The Top 5 Digital Marketing Trends of 2018

Are you looking to get out in front of the latest trends in digital marketing?

Do you feel like your website’s visitor count, conversions, and linking strategy just haven’t been as effective as you’d like so far this year?

Would you just like to understand the strategies that you need to adopt in order to finally outrank your competitors?

If so, then you’ve come to the right post.

In it, we’re telling you everything you need to know about the biggest digital marketing trends 2018 has to offer.

It’s never to late to hit the reset button on the year. Let these five additions to your digital marketing strategy make it happen.

1. Voice Search

Think voice search still has a long way to go before becoming one of the biggest trends in digital marketing?

Think again.

In fact, more than 20% of searches completed on mobile devices are now done through voice search.

To optimize your web content for those searching with Siri or Alexa, make sure you include “question and answer” content in your marketing strategy.

When you include keywords, they also need to mimic the natural speech patterns of the way searchers talk — not the way that they type. This means that longtail keywords will continue to be incredibly popular in 2018.

Your goal is to be featured in the “Snippets” section of Google — meaning that your website’s content will actually be read aloud by Siri or Alexa themselves!

2. Google’s Mobile-First Index

Now that Google and other search engines rank your website’s mobile-friendliness above how they’ll load on desktop computers, you can no longer afford to ignore your mobile strategy.

This means that you’ll need to create a separate mobile version of your site — that’s as close to the desktop version as possible.

You should also ensure that all your images load fully on a mobile device, that your site speed is up to snuff, and that the buttons are actually easy for users to press on their smartphones and other mobile devices.

Mobile-friendliness is, far and away, the biggest trend in online marketing for 2018. So, it’s essential that you start taking it seriously — and keep constantly testing and re-evaluating your mobile strategy.

3. Instant Messaging

Another one of the biggest digital marketing trends 2018 has shown us?

A serious rise in the popularity of chatbots.

These tiny instant messaging systems help to better personalize the experience for your site visitors. They can also guide them through a natural sales funnel, by providing a digital version of in-store, in-person assistance.

These robots will answer consumer questions, pop up whenever a new visitor clicks on your site, and help them to connect with the exact products and services that they’re looking for.

This way, your customers will be able to get exactly what they need — and you won’t have to spend half of your day answering the same three questions.

4. Link-Building Strategy

If you’re looking for the latest digital marketing trends, your link-building strategy is one of the most important things you’ll need to update for 2018.

It’s no longer enough to just provide relevant links when you’re writing blog content.

Now, Google will actually take a look at the overall “clout” and authority of the places that you’re linking to and who are linking back to your content.

If your content is linked to by highly-trafficked sites, you can expect to rise in the search engine rankings.

This means you’ll need to work to build relationships with high-quality websites. You can do this by commenting on their blog posts, social media networks, and more.

You can also work with SEO professionals, like Toms SEO Link Building, that will make it happen. Visit their website to learn how to increase your conversions and get better links in as little as three weeks.

5. Video Content

Another one of the latest digital marketing trends of 2018?

The continued rise of video content. However, what’s different this year is that your content doesn’t need to be tailored just for your website and your target audience.

Now, video SEO through YouTube, the second biggest search engine in the world, is just as important as the content you create.

So, what can you do to ensure that your content is properly optimized for YouTube?

First of all, always ensure that you include keywords in your video titles. Focus on the keyword that you want to target the most in your title, and then look for variations of that title when it comes to your video description.

Remember that, after the first 20-30 words in your description, your viewers will need to hit “see more” in order to keep on reading. Still, that doesn’t impact your SEO strategy at all. So, don’t be afraid to add length — and lots of keywords — to your video description.

Also, include keywords in closed captions to rank even higher. Always choose the right tags, specific categories, and thumbnail images for your video.

Looking for the perfect video length?

For best results, aim to keep it two minutes and under.

Master the Digital Marketing Trends 2018 has Made Huge

No matter the size of your business or the market you’re trying to influence, this list of the digital marketing trends 2018 has helped to create should help you to grow your brand recognition and make more sales in the process.

Of course, we know that sometimes, it can be tough to stay on top of the latest digital marketing trends!

We’re here to help.

Spend some time on our website and blog to ensure that you’re always a few steps ahead of the competition.