2018 has almost come to an end. Most of the merchants are already busy preparing for the last wave of promotions, namely the year-end sales.
It’s undeniably true that 2018 is a very important year for eCommerce, which has grown exponentially in Malaysia along with other countries in the world.
Here is my take on the digital marketing trends 2019 in Malaysia.
1. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)
While AI is not really new, we can expect the maturity of this technology (via machine learning technique) to provide more accurate prediction in decision making.
The two big brothers in the digital marketing world, Google Ads and Facebook Ads have already applied their own algorithm on their advertising platforms.
Sooner or later, the ads system will provide better suggestions and more intelligent automation when it comes to ad optimization.
Besides, more and more new software and tools are using AI to solve the current digital marketing issues. All of them promise almost the same things: save time, energy, zero error.
“Data is king, not cash.” , a quote by Malaysia’s Finance Minister, Mr. Lim Guan Eng.
Source: How Will AI Impact Digital Marketing?
2. SOCIAL MESSAGING APPS
I’m pretty sure every smartphone user cannot survive in the modern world without these messaging apps on their phone: WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, WeChat or Line.
Missing on those apps literally means getting disconnected from the world and friends.
Moreover, we can see more and more businesses are using WhatsApp as one of their official communication methods. The younger generation now prefers using messaging more than ever.
Similar to the first aforementioned point, we can expect to see the rise of chatbot , which will continue to grow next year. Popular Facebook Messenger chatbots like ManyChat and ChatFuel have in fact, gained many new subscribers this year.
The best part is these chatbots even allow users to personalize the functions and cater to their digital marketing goals. In fact, everyone should install them to their business page, test out all the features, and experience the power of automation.
Source: The Importance of Chatbots in Every Business (Infographic)
3. VOICE SEARCH AUDIO ACTIVITY
Do you know why voice search is the next digital marketing trend for 2019? Look at the smart device like Google Home Mini, Amazon Echo, Mi AI Speaker.
The growth of these devices is increasing tremendously and expected to grow more in 2019.
Most of the modern Android phones are already pre-installed with Google Voice Search, users just need to mention “Ok Google” to activate the app. Not to forget Apple has Siri on iPhones, iPads and Mac devices.
The new term, Voice Search SEO has just started to appear more often as more and more businesses want to venture into the voice search territory.
Not to forget Bixby from Samsung and Cortana from Windows, which also want to provide the best experience using voice search technology on their devices.
Source: https://www.kleinerperkins.com/perspectives/internet-trends-report-2018
4. MICRO INFLUENCERS
Love it or hate it, the generation Z and the millennials do not watch TV anymore but YouTube. As a result, many new influencers are born especially in these few years.
Endorsement or sponsor going to this social media influencers is rising by as much as 4 figures/digits just for one Instagram post.
If you want to maximize your digital marketing presence, you need to know what your target audience is looking for.
If an influencer can help you boost your brand, it is a good move to ask him or her for a sponsored post.
Although the result might just be a temporary boost, this method ensures you reach many quality subscribers at the speed of light.
Source: https://www.jeffbullas.com/micro-influencers-increase-sales-find
5. MOBILE RESPONSIVE DESIGN
Mobile is not the future, it is the now.
If your website is still not mobile responsive, you MUST revamp your website now. Even Google already made a clear statement about this.
Feel free to click on the link below to find out if your web page is mobile friendly or not: https://search.google.com/test/mobile-friendly
Malaysia is considered to have a “large mobile audience but heavily overlapped with desktop” according to the ‘Mobile-Firstness’ report by comScore.
The truth is mobile is part of the touching point in the digital marketing journey. If your website is not mobile friendly, then sorry, you might not be able to join this journey.
Nobody likes to browse ugly websites on smartphones anymore.
6. COHESIVE BRANDING SYNC
One of the reasons many merchants stop selling at marketplaces like Lazada, Shopee or 11street in Malaysia is brand loyalty.
In the long run, if you’re able to build a strong brand, you can totally control your online business, build your fan base and increase brand loyalty.
In order to make your customers remember your brand, consistent brand sync strategies are needed.
In other words, all your digital marketing materials should have the same theme, message and tone to deliver the same “customer experience”.
For example, always stick to the same colour scheme across your Facebook Ads, Google Ads, email newsletters and website design. Indirectly, people will remember certain colours that represent your brand.
7. CONTENT CREATION & CURATION
Okay, everyone knows that content is king.
The truth is everyone is always looking for the best content that can learn/teach, entertain and provide value.
Yup, you can purely focus on increasing the sales, chasing the revenue, achieve the target. However, “content” is the push factor to help you in sales.
Except for certain products, consumers always want to compare, read reviews, watch unboxing videos, search for real case studies before purchasing anything.
These are just the essential steps before buying in today’s digital age that is filled with mobile phones and desktops.
Focus on giving more value to your customers, always think how you can solve their problems and concerns with your content.
Buzzsumo content research tool is a quick and easy way to find out top engagement based on social media.
8. LIVESTREAM
With the rise of native Facebook video, the new Instagram TV, YouTube or the Twitch platform primarily for gamers, Internet users are in love with videos.
Live videos are more economical, as heavy investment on video production/editing is not necessary. Once live streaming is over, the video can be published to the same platform.
Why do people love live videos? I believe it’s mainly due to spontaneity and authenticity.
You can directly comment, chat and engage with the host during livestream. For example, people can interact or Q&A in a live poll/live video.
The above gamification can definitely encourage engagement rate within a live video.
Summary
The world is changing, and technology is taking the lead. The trends are definitely changing the behaviour and lifestyle of Internet users/everyone.
The technology and tools are already there, and all you need is creativity and execution in digital marketing.
Cheers!
Author
Martin Tang
Passionate about SEO, SEM, Social Media Marketing, Analytics & Tracking. He works @ https://www.exabytes.digital/
