What Will the Future of Advertising Look Like: Looking Forward 10 Years

Forward-thinking will help you prepare for the future of your company, and how you will help your clients solve their problems. Oftentimes we have to be agile, and change our marketing and messaging tactics as the world and technology evolves. While there is no surefire way to predict the future of advertising, we can take a look at what is trending now and make an educated assumption to predict the way that advertising will go in the next 10 years. Now, let’s dive into what the future of advertising will look like in the next 10 years and how to prepare your company for changes to come.

The Death of Cookies

In 2023, Google plans to remove cookies from Google Chrome, affecting how we advertise digitally. With the removal of these third party cookies, marketers will no longer be able to use remarketing. B2B and B2C companies worldwide have been depending on remarketing for years, as it is an amazing way to entice previous website visitors who did not convert. Without being able to target previous website visitors, marketers will have to think of other ways to market to their previous website visitors. It could be through gated content, IP address lookup for B2B companies, or even creating a larger organic social media presence. We once thought that cookies were the future of advertising, but we are now having to rethink.

VR Advertising

VR, or virtual reality, has been growing in popularity over the past few years due to advances in technology. By wearing a VR headset, you are transported into a virtual experience like a video game, sporting activity, vacation, or even a work meeting. However, there is currently no way to advertise within VR experiences, as it is a relatively new technology. As the popularity of VR grows, we are predicting that VR advertising will become the future of advertising. This is because you are able to target a very specific audience, and make enticing advertisements. If you’re interested in learning more about VR advertising, take a look at this article.

AR Advertising

AR and VR are commonly mistaken for one another, but they are pretty different for consumers. Augmented reality is more readily available for the average consumer. This is because AR can be done through a smartphone. Furniture companies, clothing companies, and jewelry companies have been using AR for a few years now. Below is an example of Ikea using AR to show the consumer how a chair will fit in their living room. This makes it easy to make large purchases online. Since, the user doesn’t have to visit a store to take measurements or see if it matches other decor that is already in the room.

AR can speed up your sales cycle and reduce online returns or buyers remorse. This type of technology can be extremely useful if you sell large machines, vehicles, or expensive products that you are not able to bring to a client meeting or trade show. 

Personalize, Personalize, Personalize 

We know that personalization is important for the consumer. But, it goes much further than addressing your clients by their name in your emails. Over the next few years, we are predicting that website personalization will be one of the best ways to entice your website visitors to convert. Website personalization allows companies to customize the view of their website based on certain criteria that they meet. B2C companies have been using this technology for years. One of the first companies to use personalization is Amazon. If you have ever looked at a certain product on Amazon, the next time you visit, they will recommend products that are related. As an example, if you purchase a dog collar for a small dog, the next time you visit, Amazon will recommend dog toys, treats, and other dog accessories tailored to small dogs. This is in an effort to try and encourage you to purchase these highly relevant products.

While B2C companies have been taking advantage of personalization for years, B2B are soon to follow. A B2B personalization software, like Visitor Queue, will allow you to create custom views of your website. Views can be based on the visitor’s industry, company size, role in the company, and other firmographic information. If the Head of Marketing from a SaaS company were to visit your website, you could show them how other SaaS companies take advantage of your offering. Show them personalized case studies, use cases, stats, and other key data points that will entice them to try out your product or service. Website personalization is a great way to gain a competitive advantage and stand out from other companies in your industry. If B2B website personalization sounds like something your company could benefit from, try it for free by starting a 14-day free trial.

Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence, or AI, is reshaping how advertising works. AI includes predictive text, analytics, and other predictive measures that revolutionize the way we use technology. An everyday example of AI is how Gmail uses predictive text to help you quickly and conveniently write an email. Another example is using a website chatbot to answer commonly asked questions. But, this is just the tip of the iceberg. There are thousands of ways that companies can take advantage of artificial intelligence. And, there is no doubt that AI will continue to be an important aspect of advertising as we continue to build advanced technologies. I am sure we have all heard of ChatGPT over the last few months!

Mobile Optimization will be Essential

Every year, Google puts more and more emphasis on how important it is for your website to be optimized for mobile devices. And, if your website is not optimized for mobile users, it may affect your SEO and discoverability even for desktop users. You should regularly check your mobile usability with tools like Google PageSpeed Insights, Google Search Console, as well as Google Analytics. Some suggestions that PageSpeed Insights and Search Console make will be easy. On the other hand, some will be pretty time consuming, but it will make a difference in the long-run. In fact, 61% of consumers say that they are more likely to purchase from mobile-friendly websites. The future of advertising depends on mobile optimization.

All-in-One Software

While automation and integration between software is great, it’s always easier to manage tasks in as few places as possible. We have already seen this with companies like Hubspot and Salesforce, who regularly release new product capabilities. They also have the ability to bundle certain features. This will make their software more accessible for SMB companies that want to get started with many different tools and resources. While software like Hubspot and Salesforce can get pretty pricey with all of their bells and whistles, we will see smaller and more affordable companies release multiple products under their umbrella. 

Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing has been a trend for years, and we don’t see it slowing down any time soon. With the rise of micro influencers, companies are able to get their products in front of a niche audience. While macro influencers, with over 500,000 followers, can be great options, generally they have a very broad audience. Their audience could or could not include your ideal target audience. On the other hand, influencers with under 50,000 influencers tend to have higher engagement rates. And, their followers trust what they recommend as they are more relatable.

Companies will spend millions for a Kardashian to promote their product. But, they generally are not seen as reliable sources as no one can relate to their lives. For a few hundred to a few thousand, you can partner with a small influencer and get higher quality customers who you can retain for a long period of time.

Video Marketing

Video marketing will always be an essential part of advertising. Whether it be YouTube ads, organic YouTube videos, video clips on your website, or even using videos on social media, there will always be a use for videos. Social media has made user’s attention span short, at under two seconds. Because of this, users will have a higher chance to engage with short video clips that start strong than a paragraph. This is especially true with the introduction of TikTok two years ago. As TikTok continues to grow, we will see other social media channels introducing short video clips. We have seen this in the past with Facebook, Instagram, and even Twitter (although it has now been removed) using Stories after Snapchat introduced the trend. You can share your videos in multiple formats, and repurpose content for months to come. 

Socially Conscious Advertising

Studies have shown that companies that are socially and ethically responsible are able to generate more revenue and retain employees. This is because prospects and clients are able to trust the company. And, will feel better about investing in that company rather than a competitor that does not participate in socially and ethically responsible activities. Plus, it can be great PR and generate an impressive number of views and engagement when shared on social media. There are a ton of ways that companies can invest in socially and ethically responsible acts. Including using recyclable materials, donating to a cause, volunteering as a team, and ethical working conditions for employees. When your company does a socially conscious activity, flaunt it! This is a great opportunity to share your actions on social media or even on your website. This is fantastic PR and can make a positive change in the world and in your revenue. 

Voice Search and Optimization

Over 50% of households in the US have an Amazon Alexa, Google Home, or another voice assistant device. We can expect this number to grow over the next few years. Almost every household will welcome this technology in just a few years. Because of this, companies will want to ensure that their website and blog articles optimize for voice search. When you ask a voice assistant device a question, often they must scan the web for the best answer possible. When the device responds, they will pull their response from the most relevant and optimized website. To increase the likelihood of your website being pulled, and the information making sense, there are a few ways you can optimize your site. This includes using long-tail keywords, using metadata, and using ALT text to help the search engine crawl your page. 

Advertising Psychology

Considering the psychology behind advertising has always led to the most successful campaigns. Companies that do not consider psychology tend to not perform as well as those that do. There are a lot of factors to consider when advertising. From basics like not wanting to use certain colors and words, to invoking certain emotions, and everything in between. Advertising psychology is very complex, and is an essential part of advertising today and 50 years from now. If you’re interested in learning more about how to use psychology in advertising, here is a great resource.

Final Words

As advertisers, it’s important to predict and prepare for the future of advertising. Staying on top of trends in technology and marketing, as well as any updates that Google decides to make (like removing something as important to us as cookies 🙄)  will help you thrive in the long term. While it’s impossible to predict the future of advertising, the way trends are going now, these are what we are predicting to be important in 10 years. If you have any questions about how to personalize your website with Visitor Queue, don’t hesitate to reach out.