At the start of every year, we all try to predict what’s to come. What trends will shape the industry? What technologies will people embrace? While we don’t have crystal balls, we do have search data. And as a vast collection of consumer intentions, it can be a great bellwether of trends. ThinkWithGoogle looked at searches on Google and dug through industry research to see what’s actually catching on.
Top 3 Tech Trends Marketers Should Watch in 2015
Connected Life Platforms are Emerging
The “Internet of Things” is officially a thing. As devices proliferate and start to work together, connected objects will become platforms for your life. They’ll help you with the things you do every day – from entertainment to driving to taking care of your home.
- Searches related to the Internet of Things grew 2.5X
- Searches for wearable tech grew 3X, especially popular among the health-conscious crowd
- Searches for Smart TVs grew by 28%, surpassing searches about other popular TV specs
- 1.6M hours of video about connected car platforms were watched on YouTube
- Searches for smart lightbulbs up 36%
- In 2015, connectivity will be the default in the products you use most
- 4.9B connected things will be in use globally in 2015, up 30% year over year
Connected objects will create more data – use it to create better experiences. Make recommendations based on preferences. Tap into programmatic technology to deliver relevant ads in real time. Use data-driven insights to up your customer service game.
Mobile Shapes the “Internet of Me”
Your smartphone is getting smarter. As the hub for all these connected platforms, it can use lots of data to create better, personalized experiences. The “Internet of Things” is becoming an “Internet of Me” – all to simplify your life.
- 1.3B smartphones will have shipped globally in 2014
- Americans now spend 151 minutes per day on smartphones, more than on TV or laptops
- Roughly 1 in 5 searches on Google are related to location
- Searches for “nearby” have grown 5X since 2011 as people look for what’s around them
- Searches for health apps have grown 12X in the past year
- Searches for NFC, which lets smartphones “talk to” objects have grown 1.5X in four years
The mobile device is the remote control for our lives. Make sure consumers have a great experience with your brand on their smartphone. Use context to make it even better – content about their location, ads with local inventory, one-click ordering.
The Speed of Life Gets Even Faster
Online or off, we can now get information, entertainment, and services in the exact moment we want them. These quick moments of decision making happen constantly – and the more connected we are, the more the’ll happen.
- Lightweight HD cameras make it easier to capture the moment in the moment
- In the Camera & Photo Equipment category, search es for HD grew 25%, compact grew 42%, 4K grew 142%, and drone grew 270%
- Drones – remote control flying vehicles, often equipped with cameras – are becoming a true “consumer” electronic
- 2.6X growth in searches for drones since last year
- 800K hours of drone videos watched on YouTube in November 2014
- “On-demand” isn’t for for the web anymore
- Searches for “same day delivery” shopping grew 2X this past February compared to February 2010
- Technology is a virtual assistant, giving us the info we need whenever we ask (or before we even have to)
- The Google app gets 30X as many action queries by voice as by typing – and it sends automatic alerts if there’s a traffic jam on your commute (and a route around it)
Consumers expect to get what they want in the moment they want it. Think about what this means for your business – 24/7 customer support? On-demand delivery? A more comprehensive keyword strategy? Make interactions as fast, simple, and easy as possibly and make sure they are useful in all the moments that matter.
