Old man 2013 was shown the door last night and the newborn 2014 took his place. Are we all ready for a good year? Optimism tainted with a little skepticism abounds in business this time of year. If you are in charge of marketing, you know that there have been some stormy seas to navigate in the past. Although there have been signs that certain sectors are making a comeback. Are we truly seeing the economy recover or is this just another sanguine spin based on little more than hope. Hope is not a bad thing; it just always feels better when it is based on some positive movement. So let’s examine some of the pending positives for marketing in 2014.

Mobile marketing is seeing a boon

Mobile marketing has a tremendous upside. More and more transactions are happening on smart phones. The amount of data that can be exchanged on a mobile device is gaining more traction and marketing to mobile is only going to get larger in this area during 2014. Keep an eye on your web site statistics in this particular area. How many visits to your site are happening through a mobile device vs. a traditional desktop or laptop computer? If you haven’t already done so, you will want to convert your web site to a mobile friendly format. Beyond your web site, check out the mobile marketing tools that are becoming more fashionable. Mobile apps are still popular, but apps are only the tip of the iceberg in mobile marketing. Opt-in text blasts are becoming a key to getting information into the hands of customers quickly. Check out the mobile options you have with social media sites. Being able to integrate what is happening on your web site, apps, e-blasting and social media are really keys to making all of this work for you in terms of successfully marketing your company’s wares on a mobile device. Keep this in mind.

Engagement is the new SEO

Over the years we have put a lot of emphasis on search engine optimization. Getting to the top of a Google key word search was elemental to e-marketing campaigns. The rules for making your way to the top of a search engine has changed drastically in the past 2-3 years. Engaging the visitors to your web site through social media is the new search engine optimization. In 2014, expect the relevancy of the information you post on social media to drive your web site up the search engine protocol. Key to marketing in 2014, you will have to have a social media strategy that engages the people who are reading your posted content. That means your content has to be relevant. Gone are the days of loading your web site up with popular key words and finding yourself on the first page of Google. It is all about the number of visitors who take a look at your content, but more importantly, engage with your posted content.

Face-to-face marketing is making a comeback

Tradeshow marketing is seeing a resurgence. The tradeshows that we are planning to attend with clients in 2014 are selling out early. Crowds are up at these events. There is a sense that people are ready to talk to sales reps at shows once again. In your marketing plans for 2014, make sure you are taking these events into consideration. A successful tradeshow will have pre-show marketing, something that is intriguing to draw people to your booth during the show, and timely post-show follow ups. Build this formula into your marketing efforts in 2014.

The upheaval in business may be over

The past five years have seen a tremendous amount of uncertainty and turmoil in business. A lot of this had to do with new federal regulations on businesses, such as the Affordable Care Act and changes in tax structure that has made planning for the financial future of the coming year a sliding scale based on the latest direction out of Washington. For instance, there was a mandate for redefining full time workers that was supposed to be the law this past summer, except the President decided in the eleventh hour that it would be delayed for a year. As unfriendly as that new mandate was for workers who saw their hours reduced to meet the new definition of part time, the real mess is the uncertainty that changes and delays have on business. If you cannot plan for your expenses, you have a hard time spending money on other critical items in business, like marketing. There are signs that the upheaval may be settling down. The Congress just passed a federal budget, the first time this has happened in the past four years of the Obama administration. Although the agenda in Washington has been less than business friendly, knowing what is coming out of Washington in 2014 helps businesses to plan, and that should help marketing. Also, it appears that some sectors are finally getting off the mat for the first time in several years. Housing, in particular, is seeing some growth after nearly five years of declining and then flat sales. Housing starts is one of those sectors that tend to lift all ships off the bottom of the sea. If this continues to grow, it will help marketing in other sectors in 2014.

So usher out the old man and bring on the newborn year. My hope is it is a good year for you and your marketing efforts. Beyond hope, I will be seeking some positive signs along the way.