Online Trends

Managing a website is more than just crunching numbers and selling products. There’s a strategy involved when you want to profit off trends. Trends can be tricky as an online marketer because everything moves at such a fast speed. You never quite know where you stand on trends because one day they’re there – and poof – the next day they’re gone.

Think of things like Twerking, localized advertising, and Candy Crush, and how many major brands were able to use these trends to enhance their own marketing campaign. Now let’s review a few a ways that you can be on top of industry trends and start increasing the revenue on your website.

Paying attention to social media

Don’t just look at what the people connecting with your brand’s social media pages are talking about, look at your personal page, your kid’s accounts, and other accounts that are active and always publishing trending topics on their feeds. Many radio and television stations focus solely on what’s trending in their industry, and you can use these themes to grab the attention of customers.

Finding industry forums to listen in on

When there’s a new trend in the air, you can bet people are going to talk about it – especially if they happen to be involved in the web site design industry in San Diego. Start now by joining discussion groups so you’ll be at the forefront of the money making industry trends as they occur.

Following other blogs and websites that are industry specific

People will get their industry information from a multitude of sources, and the people you listen to won’t be the same as others who write or work within the niche you’re targeting. Have a list of blogs and websites to follow that are industry specific and read them on a regular basis. If you really want to go the extra mile, comment on their posts with a question about upcoming trends that you’ve heard about and see what they say.

Listening to the current customer base

You’ll be impressed with customer knowledge when you discuss the niche they buy in, and you sell in. Some will be customers of yours because they work in the industry that your target market is focused around. Others will be hobbyists with a unique understanding of the trends that are surrounding the industry.

Learning the jargon of the industry

Listen to podcasts or sit in on webinars to really gain an understanding if the jargon used within your niche. You’ll find that the easier it is to recognize what people are talking about when trends are coming down the pipeline, the better you’ll be able to spot the ones that will make money and explain them to your customers in a way that makes sense.

Pay attention when you’re shopping at your local mall or out to lunch with a friend because you never know when you’ll discover a new way to reach a specific demographic through a trending song, food item, or gadget. Remember, you don’t always have to use the trend in your industry. You can be just as effective knowing what trends your target market is following.