jbh.co.uk/ebooks

2014 Digital Marketing TrendsThe low-down on the 7 biggest digital trends

Jane Hunt

Director of Strategy at JBH

Jane has many years experience in the marketing industry working on digital projects for B2B and B2C brands.

Recently, she has been involved in creating an alternative CV social media campaign for REED, produced content for

a health food app for Buyagift.co.uk and has worked with a leading defence company to improve the performance of

their digital marketing activity.

“To put together this eBook I have handpicked the digital trends I believe will be most influential to

marketers and customers in 2014. I’ve also provided case studies so you can see how these trends

work in practice and offer my top tips to help you get started.

I hope you enjoy the eBook and I would love to hear about your digital predictions, campaigns and

success stories. Also, don’t hesitate to get in touch if you’d like us to help your company implement

these latest trends! Just email me at jane@jbh.co.uk”

jbh_jane Jane Hunt

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

jbh.co.uk/ebooks

#1 The Content BoomContent marketing was huge in 2013, but it’s set to be even bigger in 2014. Content marketing has been around

for years but it’s having a massive resurgence, as brands are creating, curating and promoting engaging and

valuable content for their customers.

Content can be used to build brand awareness, improve brand affinity with customers, demonstrate expertise

and generate leads! Content can range from blogs, e-newsletters, eBooks, articles, tips and guides, videos and

infographics. Many marketers are already using content as part of their inbound marketing strategy – to bring

traffic to their website or blog. This activity will grow in 2014 and marketers will become savvier at measuring

the ROI of content as part of an inbound marketing strategy. What’s more you don’t need to buy expensive

applications to measure performance.

Smartinsights.com(1) have a really useful matrix (RACE) that can help you work out what you want to measure,

select key performance indicators and set commercial measurements.

Another free resource is Google Analytics(2), which now links content marketing activity with sales conversions, so

brands can see what effect their content has on the buying process. Just calculate what monetary value you want

to attribute to content and set your ‘goals’ accordingly.

As many marketers use content to develop their social reach, content measurement should be linked to social

media optimisation(3). By reviewing content engagement and sharing activity across social media and other

digital channels, marketers can ascertain which channels and content combinations work best at driving sales

conversions.

If you want to ensure your content is reaching the right recipients you can use Predictive Models(3) or Predictive

Analytics(4) which generate customer insights to show you which recipients to include and exclude. The models

use historical data and behaviour patterns to predict how customers will behave.

jbh.co.uk/ebooks

Things to consider:

1. Which keyword phrases related to content

generate the best outcomes?

2. What type of content is most engaging to your

audience and gets the most shares?

3. Which social networks drive the most traffic to

your website?

JBH’s Top Tip

In need of content ideas? Do a keyword search on

Google Trends(5) to find out what words relevant

to your market/products/customers are currently

receiving the most hits.

#2 Diversity of Social MediaWith so many social platforms available now, brands really need to use the right platform to reach their chosen target market. While

the big three social networks remain central to many brands social media strategies, more niche social networks like Vine and

Snapchat are generating much interest from marketers. As a result, we believe brands in 2014 will diversify their social efforts and

become more creative with their marketing as a result.

My predictions for social trends in 2014:

Vine

Short videos are a hot marketing trend to look out for in 2014.

Use of YouTube and Instagram continue to be popular but

Vine seems to be stealing the show! With its 6-second video

capabilities many brands are experimenting with the platform

to engage younger target audiences. Asos demonstrated the

joy of receiving an ASOS box full of goodies, while Bacardi got creative with dancing

Rum bottles and Dove proved how adaptable their bottles are as bowling pins!(1)

Google+

With over 540 million users Google+ is now the second biggest

social network in the world after facebook.(2) Google has

again linked its social network with its search engine algorithm

through Google Authorship or Author Rank, encouraging writers

or online content producers to become recognised within

search for the quality of their content. To do this professionals

and brands (with multiple content writers) can link their content to their Google+

page increasing their visibility in search. Whether Google+ will become mainstream

for consumers, remains to be seen, but it’s certainly going to be beneficial to brands

who are already promoting quality content via social networks.(3)

Snapchat

The big instant craze in 2013 is set to become even bigger in

2014. Snapchat enables users to send instant texts, pics and

videos that are automatically erased after a specific amount of

time (between 1-10 seconds). Snapchat users now share over

400 million snaps per day (in total), surpassing the 350 million

photos shared each day on facebook!(4) The Co-operative Electrical became the first

UK retailer to use Snapchat, when they targeted students with a code offering £30

off laptops, encouraging them to ‘friend’ The Co-operative Electrical on Snapchat and

take advantage of offers. The code self-destructed after 5-10 seconds.

Diversity for reaching audiences presents more choice, but it also requires more

knowledge. Marketers need to really research their target audiences and use profile

data to identify which social network will reach that audience most effectively. What’s

more, these trends prove marketing doesn’t have to break the bank, creativity goes

along way.

jbh.co.uk/ebooks

#3 The Power of image-centric content What do Snapchat, Vine, facebook, Instagram and Pinterest

all have in common? Images!

Whether static or moving, images are proving to be hot right now and should be a key tool in your content

marketing activity.

Have you noticed you’re more likely to read tweets with a pic attached? Images increase engagement – they

attract readers, make blog posts more inviting, increase twitter engagement, make presentations more readable,

increase shareability and can even boost your search ranking.

How to use images to support your content marketing activity:

1. Create images for your blog posts – this demonstrates that your content is bespoke.

2. Break up text with images interweaved into your blog post or news articles to hold the readers attention.

3. Use the facebook photo-sharing feature instead of the status update to promote your content, as it gives

photos more space. It’s well worth posting as much visual content as possible as it gains a higher status in the

timeline and news feed than text-based updates!

4. Why not turn your text-based content into Slideshares and promote via social media.

5. The use of images in your digital marketing can also boost your SEO efforts. Just add images to a post and add

a title, alt and meta tags. Simple.

94% more total views for

articles that have images(4)

Page views for articles with and without images

jbh.co.uk/ebooks

#4 Mobile friendly content Due to high growth in smartphone ownership, marketers

need to ensure all content is mobile friendly in 2014.

Either by creating a separate mobile site and website, or,

by designing your website to be responsive to the media

device it’s viewed on.

Brands need to ensure all their content is mobile friendly. Here’s our checklist for mobile friendly content:

1. How does your website look on a smartphone?

2. Is your website easy to read and navigate?

3. Is your blog easily readable on a smartphone?

4. Can you read other content easily like infographics, guides, eBooks etc.?

5. Are your share buttons big enough and located centrally to your content?

70% of the UK population

have a smartphone(1)

Did you know...

JBH’s Top Tips

1. Optimise your website for smartphones – prioritise what you want your customers to see and adapt the

functionality for mobile with larger text, bigger buttons and clearly signposted navigation.

2. Optimise emails for mobiles – make the copy shorter, larger and easier to scroll and add some images to

keep your readers engaged in your content.

jbh.co.uk/ebooks

#5 Social SEOOnce again Google is linking Google+ with SEO.

To do this they’re making content an even more important tool in search – as part

of Google’s Author Rank or Authorship. Google wants to link search with digital

signatures of authors, enabling writers/online authors to “link their content to their

Google+ profile via rich snippets. These rich snippets enable Google to credit the

authors with the content.”(2) This brings a more human, personal approach to the

creation of content and helps authors build recognition for their expertise. According

to Eric Schmidt, Executive Chairman of Google:

“Within search results, information tied to verified online profiles will

be ranked higher than content without such verification, which will

result in most users naturally clicking on the top (verified) results.

The true cost of remaining anonymous, then, might be irrelevance.” (1)

So what does this mean for brands? How can brands build credibility as authors

of valuable content and improve their website search ranking? Well, without going

into the coding specifics, companies can use a publisher tag (for multiple authors)

rather than an author tag (only one author), which will connect their content with their

Google+ page. However, Google only wants relevant well-written articles. No product

pages, no listings etc., just articles that demonstrate company expertise and thought

leadership.

Google Author Rank and Authorship are expected to be dominant trends in SEO

and content marketing in 2014. So if you work for a company that’s already writing

and disseminating great content and has a Google+ page, make sure your company

is recognised by Google, otherwise your company search results will suffer as a

consequence.

Google “Rel=Author” to get started.

Have you linked your blog to your Google+ profile?

#6 The value of video2013 saw the rise of video marketing via Snapchat, Vine and Instagram, but we predict 2014 will see brands using short-form videos

even more. The 3 platforms offer brands the opportunity to reach and engage with younger audiences and build brand loyalty. Not

only is short-form video a great tool for engagement due to its length, it’s also a relatively cheap and simple media to use, and the

simpler the message the better!

App features and tips for use:

Vine (owned by twitter) allows users to make and share

6-second short looping videos with sound. Vine was the 4th

most downloaded free app on the Apple iStore in 2013!

Video Tips:

• Keep it simple as you only have 6 seconds to impress

• Plan your video frame-by-frame

• Use stop motion to add animation and make your subject

come to life

Snapchat – Create and share up to 6-second videos that

disappear shortly after being viewed. Snapchat was the 6th

most downloaded free app on the Apple iStore in 2013.

Video Tips:

• To create a video hold down the camera button

• Experiment with 3 new filters – sepia, vintage and black

and white

Instagram is a mobile platform (owned by Facebook) which

enables users to take up to 15 seconds of footage. You can also

select your favourite scene to use as a cover image.

Video Tips:

• Keep clips short at 2-2.5 seconds each

• For a cinematic effect try the 13 filters created with film

professionals

• For a silent movie keep your finger over the microphone

• Use free video editing apps like Splice (iOS) or WeVideo

(iOS, Android)

jbh.co.uk/ebooks

Tips for video marketing success:

1. Create simple videos with a clear brand message

2. Relate themes to customer interests and relevant trends

3. Make your content seasonal E.g. Halloween, summer holidays, weather etc.

4. Don’t just create 1 vine, create a series on a particular theme - a product,

promotion, feature or brand news

5. Reward fans for sharing your video content

A few examples of some simple yet effective videos: Gap - Click to view | Burberry - Click to view | Oreo - Click to view

#7 Big data gets personalBig data has been much talked about but how will the trend develop in 2014? Leading research suggests that big data will help drive improved personalisation.

In 2013 marketers were talking about the abundance of data available and the

problems associated with collecting and analysing big data to create useful customer

insights. While it is still an issue that many brands face, there are companies and

systems available that can help marketers save time and money, leaving them free to

use the insights provided to improve the performance of their marketing activity.

One of the biggest benefits of insights gained from big data is the ability to create a

more personalised, tailored experience for the customer. This can go far beyond just

using the customers name in communications, it’s about really understanding their

interests, their lifestyle, their needs, their buying habits and motivations to improve

customer service, tailor products and promotions accordingly and make a connection

with the customer that will build brand trust and loyalty.

Case study: Pets at Home

One of the best brands that I have

experienced for personalised marketing

(first hand) is Pets at Home. To register

for their VIP (Very Important Pets) Club

loyalty scheme, they request details

about you and your pets (their name, breed, birthday). They

use this info to send you a welcome pack and regular tailored

communications featuring your pet’s names with relevant

news and promotions, creating increased engagement and

a greater connection with the brand as a customer. The

emotional connection goes even further, as the VIP Club

enables customers to earn points that benefit their chosen

animal charity. By working with customers’ chosen animal

charities, the club has achieved two million additional social

media alerts.

Results show that the scheme has improved customer

engagement, with VIP customer engagement 7% higher than

non-VIP customers. VIP customers are also spending on

average 20% more than non-VIP members per transaction. The

VIP Club will continue to generate customer insights to further

improve personalisation to differentiate their brand, increase

engagement and sales and ultimately build brand loyalty.

We are JBH, a creative marketing agency that specialise in helping brands attract and influence their customers.

Looking for a creative marketing agency?

We have 21 years combined experience

in marketing, design and digital. Find out

what we can do for you, visit www.jbh.co.uk

or talk to us now +44 (0)1604 211227

SourcesPage 3. #1 The Content Boom

1. 3. Marketing Trends 2014: 22 Digital Marketing Techniques that demand attention. Smart Insights http://

www.smartinsights.com/managing-digital-marketing/marketing-innovation/marketing-trends-2014/

2. Google Analytics: http://www.google.com/analytics/

4. Predictive Analytics: The Power Behing Next-Gen Marketing. CMO

http://www.cmo.com/articles/2013/3/20/predictive_analytics.html

The Top 7 Online Marketing Trends That Will Dominate 2014, Forbes.com

http://www.forbes.com/sites/jaysondemers/2013/09/17/the-top-7-online-marketing-trends-that-will-

dominate-2014/2/

5. Google Trends http://www.google.co.uk/trends/

Page 4. #2 Diversity of Social Media

1. How 15 Real Businesses Are Getting Creative with Vine for Marketing, Hubspot

http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/34144/How-15-Real-Businesses-Are-Getting-Creative-With-

Vine-for-Marketing.aspx

2. 5 Social Media Trends for 2014, Social Media Today

http://socialmediatoday.com/gonzogonzo/1884651/5-social-media-marketing-trends-2014

3. Google Gives Advanced Tips on Authorship: What this means to your business, Search Engine Journal–

Authors vs.

http://www.searchenginejournal.com/google-gives-advanced-tips-authorship-means-business/

4. Snapchat Sees More Daily Photos Than Facebook, TechCrunch

http://techcrunch.com/2013/11/19/snapchat-reportedly-sees-more-daily-photos-than-facebook/

Page 5. #3 The Power of image-centric content

1. The Top 7 Online Marketing Trends That Will Dominate 2014, Forbes.com

http://www.forbes.com/sites/jaysondemers/2013/09/17/the-top-7-online-marketing-trends-that-will-

dominate-2014/2/

2. 8 Ways to Instantly Improve the Shareability of Your Visual Blog Content

http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/visual-blogging-content-social-media-sharing-ht

3. The Power of Images in Social Media Marketing, Sendible.com

http://sendible.com/insights/the-power-of-images-in-social-media-marketing/

4. 6 Powerful Reasons Why you Should include Images in your Marketing

http://www.jeffbullas.com/2012/05/28/6-powerful-reasons-why-you-should-include-images-in-your-

marketing-infographic/

Page 6. #4 Mobile friendly content

7 in 10 people now own a smartphone

http://mobilemarketingmagazine.com/7-10-people-uk-now-own-smartphone/

Page 7. #5 Social SEO

1. Google’s Authorship Markup – Authors vs. Publisher http://www.buuteeq.com/blog/googles-authorship-

markup-author-vs-publisher/

2. What is Google Author Rank? http://www.ninja-creative.com/blog/author-rank/what-is-google-author-

rank/

3. Google Gives Advanced Tips on Authorship: What this means to your business http://www.

searchenginejournal.com/google-gives-advanced-tips-authorship-means-business/67963/#W3mh2O295L

IFept0.99

Page 8. #6 The value of video

1. http://www.financialexpress.com/news/snapchat-vine-candy-crush-saga-among-top-smartphone-apps-

of-2013/1214096

2. http://mashable.com/2013/05/21/vine-pro-tips/

3. http://sarahsfav.es/2013/09/03/11-practical-tips-that-will-help-you-produce-better-instagram-videos/

4. http://mashable.com/2013/12/23/snapchat-update-replay/

5. http://www.clickz.com/clickz/column/2303752/stuck-in-the-visual-web-6-strategies-for-winning-short-

form-video

Page 9. #7 Big data gets personal

1. Direct Marketing Association

http://www.dma.org.uk/toolkit/pets-home-loyalty-launch-case-study