5 marketing megatrends for 2018

It’s hard to find a sure thing in today’s fractured, frenzied marketing landscape, but there’s plenty we can deduce from reading the tea leaves of technology.

The folks at MDG Advertising have published an infographic that touts five emerging marketing trends, which should offer some clarity for what savvy professionals should prioritize in 2018.

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Here’s a taste of what’s poised to take center stage:

• Micro-influencer campaigns. Before you go breaking the bank for Justin Bieber, consider reaching out to low-key influencers with smaller, yet loyal, fanbases. The infographic points out that micro-influencers tend to garner higher engagement rates than celebrities. Micro-influencers are also more relatable—which makes them more effective salespeople—and, of course, way more affordable to work with. Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo reportedly nets £310,000 per Instagram post.
• Data-driven personalization. As famed wide receiver and self-adulator Terrell Owens so eloquently stated: “I love me some me.” Of course, we all have a bit of T.O. in us. Who doesn’t like being catered to or treated as a unique, important individual? The infographic advises marketers get up to speed on “deeper personalization” in 2018, which entails “the hyper-targeting of messaging based on rich data (interests, past and predicted actions, etc.).” The more you tailor messages according to people’s preferences and interests, the better your chances of breaking through the clutter.
• Augmented reality. Will this be the year that augmented reality fulfills its potential as marketing’s next big thing? It certainly could be, as “a new generation of smartphones has been designed with augmented reality in mind.” Beyond Snapchat filters and “animojis,” marketers should pounce on the opportunity to layer stunning visuals over real-world items to showcase their products and services in unforgettable fashion.

No one knows which marketing trends will reign supreme in 2018, but this seems like a good place to start. Have a look at the rest of MDG’s predictions below.

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