3 Marketing Stats You Need to Know for 2018

The new year is here, which means it’s already time to get started on executing your 2018 marketing strategy. The best place to start is with a review of last year’s marketing efforts. What worked? What didn’t? Did you hit your goals? Were there any roadblocks that got in your way? And most importantly, what can you do differently to make 2018 your best marketing year yet?

As you review your strategy from the past 12 months and start looking to the year ahead, keep these three digital marketing stats in mind. They offer some great insight into today’s consumers and can point you in the right direction when developing your 2018 digital marketing strategy.

75% of people who search for something nearby visit a store within 24 hours

Local search engine optimization has never been more important. Not only do 3/4 of local-intent searches lead to in an in-store visit, but roughly 30 percent of those visits result in a purchase. It’s not hard to see the potential here. So, take a few minutes to double check that all of your business’s information — name, address, phone number, etc. — are up to date in all of the major registries. If you find any discrepancies, don’t wait to get them fixed! This should be priority number one.

84% of millennials say they don’t trust traditional advertising

If millennials and Generation Z are in your target market, you can say goodbye to traditional forms of advertising. These consumers don’t like the pushy, insincere nature of ads and will go out of their way to skip, block and avoid them altogether. Trust me, they’re going to see right through your salesy Facebook post and skip right along. Instead, focus on creating content that is personalized, relevant and engaging by telling them a story. Storytelling is a powerful way to create an emotional connection with consumers and keep them coming back for more.

97% of consumers read online reviews before acting!

Back in 2014, 88% of consumers read online reviews. That was already a big chunk of the market, but now a whopping 97% read online reviews before visiting a local business. If that doesn’t impress upon you the importance of having online reviews, nothing will. The new year presents a great opportunity to get serious when it comes to generating reviews for your business. Your action step: develop an actual strategy for asking for and gathering new customer reviews. A strategy will go a long way toward keeping you accountable for making reviews a priority.

If you find yourself in need of a marketing strategy overhaul, we can help! At Higgins Marketing Group, we know what it takes to get ahead of the competition and put your business on the map. Our team will work with you to create a marketing game plan that is customized for your business — no cookie-cutter marketing plans here! Contact us today to set up a consultation and get started on your 2018 digital marketing strategy.