2018 – what’s going to change and what’s likely to stay the same?
What have we learned about marketing and accounting trends in the past year? Were there any big surprises? We’ve noticed many fads come and go. For better or for worse, here are the trends to watch in 2018.
Personalised content marketing
President and CEO of CPA.com, Erik Asgeirsson, believes that 2018 is the year that the buzzwords we’ve heard so much are finally going to introduce products that are ready for beta trials and we’ll get to see how blockchains, machine learning and artificial intelligence will impact the accounting profession.
For this reason, content marketing should be focused on educating both clients and firms on how these new techs will change the industry. Niche-focused content remains the trend. However, firms should aim to create more sophisticated content that keeps their audience up-to-date on innovative technology in development that intend to either enhance or eliminate conventional practices.
The continuing rise of video content
2017 saw a rise in leveraging video content to attract audiences for being an efficient means to consume information quicker. It is the type of content that most marketing professional worldwide say has the best ROI. The format is visual and interactive and enable organisations to tell their stories in a much more captivating way.
Firms have already started promoting their brands and services through video content, but we expect to see it evolve further in 2018. To date, explainers, product demos, how-tos, and testimonials are the most common videos. This year, the focus is more on live streaming and video blogs, better known as “vlogging.” Vlogging will be an excellent way for firms to host live events on social channels and invite real-time interaction with their audience.
The decline of Facebook?
With 2.07 billion monthly active users, Facebook is still the biggest social network in existence. However, there’s been a noticeable decline in engagement in the past couple of years. According to BuzzSumo, Facebook Page engagement declined by 20% in 2017. With so many businesses competing for attention, users are bombarded with so much content that they can’t keep up.
And within weeks into the new year, Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg announced that the company is altering the algorithm that runs the news feed and no longer prioritise “helping you find relevant content” but help you “have more meaningful interactions.”
What does this mean for Facebook Business Pages? And what impact will this have on the media ecosystem? It’s likely that paid appearances will be the main way to boost your profile, rather than quantity and relatable content.
Michael Stelzner, CEO at Social Media Examiner had this to say, “It’s obvious that the days of getting exposure as a business on Facebook are coming to an end.”
With this sudden announcement by Facebook so early in the year, it proves that whatever predictions we had for 2018 can radically change. In 2018, it’s crucial to stay on top of trends in the accounting profession and its relevant technology while also deepening relationships with clients, particularly current and loyal clients who trust you enough to grow with you through whatever changes in the industry and media trends.