Rachel Racoosin | January 15th, 2016
Five Digital Trends in 2016

As we say goodbye to the year of the Beliebers, we take a look at five of the latest digital trends that are gearing up to take over digital marketing in 2016:
#1 TOTAL MOBILE DOMINATION
IN: Mobile optimized websites with a focus on user experience
As mobile traffic continues to surpass desktop traffic, it is more vital than ever that user experience be enhanced for mobile and tablet devices. With less real estate than a desktop, marketers must step up to the challenge and focus on a user experience with a more simplified design. Mobile-friendly websites should have easy-to-read content, calls to action, and a navigation menu that allows users to browse easily.
OUT: Complex websites with no mobile optimization
Last April Google rolled out a major algorithm update the industry dubbed “Mobilegeddonâ€. The Google update incorporates a mobile-friendliness factor into the search engine™’s ranking algorithm. This means if your website has not been optimized for mobile, you are now phased out of search results.
#2 IN-SERP VIDEO ADVERTISING
IN: Video Ads directly embedded into Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs)
Google is finally joining Facebook and Twitter in the video advertising game and we should expect video ads to be embedded directly into search engine results pages (SERPs) soon. So, what does this mean? Google recognizes that users are becoming more accepting of video advertising. What does this mean for marketers? We should be considering video when discussing advertising opportunities on the Google Ad Network with our clients.
OUT: Relying solely on text-based ads
If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a video is worth a million and one. Video has the ability to cut through the clutter of a search engine page and engage users through rich media.
#3 Rise of Ephemeral Marketing
IN: Quick and fleeting digital advertising delivered in real-time
With over 100 million monthly users, Snapchat has become a standard for brands to use as a promotional platform. From the White House State of the Union to the Golden Globes Red Carpet, users view real-time updates of events, places, and issues that are important to them, gaining access to an authentic behind the scenes look. BuzzFeed also provides marketers with short, consumable advertising space through creative formats such as quizzes and lists.
OUT: Any advertising experience that takes too much time to consume
Consumers want to connect with brands without having to give up too much of their time. Snapchat serves content that lasts for one to ten seconds before disappearing, allowing brands to increase awareness and generate excitement around a new product or service without losing audience attention.
#4 QUALITY CONTENT IS KING
IN: Delivering high value information
Google™’s algorithm updates have shown a shift in focus from keyword optimization to quality content. Instead of just scanning for keywords, search engines are now looking at how valuable the information on a webpage is and how long users are staying on the page to determine where the webpage should be displayed in search rankings. High quality content is key to building trust with your current and potential audience across all industries.
OUT: Limiting content to text
Content should not be limited to text, in fact, users are more likely to spend more time on pages featuring a combination of text, pictures, video, and infographics.
#5 YEAR OF VRÂ
IN: 360-degree storytelling
Set to debut in early 2016 are three very anticipated Virtual Reality headsets – the Oculus Rift, Sony’s PlayStation 4 headset, and HTC Vive. As marketers, we will have to reapproach the types of content we produce and the technology consumers will use to experience it with fresh eyes. This story telling medium will provide us the capability to immerse consumers like never before.
OUT: Augmented Reality
Trends like Google Glass, which project information over real life, will begin to converge with virtual reality creating a full immersion experience.
What digital marketing trends do you foresee in 2016? We want to hear from you – tweet us at @LEVICK!
Rachel Racoosin is a Digital Strategist at LEVICK. She provides SEO, SEM, and social media expertise to a variety of clients.
Rachel Racoosin | January 15th, 2016
Five Digital Trends in 2016

As we say goodbye to the year of the Beliebers, we take a look at five of the latest digital trends that are gearing up to take over digital marketing in 2016:
#1 TOTAL MOBILE DOMINATION
IN: Mobile optimized websites with a focus on user experience
As mobile traffic continues to surpass desktop traffic, it is more vital than ever that user experience be enhanced for mobile and tablet devices. With less real estate than a desktop, marketers must step up to the challenge and focus on a user experience with a more simplified design. Mobile-friendly websites should have easy-to-read content, calls to action, and a navigation menu that allows users to browse easily.
OUT: Complex websites with no mobile optimization
Last April Google rolled out a major algorithm update the industry dubbed “Mobilegeddonâ€. The Google update incorporates a mobile-friendliness factor into the search engine™’s ranking algorithm. This means if your website has not been optimized for mobile, you are now phased out of search results.
#2 IN-SERP VIDEO ADVERTISING
IN: Video Ads directly embedded into Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs)
Google is finally joining Facebook and Twitter in the video advertising game and we should expect video ads to be embedded directly into search engine results pages (SERPs) soon. So, what does this mean? Google recognizes that users are becoming more accepting of video advertising. What does this mean for marketers? We should be considering video when discussing advertising opportunities on the Google Ad Network with our clients.
OUT: Relying solely on text-based ads
If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a video is worth a million and one. Video has the ability to cut through the clutter of a search engine page and engage users through rich media.
#3 Rise of Ephemeral Marketing
IN: Quick and fleeting digital advertising delivered in real-time
With over 100 million monthly users, Snapchat has become a standard for brands to use as a promotional platform. From the White House State of the Union to the Golden Globes Red Carpet, users view real-time updates of events, places, and issues that are important to them, gaining access to an authentic behind the scenes look. BuzzFeed also provides marketers with short, consumable advertising space through creative formats such as quizzes and lists.
OUT: Any advertising experience that takes too much time to consume
Consumers want to connect with brands without having to give up too much of their time. Snapchat serves content that lasts for one to ten seconds before disappearing, allowing brands to increase awareness and generate excitement around a new product or service without losing audience attention.
#4 QUALITY CONTENT IS KING
IN: Delivering high value information
Google™’s algorithm updates have shown a shift in focus from keyword optimization to quality content. Instead of just scanning for keywords, search engines are now looking at how valuable the information on a webpage is and how long users are staying on the page to determine where the webpage should be displayed in search rankings. High quality content is key to building trust with your current and potential audience across all industries.
OUT: Limiting content to text
Content should not be limited to text, in fact, users are more likely to spend more time on pages featuring a combination of text, pictures, video, and infographics.
#5 YEAR OF VRÂ
IN: 360-degree storytelling
Set to debut in early 2016 are three very anticipated Virtual Reality headsets – the Oculus Rift, Sony’s PlayStation 4 headset, and HTC Vive. As marketers, we will have to reapproach the types of content we produce and the technology consumers will use to experience it with fresh eyes. This story telling medium will provide us the capability to immerse consumers like never before.
OUT: Augmented Reality
Trends like Google Glass, which project information over real life, will begin to converge with virtual reality creating a full immersion experience.
What digital marketing trends do you foresee in 2016? We want to hear from you – tweet us at @LEVICK!
Rachel Racoosin is a Digital Strategist at LEVICK. She provides SEO, SEM, and social media expertise to a variety of clients.
- Brand
- Meet Nancy Pelosi
- Delta Airlines and the Georgia Voting Controversy
- Richard Levick on Volkswagen’s April Fool’s
- The Final Episode of M*A*S*H
- Should Companies Consider Appointing Chief Paranoia Officers to Combat Disinformation?
- Can Capitalism Really Be “For Humanity?”
- The Fifth Estate: A Business Guide for Surviving “The Troubles”
- Here We Come
- Corporate Revolt Over Campaign Donations Shakes Political World
- What Happens Next?
- CSR & Sustainability
- Public Perception & the Biden Transition
- Communications
- Corporate Leadership in an Age of Unrest
- Ten Rules For Corporations And Social Issues
- Delta Airlines and the Georgia Voting Controversy
- Developing a Crisis Management Program
- “I Never Felt as Unsafe as I Did That Day”
- How America Scores Changes Youths Through Soccer and Poetry
- Everyone Gets Disrupted
- The Politics Industry
- Look
- The Final Episode of M*A*S*H
- The Regulatory Hall of Fame
- Should Companies Consider Appointing Chief Paranoia Officers to Combat Disinformation?
- Company News
- The Final Episode of M*A*S*H
- Reflections on a Turbulent Year: 2020
- Here We Come
- Recent Awards & Recognition
- Won’t You Be My Neighbor?
- What’s a Director to Do?
- LEVICK Announces Partnership with BCG
- A New Look
- Albert Krieger, 1923-2020
- LEVICK Announces Partnership with Jipyong
- Speaking to In-House Counsel
- Childhood Lessons
- Crisis
- Corporate Leadership in an Age of Unrest
- Ten Rules For Corporations And Social Issues
- Meet Nancy Pelosi
- It’s War: The New Dilemma for Corporations and Social Issues
- Matt Gaetz’s Strategic Struggle Makes Him a Target
- Delta Airlines and the Georgia Voting Controversy
- A Call for Elected Officials to Protect Voting Access
- Richard Levick on Volkswagen’s April Fool’s
- Developing a Crisis Management Program
- Standing In Awe
- “I Never Felt as Unsafe as I Did That Day”
- Richard Levick on Top 2020 Crises
- Finance
- The World of Financial Crimes with Tom Ajamie
- Can Capitalism Really Be “For Humanity?”
- GameStop: The Buck Starts Here
- Here We Come
- The Threat to Free Markets
- Advisory & Insurance Services
- WATCH: Revolutionizing Litigation Finance
- Litigation Finance: Revolutionizing Litigation
- Consumer-Focused Solutions for Financial Health
- Event: Consumer-Focused Solutions for Financial Health
- Sports: Power and Money in a New Age of Social Justice
- The Balancing Act: The Role of Whistleblowers in American Commerce and Government
- Guest Column
- Guest Blog: The Mainstream Media Gets an A for Intellectual Arrogance, an F for Journalism
- Buckle up Directors: Cybersecurity Risk and Bankruptcy Risk Are Not Mutually Exclusive
- Buckle up Directors: Cybersecurity Risk and Bankruptcy Risk Are Not Mutually Exclusive
- South Africa: The Slow Decline of the ANC
- Why CSR Fails and How to Fix It
- What to Expect Following the European Elections?
- Buhari Inaugurated. What Now for Nigeria?
- Marketing- It’s Up To You…
- Crisis Management lessons from the air-crash investigation model
- The Future of War
- Health
- Reflections on a Turbulent Year: 2020
- Food Issues & the Biden Administration
- Covid-19: The Pandemic that Never Should Have Happened
- Pharma’s Post-Pandemic Policy Outlook
- Keeping Hope Alive
- Real Herd Immunity
- The Fiction of College Sports Amateurism
- Mac Summit: Crisis Communications in a Post-Covid, Post-Election World
- Travel Industry Communications in the Age of Covid-19
- Track of Time
- Is C-19 Taking Women Lawyers’ Careers Back to the 1950s?
- Post-Pandemic PR Strategy
- In Memoriam
- Snider’s Super Foods: Locally World Famous
- Speak Truth With Love, Not Anger
- In Memoriam: Stephen Susman
- Letter to the Movement
- John Lewis’ Life Bridged the Best of America
- Albert Krieger, 1923-2020
- In Memoriam of Marcia Horowitz
- Jim Lehrer Passes Away
- Martin Luther King, Jr.
- Harold Burson Passes Away
- Interviews
- CommPRO: Ruth Bader Ginsberg’s Life & Legacy
- Richard Levick on “My Wakeup Call”
- Primerus Webinar: Into the Wind
- The Future of Baseball Post-Pandemic
- Webinar: The End of Brand Neutrality
- Thought Leadership & Organic Growth
- Man & Superman
- LEVICK Announces New Webinar Series with Turbine Labs
- Navigating Coronavirus Challenges in the Insurance Industry
- VIDEO: How to Anticipate & Avoid a Crisis
- What’s Next? with Julie Chase
- What’s Next?: California Electoral Behavior
- Law Firms
- Digital Upskilling in Legal: More Than Just New Technology
- An Insider’s View of the Legal World
- Fighting for the Rule of Law with Marshall Harris
- Why Should I Apologize? Lawyers vs. Communicators
- You Took a PPP Loan. Now Get Ready to Talk About It.
- Beyond Black Swan: Positioning the law firm for the new normal
- A Salute to Personal Courage and the Rule of Law
- Cyber Risk Institute Expands Its Profile
- When a client becomes a law firm’s PR nightmare
- The General Counsel’s Dilemma
- A First Look at the Google Antitrust Suit
- The Latest Top Class Actions
- Litigation
- An Insider’s View of the Legal World
- Buyers’ Guide to In-House Tech
- Fighting for the Rule of Law with Marshall Harris
- Why Should I Apologize? Lawyers vs. Communicators
- A Conversation with Abbe Lowell
- Leveraging Legal Expertise in Communications
- You Took a PPP Loan. Now Get Ready to Talk About It.
- Beyond Black Swan: Positioning the law firm for the new normal
- A Salute to Personal Courage and the Rule of Law
- Cyber Risk Institute Expands Its Profile
- When a client becomes a law firm’s PR nightmare
- The General Counsel’s Dilemma
- Our Work
- Bridging the “Preclinical Gap” in Childhood Cancer Research
- Recent Awards & Recognition
- The Cyber Bad Guys Are Getting Worse
- Crisis Communications & The Age of Cancel Culture
- Standing on the Shoulders of Giants
- Video: Conversations with American Legends
- Staying Ahead of the Crisis
- A New Era of Insurance Marketing
- Infographic: Judgment Free Zone
- Infographic: Barriers to Entry
- Infographic: History Meter
- Assistance for Law Firms Engaged in Pro Bono
- Public Affairs
- You’re the Media and You’re Going to Die
- The Politics Industry
- The Politics Industry with Katherine Gehl
- Real Washington with Former White House Press Secretary Joe Lockhart
- From Shareholders to Stakeholders with Don Springer
- The Regulatory Hall of Fame
- Richard Levick on U.S.-China Relations
- The Price of Courage
- Can Capitalism Really Be “For Humanity?”
- GameStop: The Buck Starts Here
- Impeach, Indict, Heal? A Discussion of Post-Trump Washington
- “Crooked Dominion Machines,” Impeachments, Insurrections & The First 100 Days
- Risk
- Should Companies Consider Appointing Chief Paranoia Officers to Combat Disinformation?
- The Price of Courage
- Ingredients of Decency
- ESG Performance and Credit Markets
- The Coronavirus Saga is Just Beginning
- No. 1 Risk of the Decade
- The Risk Evolution of Corporate Risk
- Extend Risk Management Reach
- Collective Action
- Risk Identifying Software
- The New Risk of Doing Nothing
- Political Unrest In Hong Kong
- Social
- A Call for Elected Officials to Protect Voting Access
- How America Scores Changes Youths Through Soccer and Poetry
- Look
- Should Companies Consider Appointing Chief Paranoia Officers to Combat Disinformation?
- The Price of Courage
- Bridging the “Preclinical Gap” in Childhood Cancer Research
- The Ministry of Common Sense
- How to Stop the Madness
- A Remembrance of Tommy Raskin
- No ‘justice’ in rep’s vote
- A Call for Orderly & Peaceful Transition of Power
- Recovering from the Greatest Sacrifice
- Technology
- Digital Upskilling in Legal: More Than Just New Technology
- Should Companies Consider Appointing Chief Paranoia Officers to Combat Disinformation?
- Bridging the “Preclinical Gap” in Childhood Cancer Research
- 3 Tech Lessons Businesses Must Learn From COVID-19
- Constella Intelligence Announces Hunter for Improved Investigation Capability
- Cyber Risk Institute Expands Its Profile
- Digital Politics: The Future of Voting Technology
- Ethics in Electronics
- The Cyber Bad Guys Are Getting Worse
- A First Look at the Google Antitrust Suit
- The Pause
- Cybersecurity Incidents of the Summer
- This Week
- A Remembrance of Tommy Raskin
- A New Year’s Resolution
- Over the River and Through The Woods
- Dropping the Mic
- Won’t You Be My Neighbor?
- The Cyber Bad Guys Are Getting Worse
- What We Hear
- Track of Time
- Video: Conversations with American Legends
- Conversations with American Legends
- A New Era of Insurance Marketing
- American Legend