Ride the Digital Wave in 2019

There is a lot to be excited about in the world of communications as we head into 2019. Like any other industry, the marketing and PR field saw lots of exciting trends in 2018 and even more strategies fueled by our friend (and sometimes foe) — technology.

As we head into the beginning of the year and start working with our clients on their 2019 integrated communications plans, I am most excited about recommending strategies and tactics in the digital space. Digital marketing is cost effective and better yet, measurable. According to Reuters,  global spending on digital marketing will reach $100 billion in 2019.  

And as your organization begins to plan for the New Year, I would suggest giving digital marketing a seat at the table. Below are a few strategies to consider:

Targeted Display Advertising

This online strategy allows your organization to target individuals based on their demographics, interests and even behaviors,and can better deliver your message to customers who are already looking for services or products you offer. Targeted display advertising includes a number of sub-strategies, including:

Retargeting

With retargeting, you can obtain leads by reaching people who’ve visited your site but did not convert into leads.

• Ex:You visit the Nike website and look at a pair of running shoes but do not purchase the shoes. The next day you visit CNN.com and are served an ad for the same pair of shoes on Nike.com.

Keyword Contextual Targeting

This strategy allows you to advertise to individuals reading articles that include keywords related to your industry, even if the user came across those articles without performing a search for those key words.

• Ex: You are reading an article about varicose veins and the pain it causes in your legs, and later,while visiting another website, you are served an ad for a local vein clinic.

Category Contextual Targeting

Using category contextual targeting, you can reach potential customers by advertising on sites providing content defined as relevant to what you offer.

• Ex: You visit the Delish.com site to look up Christmas cookie recipes and you are served an ad for a stand mixer.

Geofencing

With this strategy, you can target customers based on their location or you can reach customers at or near your competitor’s locations.

• You are a credit union offering a car loan program and you serve ads to individuals who to all the local car dealerships.  and you serve ads to individuals at a local shopping center.

Social Media Marketing

Social media advertising is online advertising that focuses on social media sites. With social media advertising, advertisements are served to users based on information gathered from target group profiles (interests,groups, demographics, etc.). Depending on your audience and strategy, you can advertise on many social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Snapchat and Twitter.  

Search Engine Marketing

Search engine marketing is a form of marketing that helps increase visibility on search engine results pages through paid strategies as opposed to organically. Search engine marketing can be a powerful way to draw customers to your website and convert to sales.

At Chartwell Agency, we have helped clients with all of the strategies listed above and have seen great results. I am looking forward to continuing to provide value to our clients by recommending digital when it makes sense and I am excited to see what new digital strategies are on the horizon in 2019 and beyond.