In restaurants, it was the concept of coffee shops modeled after neighborhood pubs. In technology, it was the smartphone. In cars, it was interconnectivity. Why do we care about tracking trends? As trends emerge, they get our attention because they are new and different, but soon these trends become mainstream, best practices and standards.

Yesterday, Promotional Consultant Today shared some key business-to-business marketing trends in 2017 as identified by syndicated blogger and sought-after national speaker Tim Asimos. Today, we share a few more.

1. Live-streaming video. Video is already popular thanks to the easy ways we can share video through social media. But with new channel features like Facebook Live, video is becoming even more mainstream. And it’s by far the most engaging form of content. The ROI proves it, according to Asimos. He states that a study conducted by Hubspot showed that video was the most thoroughly consumed content format, with four times more consumers preferring video content over text. Asimos predicts that in addition to short-form videos, such as brand videos or client testimonials, we’ll see a wider adoption of long-form video as well.

2. Recruitment marketing. As more employees are reaching retirement and the pool for younger employees with more specific skills comes into play, this talent gap is creating a competition for recruitment. Asimos says that the 19th Annual Global CEO survey reveals that 73 percent of CEOs today are concerned about the availability of key skills. As the war for talent increases, marketing is being called upon to help in the process, more so than ever before. This requires a collaboration between marketing and human resources to focus on company branding, on targeting the right prospects and on delivering a message of differentiation and appeal to the market. As Asimos states, in 2017 there will be a trend in recruitment marketing plans and HR initiatives in the marketing budget.

3. Multi-touch marketing attribution. Until recently, marketing has not been considered a profit center in an organization. It’s viewed as a shared service, such as accounting, human resources or legal. But with the rise of marketing technology, there is pressure to prove revenue generation in the marketing department. This can be measured by multi-channel marketing campaigns that can track and measure touchpoints so specifically that measurement or revenue generation can be attributed to these points of engagement. It’s a modernization of lead-scoring and one that will bring greater emphasis on marketing in the boardroom. Asimos recommends two marketing attribution tools: BrightFunnel and Bizable.

Keep these trends from Tim Asimos in mind as you rev up your marketing in 2017; chances are in 2018, these trends will become everyday standards.

Source: Tim Asimos is vice president and director of digital innovation for Circle Studio. He is also a syndicated blogger and sought-after national speaker, providing keen insights on modern marketing and an uncommon perspective gleaned from nearly 15 years of B2B and A/E/C experience.