New year, same websites, right? Think again.
2019 is finally here! As we prepare to roll out our marketing and sales strategies for the new year, it’s important to reflect on the major changes that 2018 brought into the digital landscape. These changes most likely had an impact on your business and if you're not careful, could be detrimental to your business moving forward.
Here are the three main areas of digital marketing you should focus on for 2019!
1. PRIVACY
As usual, this year had its fair share of online hoaxes. User’s started becoming even more skeptical of what sites were using their data, and what they were using their data for. This led to the European Union’s GDPR or general data protection regulation, which, while only active for those who actually live in Europe, has changed the way users everywhere have been viewing privacy policies, cookies, and their personal information in general.
2. TRANSPARENCY
That being said, users are more likely to engage with companies who are straightforward and explain with how they are using cookies, data, and other identifying information collected on their websites. Long gone are the days where users mindlessly accept privacy policies, and create accounts on no-name websites without a second thought. If a prospect is to engage with your organization, it is imperative that your organization establish trust with clear indicators that you are taking measures to protect their data.
3. SECURITY
What are some of these key indicators? An essential one is ensuring that your website has an SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate. Now any site without one will soon have a glaring red spot where you'd normally see a security “lock”. Google's Chrome browser is leading this initiative, and this change could be the deciding factor between a prospect choosing your organization or a competitor.
Another recommendation is to make sure that your privacy policy is straightforward and easy to understand. While privacy policies can be full of legal jargon, it’s important to be as clear as possible so that users don’t feel you are trying to trick them. Some sites have a simplified explanation of their policy outside of the official document to break it down in laymen's terms, and improve user experience.
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While these changes may take time and effort to implement, they are lasting investments in your company. You are not only setting yourself up for success in 2019, you are equipping yourself for whatever new, unexpected developments occur in the digital landscape this year.
