The Future is Now: 4 Bold Digital Marketing Predictions for 2017

The New Year still seems like a long way off, but it’s never too early to start planning your digital strategy for 2017. By partnering with a hands-on digital agency in Washington, D.C., you can begin to anticipate the trends on the horizons and do what’s best for your brand.To help you stay ahead of emerging technologies and tools, experts from leading digital marketing companies already have their sights set on the future, and here’s what we think will be the next big trends in digital marketing.

1. Out with the new, in with the… old?In terms of digital platforms, mobile is still king, but in 2017 television is positioned to be a powerful marketing tool. Devices like Apple TV, Chromecast, and Roku are more popular than ever. When you pair them with user engagement devices like Amazon Echo or Google Home, we can expect to see advertisements notifications on at least one of these devices next year, which will have a significant impact on digital and design strategy.
2. All the brands you love with one look and feelWe always stress the importance of a streamlined user experience when they go to your mobile site or custom app, and 2017 might be the tipping point where it’s absolutely necessary. Google and Apple are already taking steps to reduce the difference in experience between mobile apps and websites as well as mobile devices and desktop computers – providing users with a seamless, and therefore less jarring, experience across all platforms.
3. Customer data, now with more detailThe mobile revolution has made it easier to collect detailed data on customer preferences and behavior. As mobile technology continues its advancement, so will the data collection process. For example, the growing popularity of wearable technology like Fitbit and Apple Watch offers a platform to kick off a new era of body-focused customer data and location tracking.
4. Smarter artificial intelligenceDon’t worry, we don’t think 2017 will finally be the year we’re all enslaved by our robot overlords, but we do expect artificial intelligence – specifically chatbots – to get a lot smarter. Automated chatbots are already used by large companies for user interaction, and new advancements in predictive analytics and advanced automation will make them much more personalized and effective.