In the PR world, time moves at a blazing pace. With 2018 right around the corner, let’s take a moment to reflect on a few technology trends that are sure to influence 2018’s marketing strategies. Don’t blink – the future is now!

 IoT

If you’re wondering what, “IoT” is, chances are you already know – you just don’t think about it because it’s invisible. Let me explain…

IoT stands for the “Internet of Things.” With every passing minute, our lives intertwine with the internet more than ever before.  IoT, in simple terms, is things connected to the internet and the ability for each of these things to communicate with one another through Wi-Fi. And if you’re wearing a smartwatch, then yes – you’re one of the things.

With new technology comes new opportunities to understand audiences, create innovative experiences, and automate tailored messages between the “things” we’re marketing and our target audiences.

For a hypothetic example, by equipping something as simple as a restaurant’s menu with Bluetooth, that menu can now communicate with a guest’s mobile device and invite the user to post to Instagram, and be rewarded with a free beverage just for opening the menu.

The possibilities are endless. With technology’s price tag shrinking, you can expect brands to begin integrating the internet into unexpected everyday products, and connecting with customers like never before.

Live Streaming

Streaming applications such as Periscope and Facebook Live have provided anyone with a smartphone the ability to not only broadcast live, but to also interact with their audiences and generate analytics – it’s amazing.

As a marketing tool, streaming live media can be useful in a number of ways: interviews, Q&As, PSAs, press conferences, product launches, video-logs…and the list goes on and on! You can even integrate live advertisements into your live stream, whether it’s a campaign logo backdrop or branded coffee mugs for your guests.

Snapchat

Social media is not going anywhere – instead, it’s going everywhere! And now, with its popularity and it boasting more users than Twitter, let’s chat about Snapchat.

Snapchat enables brands to reach audiences in a new way. If you want to reach Millennials, Snapchat should definitely be a part of your social media strategy. (And probably your advertising campaign as well).

Snapchat Geofilters are one of the simplest, yet most effective tools. They aren’t free of cost, but they can be relatively inexpensive and they allow you to create your own branded Snapchat filters. This is a fun and creative way to connect with audiences at specific locations (between 20,000 and 50,000,000 square feet) and specific times, advertise to certain demographics, and earn impressions via the content shared by others. How cool is that?

One of the biggest benefits of social media advertising, is that it provides great analytics quickly, and Snapchat is no different. Once your Geofilter campaign has expired, you’ll be able to evaluate metrics such as paid and earned impressions, shares, and reach. This will be useful data for the next social media strategy meeting, and a great way to showcase the value of the campaign and ROI to your clients.

I could go on and on with a list of creative technology and marketing tools, but the future is now. I have to take off these VR goggles and go meet the Amazon Prime Air Drone in the driveway…it has my dinner.