4 Marketing Trends Going Out of Favor in 2017

We already discussed the online marketing trends that will be big this year. But as some things come into popularity, others go out of favor. Such is the way of the world. Here are 4 trends that are (thankfully) going away this year, and why.

1. Stock images

A few years ago, it seemed like stock images were the default for business websites. This was understandable, because stock imagery is a cost-effective way to get some colorful photos on your website without trying to think too hard. However, the 2017 consumer expects more from the brands he or she wants to do business with. Authenticity is the number one virtue, and to pass the test, businesses need to think harder about the brand they’re putting forward. Using genuine images and graphics in “featured” locations is a big part of that.

2. Fake reviews and testimonials

If you use any of the popular review sites (Amazon, Yelp), you may have noticed that in the past year or so, genuine users have become increasingly critical of reviews that appear fake, either because they’re too biased or because the reviewer only has that one review (a clear giveaway). We’ve never condoned paying for fake reviews, but it should now be increasingly obvious to any company that has considered them that these reviews can do much more harm than good in the long run.

3. Pop Up Ads

Also known by the fancy name “interstitials”, pop up ads were popular for a while because their in-your-face nature was hard for visitors to ignore. But with mobile taking an ever-increasing share of web traffic, users are understandably looking for a more streamlined experience (have you tried to close an oversized pop up on a mobile screen? It’s impossible!). In late 2016, even Google chimed in on the issue, announcing that it will penalize websites that feature pop up ads when ranking them in its mobile search results. In short, pop-up ads specifically for mobile are a bad idea.

4. Taking your audience for granted

With increasing demands on their attention, customers are becoming more discriminating about what they pay attention to. According to the latest numbers, every single minute: Facebook users “like” 4,166,667 posts. Snapchat users watch 6,944,444 videos. Instagram users “like” 2,430,555 photos. Twitter users send 347,222 tweets. 300 hours of video are uploaded to Youtube. So, having a blog or a Facebook page for your business simply isn’t enough anymore. It needs to be an interesting blog, and a Facebook page that stands apart in users’ feeds, to have a chance of actually making a difference to your company’s bottom line. Have an opinion on one of these anti-trends? Better yet, trying to ditch some of them yourself? We want to hear about it! Shoot us an email, or get in touch with us on Facebook or Twitter! [templatera id=”10395″]