Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Flipboard 1 1. E-PAYMENTS & SOCIAL MEDIA CREATE NEW CLASS OF GLOBAL-VILLAGE ENTREPRENUERS With PayPal, ApplePay and mobile marketing, combined with the democratization of content, new products will overcome local retail challenges and go global overnight. 2. SOCIAL MEDIA BRAND MELTDOWNS WILL INCREASE As digital brands strive to provide an authentic experience by engaging with customers and prospects on social media, more big brands will suffer from viral criticisms and meltdowns on Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest. The customers’ instant access to social media channels combined with a company’s misunderstood humor could be detrimental for their brand reputation. 3. THE MOUSE WILL GET THE FINGER Digital brands will be designed for scrolling rather than bulky clicking to achieve a smoother and more direct user engagement. The mouse will still be around, but your fingers will do more of the walking. 4. MOBILE FIRST, MOBILE LAST Content, design, thought leadership, PR and social media will conform to the “medium is the message” as BYOD mobile will become the primary screen where consumers view your information. 5. CITIZEN JOURNALISM IS THE NEW JOURNALISM. Traditional news media that was considered trusted will give way to social media’s citizen reporting. Unfiltered content will go viral quicker and earn trust faster than any accredited news organization can deliver. 6. BEHAVIORAL & PREDICTIVE DATA ANALYTICS ARE THE NEW PSYCHOLOGIST’S COUCH Marketers will rely on predictive and prescriptive data analytics to make major advertising decisions like never before. The psychologist’s couch is being replaced with big data analytics that demonstrate insights on user behavior data dissected to the micro-level. 7. Less IS More Content marketing will be re-engineered to align responsive web and mobile designs that demand larger imagery and minimalistic text for enhanced user experience. 8. CONTENT AUTHENTICITY WILL BECOME CRITICAL As content marketers automate their content, the role and importance of authentic content creation will increase. People are less likely to believe hyped marketing schemes and more likely to accept genuine imperfect consumer reviews as a compass for purchasing decisions. 9. PRIVACY IS GONE – AND SO IS THE EXPECTATION The notion that consumers have privacy when online will be reduced to a minimum as more cyber security attacks and big data analytics will render any web site visit a “deep probe into the mind of the buyer.” The expectation of anonymity will be replaced with the expectation of “protected security patronized by the seller.” 10. YOU ARE WHO GOOGLE SAYS YOU ARE Corporate buyers and consumers alike will increasingly trust what they see on Page 1 of Google. Today, the most important first impressions happen online. Companies will have to monitor postings on social media platforms diligently. Borenstein Group’s Infographic On Top 10 Trends in Digital Marketing & Branding to Watch in 2015. Twitter Tweet Facebook Share Email This article was written for Business 2 Community by Gal Borenstein.Learn how to publish your content on B2C Author: Gal Borenstein Follow @galborenstein Mr. Gal Borenstein is a recognized expert and strategist in digital branding, marketing, social media, advertising, online reputation management and public relations matters. He is the founder and CEO of the Borenstein Group, a top digital marketing communications firm in the Washington DC metropolitan area that serves clients locally and… View full profile ›More by this author:Top 10 Digital Branding & Marketing Trends for 2017 [Infographic]Top 10 Digital Branding & Marketing Trends For 2016 [Infographic]4 Key Strategies for Smarter Social Media Posting by CEOs [Infographic]