We are living in a digital world.
These days, everything from ordering movie tickets, to grocery shopping and even turning on and off your house lights can be done digitally from your cell phone – sometimes with just a thumbprint.
With this easy influx of information and new and innovative ways to make purchases, digital advertisers are trying new tactics to stay ahead of the curve.
Here are three digital advertising trends to expect in 2018 – and their impact on your infrastructure.
1. Mobile Advertising
It seems everything is done on cell phones these days.
In the United States, mobile devices have officially displaced desktops as the device with the highest internet usage. Not only do mobile devices take a greater share of the internet, but each year users also consistently increase their total mobile usage.
Gone are the days of simply launching mobile responsive ads or landing pages. To address this usage shift, expect advertisers to do more with apps and mobile-specific websites. This means companies will need to develop and run dedicated sites or applications for each platform. As you can imagine, this could quickly add demands to your servers and IT infrastructure.
[Tweet “Gone are the days of simply launching mobile responsive ads or landing pages.”]
It’s important to note that while many of the site visits will come from mobile, actual purchases are usually made on desktops – especially in the finance and banking industries. In these cases, advertisers will need to orient mobile ads towards research and prospecting, while keeping desktop ads conversion oriented.
2. Big Data Advertising
As advertisers focus on genuine customer engagement in 2018, except for big data to play a larger role.
For generations, advertisers focused on a handful of metrics such as the number of returns from an email campaign or the number of subscribers to a newsletter. Those metrics pale in comparison to the data available today.
For instance, the modern advertiser can have their customer’s clicking behavior, time spent on sites or social media preferences available in seconds. This information can help marketers know exactly when, where and on what platforms to engage customers.
3. Machine Learning
Machine learning will take the big data trend one step further. Detailed metrics will allow computer programs and algorithms to make more accurate forecasting and predictions in real time.
A good example is ad retargeting. With the use of machine learning, advertisers and marketers can retarget a customer’s purchasing preferences faster and with far greater accuracy and responsiveness.
Expect machine learning to become a staple of digital ad campaigns in 2018. Advertisers are already utilizing this technology to create unique messages and experiences specific to a user’s anticipated needs. With additional habits and analytics at our fingertips, this trend will really begin to customize the online sales process.
Investments in Improved Information Infrastructure
As advertising moves digital, increased stress will be placed on servers and IT systems. More eyes on pages means more traffic on servers. This can be a problem for advertisers who haven’t kept their infrastructure up to date.
Companies who are just getting their feet wet in the world of digital advertising often find their infrastructure is not prepared for the new traffic these ads will bring. The unfortunate result is unresponsive ads, slow loading landing pages – which causes users to leave – and a poor return on investment.
Expect digital advertisers to react with improved infrastructure and greater investment in IT. At INAP, we have the expertise and experience to keep your digital advertising running at optimal levels, even during peak periods of activity. Our data centers are located near major advertising markets, and we ensure that all our services meet the rigorous demands of your digital advertising environment.
Contact us today to learn how our high-performance, low-latency digital advertising solutions will help you meet and exceed your business goals.
