Last week we were lucky enough to attend CharityComms’ seminar on Digital Communication Trends for 2016. And WOW! There was so much valuable digital charity information, great insights, helpful tips and smart trends. Each of the ten speakers had only 7 minutes to speak about their trend and why it was relevant for charities in 2016. This format was great because it allowed us to cover a lot of digital charity topics quickly and effectively.
It’s so important for charities to stay aware of upcoming trends, and never stop learning and looking ahead. This how you ensure that your charity keeps growing and prospering. This is what made this seminar such a success, it presented a wide range relevant trends in short digestible amounts.
In one of the presentations the title of the entire seminar itself was called into question. Why is it called Digital Communications? Is digital not so ingrained into the fabric of our lives now that digital can be assumed when one says communications? Moreover why do we still have digital as a part of our job titles? Digital has become such a crucial and vital aspect of our organisations that everyone should be involved in it. There should be no Digital Marketers or Digital Communications, rather digital should be something everyone is involved with and incorporates into their roles. Digital shouldn’t be the responsibility of a few but rather of all.
A trend for 2016 that applies to both charities and video marketing is that of virtual reality. Virtual reality refers to creating the illusion that we are somewhere we are not. While this may seem like a futuristic concept, it is in fact a growing industry. In fact it is estimated that the virtual reality industry in worth approximately £700 million. So this is no longer inaccessible or a fringe tool. In fact you can buy cardboard headsets for less than £15. With major supporters like Google and Facebook, virtual reality is working its way into the mainstream which means that now is the time to get involved with it. Virtual reality can be used for immersing supporters into your cause, and evoking their empathy and support. As Ash Adair said, charity can truly put the reality in virtual reality.
Email was another digital charity trend for 2016 that we will be paying attention to. The ROI for email has increased by 53%, making it one of the most effective marketing tools. In fact it is estimated that for every £1 you put into email, you get £38 back. But it’s not just about sending tons of emails and getting results. Rather it’s about emailing smarter; this means segmenting your audiences and sending them relevant information. And keep in mind that over 50% of email opens happen on smartphones, so ensure that your emails are optimised for mobile use.
And this is just a sampling of the many great presentations at CharityComm’s Digital Communications Trend Seminar. Be sure to check out the other 2016 trends
