This document discusses several marketing trends for 2015, including marketing automation, self-serve customer support through instructional videos, data security, visual design trends embracing imperfections, paid digital media becoming more complex, and the use of structured content and content management systems. It also highlights statistics on the impact of video marketing, such as an 80% increase in landing page conversions and a 24% reduction in product returns.

1. vol.
6
MARKETING TRENDS 2015
the futurist’s field guide

2. THE WIND-UP SALESMAN: MARKETING AUTOMATION
What is it?
Connect an audience with
content and tools that are
highly relevant to them to
attract and maintain.
What’s new?
Sophisticated platforms
that gather and store info,
then used to build strong,
lasting relationships with
your desired audience.
“Marketing automation processes
and platforms will help streamline
your customer engagement and
sales process in 2015 without
additional staffing.”

3. Give them what they want
Providing simple and fast solutions to your
customers via your website is no longer
considered a value-add service; it’s an
expectation.
Self-serve customer support
More consumers seek out answers to
product questions on the Internet to save
time and patience – cue the DIY video.
“If you’re not creating videos to help
your customers resolve issues, someone
else is.”
VIDEO: YOUR FIRST LINE OF CUSTOMER SERVICE

4. THE DIGITIZATION OF BUSINESS IS HAPPENING IN THE CLOUD
What is it?
Marketing in the cloud is
simply the digitization of
business.
Light and fluffy customer
satisfaction
Businesses that offer frictionless,
self-serve access to their products
and services are the ones that will
attract the most customers.
“The digitization of business is the mass
migration of handshakes to mouse clicks.”
To The Cloud!

5. DON’T FORGET TO LOCK THE DOOR:
THE IMPORTANCE OF DATA SECURITY
“The cost to manage security
shouldn’t worry you, but the
cost of ignoring it should have
you shaking in your boots.”
The risk isn't worth it
All of the relationship building you do with your
customers can be wiped out in a heartbeat with
mismanaged data security.
Prevent a breach, online and off
Offline security measures are just as important since they
are cited as the most common threat to an organization’s
ability to ward off theft.

6. VISUAL DESIGN GETS PERSONAL
A new design trend is to embrace the
imperfections of hand-crafted design.
Back to basics
Artisan design has been influence by a
mini-revolution of small businesses in an
“artisan economy.”
Does your brand have a simple,
personal and handmade story to tell?
It’s not for everyone or every project but it may
be a good fit for your brand.

7. PAID DIGITAL MEDIA GETS BETTER
AND MORE COMPLEX IN 2015
“A trend becomes the norm in
mid-market when small-to-mid-size
businesses make it
standard in marketing plans.”
Richer display media is trending
Paid enhanced digital advertising is
expected to rise another 6% in 2015.
Social advertising on the rise
Expect better analytics and tracking
options in 2015, so now is the time to
experiment with ad campaigns.

8. VIDEO: MAKING THE COMPLEX SIMPLE
57%
45%
80%
30%
24%
increase in organic search traffic
increase in time on site
increase in landing page conversions
increase in sales
reduction in product returns
source: Brightcove
If a picture is worth a thousand words,
then how many words is a video worth? 1.8
million per minute according to Dr. James
McQuivey of Forrester Research.
By 2018, video traffic is projected to
make up 84% of all Internet traffic.
Is it worth the cost?

9. A RECIPE FOR STRUCTURED CONTENT AND TACOS
What is structured content? It’s all
about manageability and saturating
content with meaning.
COPE
Create Once, Publish
Everywhere to
maximize reach.
Content management systems
By structuring your website’s content
through a CMS, you will be able to
better engage your audience &
improve their experience with your
brand.

10. Download the full book at
trends.thundertech.com