Marketing

#contenthacks: 7 Branding Trends You Should Know About

by Jessica Smith Posted On October 4th, 2017 | 9:26pm EST

Staying on top of trends is essential for your brand to gain more consumers and spread your message. Here are seven trends from 2017 that every brand should focus on right now.

Build connections, not sales. Hard sales just won’t cut it anymore. With the domination of social media advertising, consumers have expressed their demand for humanization. They want a brand that feels authentic and speaks directly to their needs. You won’t see results by pushing the bottom line. Build a world for your consumers in your content marketing and they’ll respond.

Employees make the best brand ambassadors. Speaking of authenticity, spokespeople and sponsors won’t sell your brand half as well as your own employees. If you can recruit employees to sing your brand’s praises, you’ll not only appeal to a wider audience, but also create a pleasant and productive work environment.

Opt for mobile-first communications. Smartphones are always on, which means your brand should be, too. Take Oreo as an example: when the New Orleans Super Bowl dome blacked out in 2013, Oreo seized the opportunity to tweet the tagline “You can still dunk in the dark.” Their quick thinking (and fast thumbs) paid off; the tweet was more popular than their multi-million dollar TV commercial. If you can harness real-time brand messaging, you can reach all the right people at the right place and right time.

Go green. The world is increasingly aware of the damage humans can do to the environment. Implement sustainable business practices and advertise what you’re doing right – consumers will both applaud your practices and take notice of your brand for that reason alone.

Video storytelling is the best brand messaging. We can’t stress enough the positive impact of videos for brands. Look into short video production and get your vids out there (with subtitles! 85 percent of Facebook videos are watched without sound.)

Personalize customer experiences. From every social media channel and Internet search, we’re constantly having data gathered on our likes, dislikes and habits. Use data for your brand to create a personal experience for customers and show how your brand can make their daily routine easier.

Target millennials. The so-called “Generation Z” should be your primary focus. Millennials are responsible for the social media boom and if you can get them to invest in your brand, you’ll find success. There’s a reason why they’re the most sought-after consumer group; where millennials go, the world follows.

Find out how City/Studio can help you master branding trends by clicking here.