We spend a lot of time surrounded by online marketing and have a lot of time to analyse the current trends, so we decided to compile a list of predictions that we have for the future of the industry, and how it will affect marketing and advertising in general.
Competition will be reduced
There will be less work for humans (this has already started – look at Tesco self-checkout and McDonald’s digital ordering systems). But if there is less work then there will be fewer businesses surviving, resulting in an economic evolution. There will be fewer brands and businesses providing resources, but we will all have more access to such resources. Businesses will benefit from reduced competition if they are lucky and adaptable enough to survive; of course they will still need to continually work hard to stay relevant but they should find it easier to differentiate their business.
Cease of non-digital ads
Unfortunately for many advertising agencies, it is likely that traditional advertising is going to eventually cease once the internet is truly everywhere. Perhaps we will see a new digitalised form of traditional media, but billboards, magazine adverts etc will most likely disappear as we know them.
Rarity of face-to-face interactions
It’s a scary thought that future generations may live in a world where the norm is digital-exclusive interactions. We currently have a need for face-to-face interactions, but that could change. As tangible social interactions decrease, users will become more and more hungry for this personal interaction. There will be a chance to get ahead of the competition for brands who deliver these kinds of experiences.
Introduction of strange new social interactions
If you analyse social media, there is plenty of room to evolve within the platform and the relationships it creates. Our current social media platforms are huge balls of content, combined of thousands upon thousands of individual profiles and posts. The future may allow social media to become even closer to an individual, with more instant and interactive methods to do so (eg. like the Google glass – but with upgraded and improved technology)
Invention of reality optimisation
Brands will need to create new modes of advertising to catch up with augmented reality and digital interactions with the physical world. There may be radical new digital inventions such as virtually shopping at a supermarket or pop-up ads that appear when a user is close.
These are just fun but logical predictions, and are open for debate. If you are excited about the future of online marketing, but need some support and guidance in this field, Nevill Media could be of help to you. Visit our contact page if you have any questions and our team will get back to you!