Are your interactive marketing goals aligned with the industry’s 2012 trajectory? Our experts assembled a list of the top ten interactive marketing trends for 2012 based on experiences with clients and research from our partners such as Forrester, ExactTarget and Magento. 

Our experts predict that 2012 will be the year for true integration for mobile, social and local. More than ever consumers are using multiple devices to access the Internet, social media, peer review sites and more to gain insights on which products to buy, places to eat, cities to visit, etc. It’s no wonder that interactive marketing spend is predicted to increase in 2012 in these major areas: social media, online advertising and website development: 

*Source: Marketing Budgets for 2012 Expose a Fear of Commitment. Forrester Research, Inc.: December 5, 2011.

Strengthen your 2012 marketing plan with our top 10 interactive marketing trends and tips: 

1.)    Email – The top priority is to ensure that users are engaged.  Create a preference center where users are able to update their preferences at any time.  Leverage your customers purchase history. Honor your subscriber and deliver on what you promised! 

2.)    HTML5 – Has new developments which include embedding in web experience without sending users to a landing page. It is important to understand the share of audience and what percent is using these different browsers that enable HTML5.  Test features and functionality before making the transition to provide HTML5 to your users. 

3.)    Loyalty – Is that really an Interactive channel?  Yes, the implication for loyalty online is undeniable.  Promotions will fade as major drivers of customer loyalty and engagement will increase.  Engaging and building long term loyalty shift from transaction based rewards to experiential rewards and benefits.   

4.)    Search Engine Optimization (SEO) – SEO becomes more and more dependent on social media.  New social sites such as Pinterest are all about sharing links where link building tactics will soon become more dependent on viral content.  This means marketing teams (i.e. SEO and social media experts) need to be integrated and holistic with an understanding of how each department’s efforts affect another’s and how to leverage each other.  

5.)    Paid Search (PPC) – Pay-per-click attribution reporting and bid management tools contribute to the return of ad budget to display advertising.  Wider adoption of real-time bidding allows for better audience targeting capabilities so marketers can reach relevant audiences, refine who they are marketing to improve ROI.   

6.)    Social Media – Social media is the new telephone. Customers want a reply when they voice a concern to a company’s social media site.  If customers don’t get a response- the repercussion can be severe- ranging from not doing business with the organization anymore to bashing the brand to their social community. Having a company-wide social media strategy can help mitigate  brand attacks.    

7.)    2D Barcodes – Examine your current offline efforts in direct mail, in-store signage, magazines,  or any physical product offline that you invest in that engages your audience and consider utilizing Microsoft Tags.  These popular 2D barcodes provide more flexibility than older formats and have the capability to link to consumer data allowing for better online experiences. 

8.)    Mobile Commerce – As the use of mobile devices continues to expand, mobile commerce will experience a surge.  Mobile commerce has become a mainstream method of shopping.  Create a mobile experience that eases the user from browsing to buying and satisfies the real-time need.  Create a clean guided shopping experience to encourage customers to come back for more. 

9.)    Tablets – Tablets are now mainstream.  The 2011 holiday shopping season proved that the iPad & Kindle Fire were the leading gifts. And even more Christmas shopping was completed on a tablet than in a store this holiday season. Test the design and usability of your tablet apps or website to ensure it is user friendly. 

10.)   Multi-Channel Marketing – The 2012 consumer is connected 24/7.  Their attention span will continue to be further divided across multiple marketing mediums.  Break through the marketing silos and ensure consistency across all devices and channels.

Want more information on these trends?  Watch our recorded webinar, Top 10 Interactive Marketing Trends for 2012 or Contact our business development managers, Tiffany Olson or Adrienne Embery-Good.

By: Jennifer Ryans

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