Technology-Driven Marketing Trends for 2018

I have been looking at technology this week and trying to see how technology will affect our lives in general, and in how to market goods in particular. The developments are mind-boggling, but among the changes that seem to be on the way are: Our mobile phones and tablets are becoming increasingly powerful and brands are likely to use Augmented Reality more in order to boost their engagement with potential consumers. Look for the leading social apps, Instagram and Facebook, to lead the way in integrating this technology into their market-leading platforms. Might we see a sharp decline in the number of brand influencers? Companies put a lot of money into influencers, but are they seeing a sufficient return on investment? Brands may use a very select band of influencers to create results. Using data to better understand the customer journey, with data-driven marketing Knowing where consumers are at all sections of their potential purchasing decisions and understanding what appeals to them. -  Artificial Intelligence is becoming the company spokesperson. Live-chat tools are communicating with customers. Apple, for example, clearly believes that AR is the way to go with the release of the iPhone 8 and iPhone X. This will likely lead brands to go with AR sponsored and branded content.