6 Trends That Will Rule The Tech World

As we travel past the half point of 2016, we marketers should look back at the technology trends that have already made their mark on this year! They will serve as a foundation for a smarter future. Virtual reality, artificial intelligence and smart cars have made their appearance to the main stage in 2016. This is thanks in no small part to the hardware becoming commercialized and cloud technologies making way for multi-functional computing.

Back in early January at CES, the world’s largest annual tech convention, the number of vendors dedicated to cars, wearables, robots and drones was higher than ever before. The convention was estimated to be equivalent to the size of a whopping three-and-a-half football fields’ worth of space for smart-car technologies alone!

This convention set the stage for a 2016 of technology companies expanding into new niche markets, such as healthcare and auto, as their software products and services become increasingly ubiquitous.

Based on these developments, we’ve identified six trends that will rule the tech world!

1. Virtual and augmented reality

In 2016, virtual reality finally got its chance to shine on a consumer level! Meanwhile, augmented reality continues to prove itself in the workplace. CES predicted 46 gaming and virtual reality exhibitors to attend their convention which was an increase of 68 percent from last year.

Juniper Research predicted there would be a “watershed year for VR.” So far, 2016 has seen the launch of Facebook Inc.’s FB, Oculus Rift, the first consumer-level virtual-reality headset that doesn’t require a smartphone like Alphabet Inc.’sGOOGL, Cardboard and Samsung Electronics’ 005930, Gear VR.

HTC Corp. and Valve’s Vive VR headset will also hit the market next year. The launch was postponed in December of 2015 when developers experienced a “very, very big technological breakthrough” that made the initial version obsolete, according to Engadget.

In addition to the new hardware, 2016 will also experience an increased focus on VR content in gaming and entertainment. The development of consumer-level 360-degree cameras has empowered amateur filmmakers and game designers access to virtual-reality shooting.

Meanwhile, augmented reality, which became a larger topic of discussion this year after Microsoft Corp.MSFT, showed off its not-yet-released Hololens headset at a product event. Eventually Microsoft released their newest innovating product in July.

At CES, vendors are expected to showcase real-world applications for these augmented-reality headsets. The new invention is going to enhance a person’s task on the job by interposing digital images like a map or instructions on top of objects in their surrounding environment.

2. Wearables

Apple Inc. made people feel comfortable with the idea of wearing tiny data-collecting computer screens on their bodies with the April 2015 launch of Apple Watch. In 2016, it’s expected for more players to hop on this trend, and newer devices to be more capable.

At the convention for CES, there were at least 33 exhibitors showing off wearable technology. This was nearly triple the 12 in 2015! These devices were outfitted with sensors and showcased in ways that prove their applications in health, fitness and the enterprise market.

Soon, these devices will be able to connect directly to the Internet, without needing to tether to a third-party mobile device. This will enhance the stage for embeddable wearables, such as Chaotic Moon’s biometric tattoo, or tech tats, which attach to the skin much like a temporary tattoo.

3. Smart cars

At 200,000 square feet, automotive technology set the record of having three-and-a-half football fields’ worth of space at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show!

While it still may be some time to see fully autonomous vehicles, there has been recent movement from both a technological and regulatory standpoint that might help make 2016 a stand-out year for smart-car tech.

Last December, reports suggested Google and Ford Motor Co., could join forces to create a joint venture that will develop self-driving vehicles with Google’s technology. Meanwhile in California, regulators unveiled a proposal that would require licensed drivers to be present to operate an autonomous vehicle.

It will take a few more years for cars to become fully autonomous, but 2016 will likely be a year of partnerships between tech companies and auto manufacturers as they work toward the development of fully-autonomous vehicles.

4. Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence (AI) is similar to the tech that powers Windows’ Cortana and iOS’s Siri and machine learning technology, which powers Google’s search engine. AI will continue to be incorporated into technology products. These learning technology devices will also be included in services and software in 2016 as mobility remains front and center. AI will continue to find its way into robots as well.

At CES, there were at least 23 robotics exhibitors spanning 10,000 square feet, an increase of 71% from last year. Their robots spanned everything from at-home cleaners and companions to retail assistants similar to SoftBank Group Corp’s, Pepper robot, which rolled out across stores in Japan earlier this year.

French company Blue Frog Robotics has already released pre-orders for social robot called Buddy in 2016 that claims to interact with “each member of your family.”

5. Drones

Drones covered 25,500 square feet and had 29 exhibitors at the CES convention, more than quadruple the number of vendors as last year. Drone exhibitors showcased smarter drones, such as drones with tracking technologies, or those with additional sensors to more accurately read their environment.

This comes as drones continue to move into the consumer market, with the Federal Aviation Administration predicting that more than a million of the devices could be sold this holiday season.

The FAA is expected to introduce final rules for commercial drone flight in 2016. In 2015, it moved to enact rules that require operators to register drones of certain sizes. It also approved drone research flights for a number of commercial customers, notably Amazon.com Inc., plans to launch a drone delivery service called Prime Air over the next few years.

6. Self-charging phones

New technologies – some of which were showcased at CES – were designed to enable phones to charge through wavelengths. At CES, Ossia Inc. and Japanese telecom company KDDI Corp., showcased a product called Cota, that will automatically recharge mobile phones at a distance, similar to how WiFi transmitters deliver data from routers to devices.Cota serves as a central hub, sort of like a wireless router, that pushes out targeted energy through wavelengths to charge devices without having to plug them in or place them on a pad.

This follows existing technologies that take advantage of smartphones’ wireless charging standard, known as Qi. The company Qi Wireless, for example, produces pads that charge phones when placed on them.

Other companies, such as Israeli startup StoreDot, are interested to introduce instant charging and longer-lasting batteries. The company is pledging to showcase a battery next year that would charge a smartphone in 60 seconds or less.

This Article Originally Appeared on http://digitalmarketingsapiens.com/6-trends-will-rule-tech-world/

How to Pick The RIGHT Digital Marketing Agency For Your Business

When picking a digital marketing firm, you have to do your research! You are investing in someone to bring business to you. That isn’t a decision to make lightly. This firm is one that you will be working closely with along with investment a lot of money in as well. When picking a company to represent it is important to look at these five main aspects:

1. Their website
2. Their portfolio
3. Consulting with them
4. Do their services fit your needs?
5. How much are they willing to invest in you?

A Digital Marketing firm should have responses prepared for any questions you bring regarding these things, as they are key for potential clients. Here is the value in exploring each of these five main aspects with a digital marketing agency.

1. Their Website: A digital marketing firm’s main responsibility is making your company look presentable to the public. A company who wants to represents others must have a clean and presentable webpage that will show a sample of everything they can offer for you. Their website should be able to tell a story of why they want you to be their client and why you should join with them. If they cannot sell themselves, they cannot sell you! Be sure to go through their website for their previous work, research their team, and also their services offered.

2. Their Portfolio: Any business that you partner with must understand and design your vision for you. When looking through a company’s portfolio, be sure to look at their style of content and layouts. Note the items you would like for your own business and how the agency has implemented that material into their portfolio. Also, be sure to look at their past or present clients whose businesses are similar to yours and see their work. Companies will often allow you to reach out to their previous contacts and references . Take advantage of this to see how their service will be five months from now. It’s helpful to know how an agency will treat you when they are not when they are trying to win you over.

3. Consulting With Them: Most companies will offer you a free consultation. Using that free consultation, carefully note their take on your business and their thoughts on an action plan. If possible, meet face-to-face. This helps you obtain the most out of the meeting. When consulting, be sure to take notes on what they say, what they do not say, and what they will follow up on after a contract. These three key conversation points will help show their take on your business and how open they are to building a partnership with you. It is important to remember that they will not give all their tools and answers away. Instead, note their speaking styles and how helpful they are.

4. Do Their Services Fit Your Needs? It’s quite possible that a company you are looking into might be great and has won awards in their area but also might not specialize or focus on your needs. This means that you have to ask questions and research what your needs are when going into the meeting to see if this company can do what you need for them to do. Digital marketing is a very broad field that can range from social postings to search engine optimization, awareness campaigns to landing page design. Some wonderful companies might not have the experience in the area you are looking for or might not have the resources needed to complete the task you have in mind.

5. How Much Are They Willing To Invest In You? This does not mean how much money will they invest in you. Instead, time is money! Look at the size of the business in relation to the clients they have and consider where you may fall in that line up. If your project is significantly smaller than what they usually do, you may not get priority treatment. Likewise, if you are a big fish in a small pond, your project may be overwhelming and could require more resources than they have available. It is important to understand what your needs are before going in so you can find the proper fit. Make sure to come to an understanding of what they will do for you to reach your end goal so you both have clear expectations of what the other is investing in your success.

Picking a digital marketing firm is a big step! Whoever you choose will help you present your business and your passion to the world. They need to be a reliable, proactive, and esteemed corporation to take charge of your digital marketing so you can focus on other aspects of your business!

By Sahil Maherali, Digital Sapien

This Article originally appeared on digitalmarketingsapiens.com

Digital Marketing Jargon: Part 1

When thinking about how online marketing plays a role in your business, there are two questions to heavily consider:

1. Is it being done properly?
2. Is it making money for your business?

But both questions involve several terms that dig deep into the world of digital marketing and can seem confusing if you aren’t familiar with the terminology. Luckily, we’ve compiled a series of web posts that will help you wrap your head around the digital marketing jargon that will help your business grow and succeed. At the end, you’ll have one page serving as an online dictionary, which will cover all the terms discussed in each post. To start, here are a few vocabulary words you will absolutely need to know!

AdSense – Google Adsense is an advertisement application that allows web pages to enable and select ads to be placed on a website. For companies that are advertising their business, Google Adsense places your advertisements on web pages and charges based on the amount of traffic sent to you. This is called pay-per-click advertising.

AdWords – Google has a program called Adwords that is also a form of pay-per-click advertising. It allows you to advertise your business on search engines. When a user searches for particular keywords, your business appears above the results (See “SEM” for more info).

Affiliate Marketing – A type of marketing in which a business rewards one or more affiliates for each visitor or customer brought by their marketing efforts.

Analytics – A report showing the amount of traffic within a website. Information within these analytics depends on the application. Most social networks offer analytics tools which show how many people view a profile and engage with posts. Google also offers an analytics platform which can practically report anything about your website and traffic.

Blog – Short for “Web Log,” this digital journal is a series of entries of publications containing content that ranges from informative, business, and political to how-to, SEO, and personal. The purpose of these blogs is based on the interest of the author(s).

Bounce rate – Also known as “abandonment percentage,” the bounce rate is the percentage of a page’s visitors who enter your website and then exit without visiting another page. Websites usually place a pop-up page within the website containing newsletter offers to encourage visitors to engage with their website.

Brand Ambassador – A person hired by an organization to represent a brand in a way that increases awareness and sales for the business is called a brand ambassador. A brand ambassador often incorporates their lifestyle to the image of the brand.

Cost-per-impression (CPI) – Also known as “cost per thousand impressions” (CPM), CPI is a term used when your web ad is charged based on the amount of people who view it.

Cost-per-engagement (CPE) – CPE is a term used when your web ad is charged based on the amount of people who interact with it.

Conversion Rate – The rate at which visitors view a website and perform the action you desire (filling out a contact form, downloading a whitepaper, etc.).

Every week, Digital Marketing Sapiens will release a new set of marketing terms that will make it easier for you to get comfortable and confident with the in-and-outs of online marketing. Stay connected with us through Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to be updated with new terminology that will allow your business to dig deeper into the power of digital marketing.

By Ramil Rodriguez, Digital Sapien

This Article originally appeared on digitalmarketingsapiens.com