Ask the Expert: What will happen in digital media in 2019?

‘Ask the Expert’ is a blog series that breaks down the complicated tools, tech, and trends you’ve been hearing about in the trade pubs and around the office. We reach out to our in-house experts to ask the tough questions and turn them into bite-sized Q&As for your reading pleasure.

This month’s topic? Digital media in 2019. We brought in Centro’s media innovations and technology team to give us their respective prediction on what will happen in the industry this year.

Christine Kim, director of client learning:

“Conversational Search -- 2019 will be the year we see voice search hit unprecedented levels in the marketplace. This year, according to eMarketer, more than 100 million Americans (nearly 1/3 of the population) will use a voice assistant. Additionally, nearly one-third of the 3.5 billion searches performed on Google every day are voice searches. The surge of virtual assistants such as Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple’s Siri has changed consumer behavior in their day-to-day lives. With this shift in behavior, advertisers will need to start planning for what consumers might speak -- and not just what they type -- on their devices.”

Noor Naseer, senior director of media innovations and technology:

“Advanced TV will grow aggressively. Usage of various OTT devices, TV everywhere, online subscription and streaming services have surpassed previous forecasts. Furthermore, the expectation is that adoption, usage frequency and time spent will continue to accelerate upwards. A July 2018 eMarketer survey forecasts that the U.S. population of connected TV users is expected to exceed 57% in 2019. More advertisers and marketers should expect to dedicate investments previously saved for digital display and Traditional TV campaigns into these platforms and opportunities.”

Ryan Manchee, vice president of media innovations and technology:

“Required Transparency -- from the food we eat to the clothes we wear to the media we buy, the growing desire for more transparency in sourcing, quality, and the individuals and companies involved will reach a tipping point in 2019. Accelerated by the combination of growing skepticism and the ability to quickly verify claims, buyers of all types will demand sellers to be more forthright with their supply chain. In a world of choice, transparency will become a requirement and will also become increasingly marketable. More buyers will be able to make informed decisions that align with their priorities, even if that means choosing an alternative.”