Napa’s Internet Marketer Janet Peischel on marketing trends

As the year winds down, it’s time to take a look at some marketing trends for the New Year.

I’ve been taking a deep dive into artificial intelligence (AI) apps. There are AI websites, presentation apps, image makers and manipulators and content writers. There are AI-driven music, video and art apps. AI has touched so many of the methods we have traditionally used to communicate and made them faster, smarter and more intuitive.

I started using an AI app a little more than a year ago, and I now regularly use more than six AI apps. It’s stunning how far this technology has advanced in just a year. ChatGPT celebrated its first birthday in November, and this is the technology that’s driving many of these applications. These apps are adding more functionality every day.

Who’s going to create the ‘everything’ app?

An “everything” app was Brother Elon’s goal when he took over Twitter. But it hasn’t exactly worked out that way. X, formerly known as Twitter, has thrown off all of its guardrails. After making anti-Semitic remarks, Musk flew to Israel to make nice with Benjamin Netanyahu. Then Anne Hidalgo, the mayor of Paris, announced she is quitting X, calling it a “gigantic global sewer” that is “destroying our democracies” by spreading abuse and misinformation.

New presentation applications that are stunning

New presentation apps create slides that are slick and professional. I’ve spent a lifetime struggling with PowerPoint, trying to make those Master pages work. These new AI apps are a breeze. With drag-and-drop technology, grab the format you want and start working. Make global changes to a color palette and upload your branding elements. Lots of beautiful templates to get started.

I’m fascinated by what these apps can do. It’s an industry that’s still in its infancy, and it’s saving us time and opening opportunities.

Conversational content to redefine customer interactions

Gone are the days when customers would wait patiently for responses. The modern consumer seeks instant gratification and immediate solutions. It’s a global thing, but Americans are the worst.

Conversational content is about making customers feel like they’re in direct conversation with your brand. Write the way you speak. A tip: AI-generated content is the antithesis of conversational content. AI content is easily identifiable for being stiff and formal. We should be writing for a fifth-grade audience, using short sentences and a simple vocabulary.

Sustainability and ethics

The new consumer is interested in a company’s values, particularly concerning environmental and social responsibility. Green Century Funds is an example: It keeps its clients’ money out of fossil fuels, tobacco, nuclear energy and weapons and other industries that they say pose some of the greatest threats to the environment.

Hyper-personalization through big data and analytics

Today’s consumer expects customized experiences. This results in hyper-personalized marketing strategies where content, product recommendations and even advertisements are customized for individual consumers. As big data technologies and AI evolve, the trend will be refined. Mass marketing strategies are becoming obsolete.