Since 1967 the CEA (Consumers Electronics Association) has been putting on the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) during the second week of January. The CES is held for companies in the tech industry to show off their latest work for their peers and the public to see. If you’re a tech lover like me, you’re usually glued to your computer screen looking at things you probably can’t afford now – unless you’re an eccentric billionaire. If you are an eccentric billionaire, shoot me an email and we can be best friends.
In all seriousness, CES is the place to be to see brand spanking new gadgets before they come out. Now you may be wondering, “Why is a digital marketing firm writing about CES?” Part of the reason is that I really love CES. The other reason is that, as technology is increasingly getting better, we as digital marketers need to be ready for constant change in the digital and tech world. So, let’s talk about some of the trends at this year’s CES and ways they will affect digital marketing in the future.
One of the big themes this year was wearable technology. Everybody that is a somebody in the tech world seems to be developing some kind of wearable tech device – whether it’s a smart watch, a fitness monitor, or even a glasses contraption such as Google Glass. This gives users the ability to have access to information at any time, and it is no longer constrained to the palm of their hands. They can get information literally right in front of their eyes, on their wrists, and now that Google bought the home monitoring system Nest, you might be able to ask your house suggestions about where you should go to dinner for the night.
Here’s an example of how this could be beneficial to a digital marketer. So you and your significant other want to go out on a date night, or maybe it’s your anniversary and you just so happen to have forgotten about it. If it’s on your calendar, you’ll get a reminder for it, whether it’s on your smart watch or while in you’re in the bathroom getting your day started. Along with this reminder, you’ll get suggestions on where to go based on your location and history. Digital marketers are going to want their restaurant or their client’s restaurant to be in that first suggestion “grouping.” Then you’re focusing your attention on ranking for new and unique keywords, such as “date night” or “place for couples,” as well as hyper-local geography, so that you’ll be the perfect place for this couple to choose to celebrate their anniversary.
Another big trend at CES was smart televisions. Smart TVs have been around for a few years, but now the cost has become much more accessible for regular consumers. Marketers now have to take into account the “fourth screen,” which is crazy because the fourth screen is the TV … which has been around as an advertising medium for decades. Social networking apps are now becoming native on newer TVs, which could give us as digital marketers the ability to directly connect with a potential customer. For example, you’re at home watching the Super Bowl this year and a commercial for a new product you’ve never heard of comes on. Now, you’ll be able to directly interact with that commercial and search for the company’s Twitter page. From there you can access their website on the TV, all while still watching the game. No more picking up a tablet or going to a computer to research a company when you can do it all from your television.
In 2014, even the digital times are changing. No longer are we stuck in the age of “traditional” online marketing. In order to keep up with our future customers and client needs, we need to keep up with what is going on in the tech world. Did I miss any news from CES? Let me know in the comments!