The internet is a constantly evolving environment, and marketing strategies must grow along with trends and technology. The boundaries between demographics get more difficult to outline as everyone converges online to find information, meet their needs, and be entertained. Below are three of the emerging marketing trends to think about using this year.

Micro-moments

The more accessible our technology becomes, the more intuitive our actions online are. Mobile devices and wearable technology have made the transition from offline to online seamless. That’s not to say it doesn’t come without frustrations; users expect near-instantaneous results to their queries. A glitch in the process does more than causing someone to leave your site or app, it can cause them to go offline entirely and move on to the next moment.

One-on-one conversations

Everything old becomes new again. The internet is increasingly noisy and the quickest way to cut through the din is to offer a one-on-one experience. Staffing a live chat box is one option, integrating a chatbot is another. Chatbots are smart, easy to interact with, and typically come with their own support system. Sometimes, users are actually more comfortable interacting with technology than humans online. This is especially good to keep in mind if you’re targeting millennials.

Native advertising

In the age of adblocking, users are more adept than ever at tuning out your flashing banner ad. If it isn’t getting seen or generating an interaction, it’s time to move on. Native advertising blends into the content surrounding it, making it less jarring of a transition for the user. The goal isn’t to try and trick the audience or grab their attention, quite the contrary. Native advertising is the seamless integration of advertising into content, making it so that the user can interact with the content if and when they choose, instead of having it jump out or be hidden from them. Native marketing gives more control to the user and the advertiser.