2019 has seen growing developments in the way that products and services are marketed online. It’s important not to get too caught up in marketing trends: the essentials of how marketing works remain essentially the same, after all. If a business sticks to tried-and-tested principles, then it won’t go too far wrong.

It can’t be denied though that the landscape in which marketing functions is changing rapidly, and in 2019 that landscape is increasingly digital. Marketing must constantly adapt both to new technology and a public that are more sophisticated than ever before. They’ve been saturated in each major trend in marketing and advertising as it’s come along, and as a result have become immune to that particular style far faster than previous generations became inured to the advertising of their day.

In short, today’s customers recognize when they’re being given the hard sell and simply switch off as a result. Effective marketing therefore has to be original, subtle, personalized and based in genuine value for the customer.

Inbound marketing

We are seeing inbound marketing gradually becoming far more important than outbound marketing. This means offering high-value content that draws the customer towards you, rather than pushing out ads in a desperate bid to grab their attention. Inbound marketing can be personalized and gives more reliable and comprehensive data about who is responding to it, as well as how and why. It is far more cost-effective than traditional outbound marketing, as well as being more flexible and more measurable.

The power of email

One of the most valuable mediums for inbound marketing is email, but only if it is used right. Regular e-newsletters that people actually want to read serve numerous functions in increasing awareness, loyalty and driving individual sales among signed-up customers. Meanwhile, email outreach tools can be used to generate leads and interest, again by including relevant content that will make the correspondent want to read and respond. 

Blog on

More and more businesses across all sectors are adding blogs to their websites in order to attract and retain customers. Not only do blogs featuring unique, original and relevant content help hugely with search engine optimization, but they also encourage customers to keep returning to the site. A blog should feature articles that are relevant to your area of business and that are useful and engaging, but the content shouldn’t be focused on making sales. Instead, by positioning yourself as an expert voice in your field and personalizing your brand, it will increase sales in a more natural way.

The long and the short of it

We are always told that the algorithms used to determine search engine rankings favor long-form content. However, for real people with busy lives, long isn’t always best. In many cases, short-form but high-value content is more effective and more likely to be read. Long articles can actually be a turn-off if you haven’t the time or inclination to scroll all the way through them.

Marketing in 2019 is all about better content and keeping the customer in mind. It’s a strategy that favors long-term growth and deep-rooted relationships. It’s not about a quick and easy fix, but about developing a strategy that is true to your brand, and that really works.