Desktop and mobile advertising dollars have just passed the traditional, number one spend for marketers: TV. That’s right! Recently, digital advertising revenue rose to a whopping $72 billion, which is more than TV’s $71 billion.
Armed with that fact, we want to talk about some other digital marketing statistics every marketer should think about before jumping into a campaign.
They say that if you fail to plan, you must be planning to fail. So, let’s help you plan to win with these useful marketing facts.
7 digital marketing statistics to think about
The marketplace is always changing and with it, so are customers and their buying behavior. Fortunately, as an industry, we’ve gotten better at recording data about those behaviors.
Let’s dive right into some of the most important digital marketing statistics you’ll need to think about before launching a new campaign.
1) Mobile is the only way
At the end of 2016, the revenue that came from digital advertising via desktop fell for the first time ever, only accounting for about $17 billion of the total sum. Mobile, on the other hand, continues to show its staying power by accounting for more than half of all digital ad revenue from 2016.
Users are hardly getting on or using desktops anymore, and when they do, it’s usually not to go shopping. Optimizing campaigns for mobile-friendliness has been key in the past, but moving forward it will be imperative.
2) Video content is crucial
Although ad revenue from desktops is down, video views on desktops are up. This proves the power and user preference of video content.
Visual advertising isn’t a new skill or art form. In fact, selling with visuals has been a part of the industry since its inception.
In decades past there just weren’t resources to create multimedia content, like photos, animation, and video. Now, with tons of apps and tools available, anyone can become a creator of great content.
Arm yourself with some video content knowledge and decide how you can best fit video into your overall content marketing strategy.
3) Build, don’t sell
Customers these days are smart. Real smart.
They don’t want to be sold to. If they’re looking for a product or service, they know how to find it. By pitching sales-only content to them, you’ll surely be defaming your brand rather than amplifying it. Seek to build relationships with your customers. Don’t make their experience one-sided.
In fact, 63 percent of users say they wish that brands would treat them more like friends as opposed to paying customers.
4) Customers hate to be interrupted
Banner ads, sales-only content, and click bait are all forms of unsustainable marketing strategies. 32 percent of Internet users actively use ad-blocking tools to avoid these types of distractions.
By 2020, we’re betting that brands will be penalized indefinitely on different platforms like Facebook and Twitter for spammy content. It will be the equivalent of a Google Penalty from this generation of marketing.
5) Treat customers like humans, not data
Seeing a trend here? Good!
All of the digital marketing statistics in existence point to the fact that customers expect to be treated like humans, not numbers.
Formerly, marketing was a cycle of production, blanket marketing, and sales. Now, marketing is a vast spectrum of relationships, building loyalty, and staying relevant. Although sales must happen for you to stay in business, customers care more about a good experience than they do a brand name.
Follow our advice and the sales will come.
6) Content shares are like new age currency
As the content sphere continues to take shape, remember that sharing is caring. When people take the time to share your website, your content, or a review about their experience with you, it means they care.
That should be your goal with almost any form of digital marketing in 2017 and beyond. After all, we are now focused on building relationships, aren’t we?
7) Invest in what’s working
Data tracking is finally tangible. Marketers are able to hone in on what’s working and what’s not and make educated decisions about where to spend their ad dollars.
Take the time to analyze these facts and figures. Yes, we said data was “meh,” but that is only externally, to your customers. Internally, data is everything.
The industry is a road map, you are the pin (current location) and data will carve the step-by-step directions to get you and your brand to your desired destination.
How to apply digital marketing statistics to your game plan
Sometimes, marketers can get caught up with reading a slew of articles and then try to apply everything. Our advice: chill out.
If you work independently, take in what makes the most sense for what you do, for your brand. Apply those tools accordingly. But, absolutely do not bite off more than you can chew by attempting to incorporate every single tactic you read about.
If you have a team or work within a team, follow the same sort of approach. However, it is wise to start discussions over the new tools you’ve learned about and assign roles on implementing as much as you can without the efforts becoming counter-productive.
Too many cooks in the kitchen are just as bad as having too many ingredients for a single meal. The same applies to your digital marketing efforts.
Keep it simple. Remember, less is more.
Here’s how we can help
We know understanding all the digital marketing statistics out there is tough. With all of the information on the web, it can be hard to weave through the piles of content that’s being shared. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could have all of the digital marketing information you need to stay ahead, in one place?
Our blog is designed by marketers and for marketers. We sort through the noise and bring the most valuable content, so you don’t have to. Follow along and you’ll stay on top of everything, from digital marketing trends to easy-to-use tutorials which will take your marketing efforts to the next level.
Leave your feedback and ideas in the comments thread below so we can make sure you’re having the best experience possible!