It’s been almost a decade since the last generation of mobile network technology—4G—was introduced. With its introduction, the landscape of digital media and mobile communication was forever changed. 4G technology brought us faster-than-ever download speeds, revolutionary video chat platforms, and a whole lot of cell phone apps. Now, with the development of 5G, it’s time to take those advancements another step forward.
What is 5G?
The fifth generation of mobile network technology is a concept that was announced back in 2017 by major wireless carriers Verizon and AT&T. With the announcement came the promise of higher data rates, significantly reduced latency, and many more features that to revolutionize the way we use mobile technology. In this new era of technology, the way to market to these consumers will also need some updating. Traktek—a digital travel marketing agency—has the marketing tips and advice that you’ll need to get ahead of the game.
Faster Network Speeds
When first announced, 5G was said to boast speeds approximately 1000x that of its predecessor. Whether or not this statistic is 100% accurate, we can expect rates that near 10 Gigabytes per second. Or in other simple terms; unthinkably fast.
So how will this impact your marketing strategy? First and foremost, it will change the search engine marketing game. Faster loading speeds will lead to reduced bounce rates, higher click-through rates and more on-site activity. With these new standards, we can expect Google to modify their ranking algorithm. Be prepared to optimize your website for increased traffic and user activity.
More Video Consumption
5G technology will give creators the ability to produce higher quality videos with virtually no buffering across a slew of new platforms including VR and AR devices. Online videos are already a commonly used marketing tool, but these advancements will mean an increase in mobile video consumption. Advertising costs are going to increase, as will the quality of competition. And since loading speeds will no longer be a cause for concern, marketers will have to focus their efforts on improving their production techniques to produce unique and valuable content.
‘Video’ Doesn’t Just Mean YouTube
In terms of social media, YouTube has consistently been the top platform for video consumption. In 2018, YouTube claims that we watch more than 1 BILLION hours’ worth of content each day, which is far more than the next leading platforms combined (Brandwatch 2019). As a response, competing networks such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat have all rolled out growing video platforms in efforts to bring a portion of their viewership to their platform. As the span of video-streaming networks begins to expand, marketers need to diversify and tailor their efforts toward each specific platform. Mobile spending is rightfully expected to grow immensely over the coming years, and a massive portion of that budget will be focused on video production.
More Easily Target Your Audience
With more and more new gadgets coming out, the average user can rarely be found without at least one device on hand. From phones to tablets to smart watches, consumers have a range of devices that provide valuable customer data for marketers. As technology continues to progress, browsing and tracking data available follow suit. With more detailed information, marketers can more easily tailor their ads by demographic, consumer behavior, and specific device usage.
The Big Winner - Direct Sales
5G will change the layout of the digital marketing world. Connected devices will provide mountains of consumer data; optimized video streaming will bring forth more viewers, and the fiercely innovative nature of 5G will enable an increasingly fast, interactive, and enjoyable experience for users. From these elements comes the opportunity to sell directly to the customers. Retargeting between devices becomes much easier, and direct linking will bring your customer straight to the point-of-purchase.
While the launch of 5G has begun in several cities across the United States, the full capacity of the technology could take as long as a decade to launch. The possibilities with this exciting new network are seemingly limitless and could change the digital marketing landscape in more ways than we can imagine.
As more information regarding the generational technology is released, we will continue relaying our marketing tips and knowledge to you. At Traktek Partners—a full service, digital travel marketing agency—we look to provide our customers with meaningful insight and valuable marketing tips to help your business succeed. To learn more about our digital travel marketing agency, visit https://www.traktekpartners.com/travel.
