Donald Trump will be an integral part of the oval office in 2017. What has that got to do with this post? Absolutely nothing! Just a reminder to expect the unexpected in 2017 and gear up to be shocked or surprised or both!
At SilberLinks, we’ve had our ears to the Digital Doors and we did snoop in on some exciting developments. Digital Marketing is about to be loaded with new arsenal which will help brands and brand owners reach, connect and interact with their audiences in experiential ways!
1. Facebook Marketplace
The buying and selling has been going on informally for a while now across various Facebook groups. In fact, it was when facebook noticed approximately 450 million users transact one single month across the groups that it decided to formalize the process through the Marketplace. Though currently available only for the smartphone users, 2017 will witness the desktop version of the Marketplace as well! It’s going to be a friendlier, more fun, more exciting version of Craiglist! Or so it seems…
2. Facebook Instant Articles
Ever since its launch in February 2016, Facebook Instant Articles has only gathered momentum. Anybody confident of their writing skills can now head over and get published! With over 70% interaction, an article published on Instant Articles is destined to get more visibility and acknowledgement. 2017 shows hints of taking Instant Articles to the next level. This could be all that aspiring writers need to get their chance at a claim to fame!
3. Facebook 360 Audio
Facebook 360 Videos have raged through 2016. Facebook promises to take this to the next level in 2017 by introducing Spatial Audio or 360 degree audio to complement the videos. You cannot even imagine how awesome an experience that is! Actually, you can go beyond imagination and actually experiment with it in the coming months. Two Big Ears is the dynamic organization Facebook has decided to team up with to bring about this phenomenal experience!
4. Instagram Trends
Instagram is giving Facebook a run for its money. Don’t believe it right? We didn’t either; till we looked at the statistics. Instagram receives an average of 4million users a month! And that is about to change, here’s why:
Instagram Direct: The direct messaging feature of this photo-sharing app, is making interactions easier. 2017 will see users sending disappearing messages (similar to Instagram Stories) to individual users as well. What fun!
Instagram Shopping: While brands have already started using this feature, tagging up to almost 10 products in their campaigns, 2017 is predicted to see extensions of this feature
Instagram Business Tools: Finally some well-intentioned analytics help to let businesses know how their promotions are functioning. As the year advances, the analytics will only get better and more efficient, increasing the efficacy of the performance of Insta Promotions
Expanded Videos: You can ditch the 15-second videos in favor of 60-second videos which can tell a more dynamic story
5. Big Scoop! Snapchat is acquiring Vurb
It’s true! If you haven’t used Vurb yet, here is what it is all about – it is an app that helps you locate friends, places, parties in your neighborhood or desired location. What does the acquisition of Vurb by Snapchat mean? You can now decide how to spend your evening through Snapchat! Cannot wait for this mish-mash to surface in 2017!
6. Pinterest Predicts
Currently, approximately 48% of the global brands have a strong presence on Pinterest. By 2017 this number is expected rise as high as 70%. The New Year will bring in its wake ‘Promoted Videos’ – a new offering for Pinterest addicts. Videos have been infamous for generating more interactions and this highly evolving social media platform is not one to be
left behind!
7. Google FameBit
In October 2016 Google acquired Famebit to boost “Branded Content Deals” on YouTube. This marketplace where influencers and brands come together is changing the way Influencer Marketing works. In 2017 FameBit will tweak its bid-to-launch strategies to optimize benefits for both Brands & Influencers.
With all that said, there can be only one conclusion - it definitely is going to be a fantastic year for Digital Marketers!