Piggybacking off of the 2018 video trend predictions piece that my colleague Yaniv Axen recently wrote, I figured it was important to discuss MarTech trends that will shape 2018 as well. Being a company that is founded on the intersection of art and technology, SundaySky not only understands but fully embraces the role marketing technology plays in the direction that video engagement is headed.
That said, let’s gaze back into the crystal ball for the top MarTech trends we’ll be seeing this year:
1. Data-as-a-Service
One of the biggest issues that large brands face today is being able to properly organize and utilize all of the customer data they collect. As data becomes more and more integral in the production and execution of marketing content though, brands are starting to look outward at third-party entities who are dedicated solely to making data as actionable and efficient as possible. Not only do these Data-as-a-Service companies have the undisputed bandwidth to ensure data is usable but they also make it so that the data can be shared across departments efficiently, which is one of the obstacles large brands encounter when attempting to fix the data issue on their own. The fact that using these DaaS companies has become more cost-effective than internally managing data will lead more brands into using their services, and this year will see that turning point where DaaS vendors are just as common as internal data management teams.
>This year will see that turning point where DaaS vendors are just as common as internal data management teams.
2. Blurring of UI Design and Video
Another big martech trend that will be at the forefront this year is the marriage of video to user interface (UI) design. Everyone already knows that video is the present and future of customer engagement, but what happens when UI design starts moving in a direction that leaves traditional video embedding in the dust? Platforms like Facebook and Snapchat are already transforming the way people watch videos, and in return this is changing the way marketers create and present videos for their intended audiences. Sound is quickly becoming a secondary, formats have changed from traditional video dimensions to square, and the way stories are told is no longer just linear. As video becomes more integral to user experiences with the growth of mobile and VR, the line between UI design and video will continue to blur to the point of becoming one in the same. This year will not only continue to see video formatting change but it will be the start of brands designing entire interfaces with video in mind. In 2018, brands’ websites and mobile apps will be built with video engagement integrated into every aspect of the design.
>In 2018, brands’ websites and mobile apps will be built with video engagement integrated into every aspect of the design.
3. Blockchain
Finally, a subject that caught on fire with the explosion of Bitcoin during the second half of 2017 and will continue to spread in 2018 is blockchain. Many marketers who are reading this are probably thinking ‘what does cryptocurrency have to do with marketing?” and they’d be right to ask, but cryptocurrency is just a single consequence that has been realized from the much larger subject of blockchains. Though the rising popularity of blockchains may not directly change the landscape of marketing itself, it will most definitely be affecting the way business act as a whole. Imagine a world where due to the nature of the internet consumers are even more empowered than they are today. With blockchain, people will have even more access to information than they already do, which can be a huge benefit for marketers when they use their band’s story to build trust and loyalty. Consumers find value in brands who align with their beliefs and lifestyles, and blockchain will make so that marketers no longer have to prove to consumers that their brand does so since the consumers will be able to fact check on their own.
>Consumers find value in brands who align with their beliefs and lifestyles, and blockchain will make so that marketers no longer have to prove to consumers that their brand does so since the consumers will be able to fact check on their own.
As the years continue on, marketing and technology will only continue to fuse into one in the same. Brands who stay on top of martech trends are usually the ones who find themselves ahead of the game when the time comes. We, personally, are just excited to see how these things change the marketing world for the foreseeable future. What are the martech trends you’re most looking forward to watching this year?
