, shares and favourites. So, set up Instagram on your phone (it’s free) and it will make your photos look beautiful – you can share right to Twitter and Facebook.
Prediction 20: Outbound Marketing Loses Traction
“Mass marketing gets a 2% response rate, if you’re lucky. Inbound marketing, on the other hand, can produce conversion rates 10x higher or more.”
This is music to my ears. And it should be to you too! What it’s actually saying is that your time and money is better spent online being yourself than things like flyers, Google Adwords and radio ads.
Marketing Trends In 2013 – Spokal’s Prediction
“Be yourself.”
Yup, that’s it.
Don’t forget who you are and why you do what you do. Tools change. Last year it was social media, this year it’s inbound marketing, and who knows what it will be in 2015. If you’re true to yourself, and focus on doing what you do really well aka teach yoga, do books, paint houses, sell jewellery, heal people, farm food and so on, and the rest will follow.
Only 24 days to 2013. Let’s make them worth it!