Motionlab’s Predictions As To What You Can Expect In 2013

Scott Winstanley, Head of Digital at creative design and marketing agency Motionlab reveals the company’s marketing predictions for the year ahead....

The New Year is looking bright and there are many new marketing opportunities on the horizon. We’ve listed our Top 5 predictions for the next 12 months. Now, we’re not saying our predictions are written in stone but we are sure that they will play a part in the forthcoming year so as they say..... watch this space! I know that we will be!

1. 4G to provide video ad campaigns

EE (Everything Everywhere) this year became the first mobile carrier to provide the UK with superfast 4G which it estimates to be available in 35 locations by March 2013 (Telegraph). With the availability of this superfast connection, continued spread of Wi-Fi access and smartphone penetration at over 60% (E-consultancy), brands will focus on delivering improved rich media through video lead content. This improved data speed offers consumers “bufferless” streaming which in turn provides instant content delivery.....look out for video advertising in 2013 as we predict it will become widely used.

2. Value of social increases

With global social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter now playing host to more than a billion users (BBC), brands will look to move social media to a more central role within their organisation.

This year has seen genuine recommendations from friends and colleagues outweigh a large number of glossy campaign messages which isn't a surprise as 'word of mouth' is a powerful ally.

Social media now allows brands and organisations to bind their marketing channels together in a greater multi-channelled way; as a result we've been able to deliver more relevant and timely communications.

We've also seen e-commerce sales in 2012 increase as a result of social recommendations and customer feedback.....we predict 2013 will see brands and organisations putting social media at the heart of their campaigns.

3. “Big Data” will deliver greater value in 2013

What is “Big Data” I hear you cry? The world creates 2.5 quintillion bytes of data each day (IBM) which is created via competition entries, website feedback, posts to social media sites, digital pictures and videos uploaded to the internet, purchase transaction details, and customer enquiry information to name just a few.....this is what is known as “Big Data”.

Data isn't new, however brands and organisations are now focusing on integrating all of their “Big Data” into a central location/database (in real-time) which in turn provides visibility of all the interactions they have with a single customer; this is known as a “single customer view”.

This farming of data provides brands and organisations with an opportunity to find valuable insights such as new and emerging trends and selling opportunities. Businesses also benefit from additional insight that can be used to deliver products and services in an agile and streamlined way.....we predict 2013 will see brands and organisations ramp up their mining of this data as well as manipulating it in far more complex ways with the goal of discovering additional value.

4. Traditional content will come to life with Augmented Reality

As the scope of multi-channel marketing continues to grow we've been reviewing current technologies that will help to continue this growth for our clients.

Technologies such as Augmented Reality have been slow to take off, however it has allowed traditional print marketing to come alive through its ability to combine rich media content such as video and animation in conjunction with print materials such as brochures and outdoor advertising.

Augmented Reality has been trialled and adopted by many brands such as BMW, IKEA and Guinness as it delivers exciting product engagement and interaction.....it's our prediction that this technology will be widely used in 2013.

5. Personalised organic and paid search

2012 has been one of the most exciting years in search. With more companies realising the importance of search, many markets have become increasingly competitive. This year Google has released update after update, namely Penguin, Panda and Exact Match domain which have been some of the most notable; all designed to clamp down on low quality SEO tactics, improve the relevancy of results and add a social/personal touch.

So what does 2013 have in store? No one can be sure what the search giant’s next move will be but there are a few predictions we can make:

• Google will continue to crack down on sites scraping or using low quality content • Good quality content will still be king • Searches will become more and more tailored to the individual • Social, in particular Google+, will be a key influencer in search • Increased mobile usage will have a greater impact on search • Real-time and social data will increasingly steer and personalise online advertising.

The forecast for search is more mobile usage, increased personalisation and quality will continue to reign.

So there you have it, our predictions for 2013, no one can be sure what the year holds but we are sure it will be another exciting year. Motionlab are an award-winning full service digital agency vastly experienced in the glass and glazing sector, currently providing design, technical and marketing solutions for Conservatory Outlet, the GGF, Mighton Products, Saint-Gobain Glass and the forthcoming FIT Show.