Future of Advertising: 6 Trends That Will Affect It
Technological progress and societal development are the driving force for many industries, including advertising. The trends that pop up and descend in the public space influence how advertisers create attention-grabbing content for their audiences.
Some of these fads could control the industry for years, while others may only have a temporary sway. Regardless, industry players must keep an eye on these trends to keep themselves and their clients in the spotlight.
While predicting the future of advertising isn't easy, given how lucrative the industry and the world is, there are notable trends that are expected to affect this field.
The Emergence of Outstream Video
Advertisers and marketers expect out-stream videos to revolutionize the future of digital advertising. This game-changing ad format can be defined as a video advertisement that automatically plays in a format player whenever a user comes across it on a webpage.
This form of advertising is especially beneficial for online publishers, like news sites and blogs, since they can use out-stream videos even if they don’t have video content. They can also place it anywhere they want on their pages.
The best thing about out-stream videos is that they start playing without volume even when the user navigates to them. This ad also pauses automatically once the web page visitor scrolls past it.
Inflation
Consumers are forced to make difficult purchasing decisions as inflation continues to hit all-time highs. This economic turmoil not only affects customers but also impacts how advertisers carry out their promotional campaigns.
The rising cost of advertising materials and services, especially for TV, could force brands to reduce their ad spending. With this in mind, advertisers must improve their performance by using the right advertising strategies and resources.
Focusing their efforts on the most effective strategies, uncovering blind spots, accelerating digital transformation, and following a cost-efficient plan are just some of the things advertisers can undertake as they navigate through inflation.
The Rise of Virtual Reality
Current estimates show there are 57.4 million VR users in the U.S. — a number that is projected to reach 65.9 million by 2023. Advertisers can take advantage of these numbers and the brewing demand for virtual experience to drive growth in the industry.
The affordability and accessibility of VR headsets, along with the development of the Metaverse, will make it easier and more seamless for advertisers to incorporate ads into virtual content.
Story-driven and Interactive Content
Storytelling has always been an effective advertising strategy, and this tactic will continue to be the driving force of many ad campaigns. Incorporating a clear narrative in advertisements gathers attention and inspires potential customers — necessary elements to persuade consumers.
Story-driven content makes ad campaigns more relatable and human, thereby creating a genuine connection between the brand and its target audience. It also helps establish a strong brand personality and allows companies to highlight their corporate values.
On the other hand, interactive content is another trend that is expected to increase user participation. This tactic aims to promote active consumer engagement with the product or service to fully convey its message.
Using this strategy online will lead to more successful audience participation since it’s easier to generate user interaction on the internet compared to other platforms.
Leveraging Influencer Marketing
The growth of social media pushed forth a new kind of advertising strategy: sponsored posts from influencers. This tactic sees advertisers and marketers reaching out to content creators and the sizable community of loyal followers they built through the years.
Partnering with influencers provide brands the unique opportunity to make themselves visible and drive participation from a highly engaged audience — a window that can be difficult to come by through traditional paid advertising campaigns.
One thing advertisers need to note about this trend is ensuring that the influencer knows what the product or service is. Having such expertise makes for a more organic and effective advertisement to stir public engagement.
Demand for Company Transparency and Authenticity
Another result of social media growth is the increasing demand for transparency and authenticity from businesses. Being honest goes a long way, especially for big industry players who want to maintain their reputation and consumer base.
Modern consumers want enterprises to be truthful about the products and services they offer before patronizing the brands. Established companies that have a dark business history will likely lose a significant part of their audience because of this trend.
They can prevent that from happening by creating ad campaigns that acknowledge their negative actions and their plans to correct these misdeeds.
On the other hand, small companies can take advantage of the trend to generate support for their businesses. Consumers are more likely to engage and patronize enterprises that tell stories of how their companies came to be and provide a behind-the-scenes look at their operations — since this makes them feel more authentic.
Final Thoughts
The advertising industry is as lucrative as any other sector of the economy. It’s an ever-evolving space that is easily influenced by technological advancement and societal changes. Therefore, to continue providing the excellent service that they provide in assisting brands in maintaining their relationship with current customers, advertising must stay on top of these developments and evolutions.
This article was written by: Bash Sarmiento
