It’s safe to say that digital transformation is now a ceaseless phenomenon that will move full-steam ahead whether or not businesses bother to take notice. Markets are continuously being disrupted, business models that were effective two years ago are becoming obsolete and young start-ups are outpacing established companies at an unprecedented rate.
In this ‘adapt or die’ age, businesses need to stay abreast of current digital trends if they don’t want to go the way of the dodo. Your long-term success is now often directly correlated with your ability to adjust to emerging technology.
In this article, we delve into the biggest digital trends of the moment to help you sail effortlessly through the winds of change.
Conversational AI is reshaping online communication
From chatbots to digital assistants, conversational AI is taking us closer to a future that resembles something akin to Star Trek. And because communication is key to any successful business, this type of artificial intelligence is starting to take the business world by storm.
While the technology isn’t perfect, early chatbot adopters have clearly seen the benefit of having a presence on messaging apps (which are becoming incredibly popular), reducing their customer support costs and gaining new insights that lead to more conversions.
Digital voice assistants like Amazon’s Alexa are affecting SEO as marketing companies are beginning to see long-tail keywords that target highly-specific queries as more valuable. It looks like that FAQ page you spent hours writing will finally pay off!
Cybersecurity is more important than ever
In light of the recent Facebook data breach that comes on the heels of the Equifax stolen data controversy, an increasing number of companies (and consumers) are treating cybersecurity as a serious issue and for good reason.
Protecting customer data should be a top priority for every business operating in the digital sphere in 2018 and beyond. It’s a safe bet that more and more companies will be ramping up their digital security in the coming months to avoid crashing and burning with their clients and shareholders.
Consumers expect a personalized experience
Gone are the days of marketing to your entire customer base in the same fashion. Consumers are up to their necks in choice and businesses now need to deliver a unique experience to each customer if they hope to retain loyalty.
Be warned, however, personalization is often a balancing act since it requires customer engagement and today’s consumers are very weary of the intrusiveness of companies. Here are some quick tips to wow your customers:
- Hyper-personalize your email campaigns based on segments
- Send messages from a human being, not your company name
- Reward loyal customers, incentivize potential ones
- Collect data about your customers’ interests and create content to match
- Regularly engage with customers on social media
Ignore these digital trends at your peril
Far too many companies have been moving at a snail’s pace when it comes to digital transformation. Don’t be like them. You want to be Uber, not Ding-Dong’s Taxi Service.
Take the time necessary to implement new technologies, fortify your digital information and deliver the best customer experience possible. Your competitors will be green with envy.
