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What is the future of the digital industry? These are our predictions for 2022

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Changing consumer habits, the shift to online and evolving tech are continually contributing to developments in the web industry, but what does it actually mean for business owners and the future of the digital industry itself? Jon Hollenberg, Founder of Australia’s highest rated web design agency, Five by Five, looks ahead at what business owners and web teams should expect now and in the future for web design and digital marketing.

August Edm

What is happening in the digital marketing world now?

41% of the Internet today is built on WordPress, with more than 82 million WordPress sites online and 500 sites built each day. 

This is known as the WordPress Economy and in a study by WordPress technology company, WP Engine, it was found that if this economy was equivalent to the market cap of a company, it would rank 10th among the largest companies worldwide. If it was a country, the WordPress Economy would rank 39th in the world by Gross Domestic Profit (GDP). 

Huge. 

And it’s set to continue.

The WordPress economy is booming

With its market dominance and continued uptake, there are no signs the WordPress Economy is slowing down. WordPress is the fastest growing Content Management System (CMS) in the world and whilst being utilised by businesses such as CNN, The New York Times and all those in between, its growth will flourish well into 2022 and beyond. 

The boom in the WordPress Economy reflects the growing need for an integrated digital presence made more important than ever thanks to the pandemic, continuous changes in consumer behaviours, and the shift to online. 

It also tells a story of businesses becoming more accepting of open source software which can be pulled apart, modified and enhanced. Open source software like WordPress enables tremendous flexibility when it comes to building custom functionality, a must-have capability for a) implementers like us at Five by Five who are committed to providing bespoke solutions to our clients and b) business owners who need to set themselves apart from their competitors through those bespoke solutions and personalised customer experience.

The fact WordPress integrates with platforms already being used within businesses, its rapid development and iteration capabilities, and low cost ownership are also factors contributing to its popularity. Further to this is its impact on corporate and personal financial growth. Businesses that invest in WordPress continue to experience financial returns and individual users who work with WordPress for more than 15 hours a week derive 48% of their income from the platform! 

Download the Infographic

WordPress powers the web, but just how significant is the WordPress Economy? WordPress has given rise to an expansive ecosystem, and today, it represents a thriving economy that’s built for growth. Check out this infographic for a closer look.

Download the infographic from WP Engine.

Wpengine@2x

 

 

Personalised Customer Experience - The key to driving results

Today, consumers are demanding personalised customer experiences and a unique CX. In fact, 80% of consumers say the experience a company provides is as important as its products and services.

One way to offer a personalised experience is listening to customer needs and taking notice of their past search, and how they’re using a website. This will be key to helping businesses deliver relevant, customised content for the end user and therefore a personalised customer experience.

Another great example of personalisation in action is the website of Queensland’s largest home builder. It automatically detects where users are geographically visiting from and serves up products and offerings that are specific to that location. 

Use the data you already have internally and extract the insights to inform your innovation (and personalisation) strategy.  If you can nail delivering the ultimate customer experience, you’ll be nailing business results in response. This truly is the future of the digital industry.

Personalisation

Higher quality leads thanks to data driven website lead generation tools

Speaking of data, the next big thing in the future of the digital industry is the greater uptake of data driven website lead generation tools that assist with higher quality website leads and understanding customer needs.

Data driven website lead generation tools like quizzes or scorecards will capture valuable information about users and their problems while providing users with quick wins in terms of actionable automated advice. In turn, business owners will capture detailed information on prospective clients for warmer sales nurturing and conversations. 

Sales teams can then pick up the phone and have rich conversations with the most qualified leads first, or by integrating a lead generation tool into a current CRM program, you can run personalised marketing campaigns based on the data that customers have provided.  


To understand this in play, we’ve introduced our own prototype lead generation tool at Five by Five which enables our prospective clients to complete a quiz formed around our Burger with the Lot product offering. From here, the client receives a scorecard based on a range of aspects, enabling our team to identify specific pain points and have more meaningful conversations on how we can assist. These types of diagnostic tools are a much more informed, powerful way of having sales discussions with clients and new perspectives.

Img Digital Strategy Scorecard@2x
Quiz
An example of the Digital Strategy Scorecard

No code solutions means anyone can create a website with CX design

Over the past 18 months the playing field has levelled, and having a digital presence isn’t as hard as it once was.

The ability to quickly create a WordPress website, install a page builder such as Elementor and have a website up and running within a few hours is giving sole operators the chance to compete with bigger brands and companies. 

Drag and drop editors that don’t require coding knowledge provide hundreds of pre-built pages and blocks that allow for every conceivable requirement. This is a fantastic option for business owners who might not have the funds to invest in an integrated web build, but understand the importance of an online presence and CX design. 

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again – personalisation is the future of the digital industry. So whilst using these platforms, the integration of bespoke content (including video and imagery) targeted at each individual user is what will have the largest impact and drive your results.

Elementor
Elementor Widgets
The wrap
2022 Predictions Wrap-up
In summary

2022 is going to be the year of digital marketing, so it is important to keep up with trends to keep you on top of your competitors.

If you’re struggling to balance the beauty and the brains of your web development, then contact us and we can help you create the functional and gorgeous website of your dreams!

Five By Five Lunch & Learn Replay

To be guided through the process, you are welcome to also view the recording of the Five By Five Lunch and Learn Webinar based on this topic. Feel free to click on the link below.

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About the author
Jon Hollenberg
With over 20 years experience within the web industry, Jon is an expert in online marketing and online growth strategies. Over the last ten years he has worked with iconic brands such as Qantas, Jeep and the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary plus hundreds of other businesses Australia wide. Jon is a published author of "Love at first site - How to build the website of your dreams".
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