News & Insights

Marketing Predictions for the Future

It's 2013 and the world didn’t blow up! Here are some real predictions for the future. We made it past 12/21/12. It's a new year and we're back at it, pushing pixels around, generating massive amounts of code and overheating our brains with new strategies. Even though the world didn't blow up, digital marketing is on fire! Here are some marketing predictions and things to watch for in 2013.
  1. Responsive Design. As site traffic from mobile devices continues to skyrocket, there will be a mad dash to update websites in order to provide a good user experience for tablet and smart phone users. The “responsive” and/or “adaptive” design approach will explode. Even Google endorses the responsive design approach.
  2. Mobile. Mobile. Mobile. Mobile access to the web will continue to skyrocket. Duh! Yes, it's obvious, but if I didn't state this, someone would ask, “Why didn’t you predict growing mobile usage?”
  3. More App Experiences Online. The power of javascript is really coming on strong. Watch for more sites this year to incorporate an app-like experience with limited to no page refreshes, smooth animations (without Flash) and highly functional tools.
  4. RIP Flash. Oh wait, Flash is already dead. Is your developer or agency still pushing Flash? If so, fire them. I got my past mixed up with the future. Sorry. Let me bang on this crystal ball.
  5. Social Consolidation. There are too may tools, platforms, social sites, social, this, that and everything. People will start to experience social burnout and gravitate to a half a dozen or so favorites. No solid data to back this up, just my personal preference. Instagram is cool, but I don’t need a new Facebook/Instagram/Pinterest/LinkedIn hybrid. Good luck MySpace. I really like your new design but...
  6. Inbound Marketing Blossoms. This is another high growth area of digital marketing. It works, plain and simple, so watch for more companies to adopt this approach.
  7. More Online Video. The data keeps pouring in on how effective online video is in motivating users to take action. The industry is maturing with a number of distribution options and audiences are wanting more video.
  8. Integrated Marketing Heats Up. We've been preaching this for a long time and it’s finally catching on. If you didn't attend our Integrated Marketing Forum back in November, be sure to attend this year or risk becoming irrelevant.
  9. Growth of Digital Agencies. With digital marketing growing in such high demand, more digital agencies will appear on the scene. I'm glad we've been in business for 17 years rocking the digital landscape. I'd say we have a nice head start. But remember, it's really about integration (see #8). These new digital-only agencies will already be behind the times.
  10. The Internet Will Blow Up 12/21/21. Since the physical world didn't blow up, we have to have some sort of new doomsday prophecy in our pop culture. Maybe we should move the date to 12/21/21. That way we have almost nine years to hype it up.
There you go. 2013 is going to be fast and furious. Strap in and let's get ready for the ride. Of course, best of luck and from all of us at Rhythm, we wish you prosperity and good fortune for the year ahead.