2019 is gearing up to be a year of innovation and industry as experts and creatives everywhere are diving headfirst into new challenges and new ways of examining data to create the best marketing strategies around. Technology and the digital landscape have revolutionized marketing and continue to steer businesses in the right direction to be leagues ahead of the competition. Quickly evolving technology has indeed kept us all on our toes.

Despite what many may think, companies still rely heavily on digital marketing to increase traffic to their businesses, encourage brand loyalty, and inspire consumers to entertain new products and services across multiple industries. But as time progresses more people develop online presences and grow familiar with the marketing strategies of yesteryear, desensitizing them to the old marketing trends. The effects of old school marketing have dwindled in recent years and many are realizing that they will have to ride with the innovators if they want to inspire growth and maintain their customer bases. It’s a new day in the digital marketing landscape, and you may be wondering how everyone plans to keep up with one another. To take your company to the next level, check out these five digital marketing trends for 2019.

1.Artificial Intelligence (AI) is Headed Your Way

You can expect to see AI being used to the fullest in the coming year. AI is already successfully being used to scour social media conversations and gaining intel on competitors and consumer interests. It’s also well known for being able to compile and present lightning-fast analysis of your own databases to save time. Now, AI is being used even more to power click tracking, retargeting, market segmentation, and so many more tasks.

How you utilize AI for your own marketing strategy is completely up to you. AI not only can increase sales, but it can also utilize personalization to help achieve your marketing goals. If you aren’t sure exactly where to start, then meet up with a digital marketing team that is familiar with the ways to best leverage AI for marketing intelligence. If you don’t have a digital marketing team familiar with leveraging AI, then you need to get one. Too few businesses are taking full advantage of AI, though that is expected to change this coming year.

2. Optimized and Accelerated Mobile Sites

People are glued to their phones. This much is already clear. It stands to reason that people who are glued to their mobile devices will also be encountering mobile websites in their search for goods and services. Customers and consumers will undoubtedly come across your site on a cellphone via a mobile browser at some point, and low speeds or poorly functioning designs will lead to higher bounce rates and lower customer engagement. By utilizing Progressive Web Apps (PWA), you could improve your google ranking and inspire more customer activity.

3. Chatbots

Chatbots are becoming more commonplace in 2019 and most certainly will continue to be used in the coming years. They are a godsend for repetitive customer service FAQs. Customers can interact with the chatbots when they have a question they’d like immediately answered but doesn’t require any real personalized information. These bots provide customers with an interactive element that makes them feel more heard than a long-winded customer services call with long hold times. They can schedule appointments, help make purchases, and provide general information at the tip of the consumer’s fingers. The improvements to AI in recent years have made chatbots effective in answering simple questions quickly. The bots remove the necessity for 24/7 live chat support. Take full advantage of them.

4. Video

Companies in 2019 are taking full advantage of videos in their marketing strategies. YouTube and other video sharing sites have changed this form of media marketing forever, and it is high time that digital marketing has changed along with it. Netflix, Amazon Prime, Facebook Live, and other platforms have made streaming a normal part of many consumer’s everyday lives. Customers no longer are sitting in front of their televisions and consuming advertisements during the commercial breaks. With smartphones and mobile devices, people are consuming streamed media on the go, so it’s in your best interest to take full advantage of video advertising and consumer outreach. While it’s important to have written content on your platforms to increase your SEO rankings, it’s also important to put your written content into video form to reach wider audiences. Try it out and see how it works for your business.

5. Influencer Marketing

Social media influencers have way more power than anyone ever expected them to have in the early years of old school platforms. Local influencers can really be a boon for any small business looking to branch out and gain support from the community. Partnering with local influencers and engaging your consumer base can be a great form of customer outreach. Long-term campaigns will serve you better than a quick endorsement, so take a look around for any influencers with large audiences in your local area.

With the marketing landscape of 2019, you’ll find that there are more ways than ever to reach and engage your consumer base. There are several other marketing tactics that are available to draw traffic to your business, so always be on the lookout for new trends in marketing. The ever-changing landscape is always open to innovation and new methods.