When it comes to online marketing, this fast paced, always changing marketplace can certainly keep business owners & marketers on their toes. It can be hard to keep up with the unlimited amount of options we have, how do we know where to spend our time, energy, and marketing dollars?

Great question…and we have some suggestions you should definitely  be considering.

That is IF you want to be an emerging leader in your industry and stay ahead of the competition.

If that sounds like you, you’re going to really enjoy these recently discovered 3 BREAKING Marketing Trends for 2017 that just can not be ignored. 

These trends tell us exactly what the marketplace is doing, using, and watching RIGHT NOW so businesses have to adapt and start leveraging them immediately.

You need to meet your customers where they are at – and we’ll tell you exactly where that is.

On this episode of Marketing TV you can see exactly what these trends are AND how we can start leveraging them for our marketing.

There was a lot covered in the video so let’s break down these trends and give you resources for you to use as you start taking action.

1. One Billion Hours of YouTube are Watched Every Single Day 

One. Billion. Hours. Of VIDEO. Every. Day. If you’ve ever wondered where your customers are and how to get in front of them, I think you just found them. The fact that there are billions of hours of video being watched daily tell us that people are using YouTube as a resource to find things they like.  More importantly, they’re finding ENTERTAINMENT. Instead of watching TV, more and more people are watching videos online.

As you probably already know, that gives you A LOT of opportunity to market your business. Like I mentioned in the video, if you haven’t already, now would be a great time to create your own YouTube channel. Get your content on this platform so you can start being found as a search for keywords and phrases people are looking for in relation to your business.

Contrary to popular belief, your content doesn’t have to just be commercials for your product or service. People are looking for education and entertainment. If you can provide both and establish yourself as the expert for your niche or industry – you’ll see just how quickly you can benefit from this platform.  If you don’t have any viewers right away, look for a joint partnership with someone who IS already established. They might be able to assist in your quest for exposure and your business would benefit.

Finally, advertise – advertise – advertise. The quickest way to break through those billions of views is going to be by putting your advertising budget on YouTube so you can get your ads and content seen by the perfect target audience.

2. 98 Million People Are Listening to Podcasts

I’ll admit it, I had NO idea that podcasts had been increasing in popularity but after reading this, it definitely caught my attention! What’s really impressive about podcasts is there’s a category and niche for just about everything! And if there isn’t one already for you, you should create it because chances are someone else is looking for it too.

‘Grab this free list of podcast categories and niches’

Have you been thinking about podcasting? Now would be an excellent time to get on this emerging trend and establish an influential name for yourself!

If the thought of creating your own podcast pushes your overwhelm into overdrive, don’t worry. Here’s a few extra marketing ideas for you to leverage this medium.

Become a guest on an existing podcast. It’s certainly going to be quicker to get in front of an audience that is already interested in your industry. Why not pitch a podcaster an idea for a show featuring YOU as the expert? Podcasters are always looking for valuable guests they can share with their audience so this could be a huge win-win.

Finally, look for sponsorship opportunities. Podcasters generate revenue through advertising and sponsorships and if you’re looking for a mention or a shot out, pay for the advertising! Find your audience and put your message right in front of them.

3. Facebook is running out of advertising space! 

This means that ads are going to be even MORE competitive than they already are and when there’s more competition, ad costs increase.

The good news is there’s definitely alternatives you can use now and in the future to keep your ad cost low and to navigate around this.

First, the article specifically mentioned the newsfeed is reaching its ad ratio which means you can get creative with your ad positioning. Use the video stream ad, instagram, and right column ad placement. This is already less used territory and will give you a lower ad cost. Video ads are going to be a great option here as well. Combine these with your YouTube ad strategy and you’ll be able to  maximize your ad strategy with 1 video ad.

Last but not least, my favorite suggestion is to use Pinterest Promoted Pins.

Related: Promoted Pins or Facebook Ads, What’s Better, Cheaper, and Gets More Sales 

Pinterest is our #1 source for traffic, subscribers, and sales and continues to bring in organic traffic months after we’ve stopped running ads because Pinterest content is evergreen. That means that even when we stop promoting a piece of content, the content can still be found organically, on Pinterest users profiles, and through search. Whereas on Facebook, when you stop promoting an ad, it won’t be found by anyone unless you advertise it again.

This platform is untapped and FILLED with buyers, if you now how to strategically place your ads, you’ll be happily surprised with the reach, traffic, and conversions you can achieve from this marketplace.

While there’s still plenty of alternatives, stay tuned as Facebook starts releasing more ad options they’ve been teasing for a while. I have already seen a Facebook group ad pop up in my feed so they are certainly on the horizon!

Are you ready to tackle these trends? Stay connected and sign up for our free welcome pack of marketing resources and join our Facebook community!