In March we talked to Michael Atkinson about how wearable technology might impact restaurants into the future. Today we consider the broader impact of wearables on content marketing.
Wearables, or clothing and accessories embedded with smart technology to support individualized computing, are rapidly rising in popularity. With gadgets like smartwatches and Google Glass garnering more and more attention, the market for wearables is expected to be worth $8.36 billion by 2018.
What's even more exciting is that wearables are expected to make a lasting impact on content marketing in coming years.
Wearable devices grant the wearer access to information in real-time as well as the ability to input and store data with ease. Above all else, their purpose is to support constant, convenient, seamless, portable, and mostly hands-free access to computing.
Most of us have already come into contact with (or at least heard of) wearables. Think fitness trackers (like Nike FuelBand and Fitbit, that measure activities and calories burned, sleep cycles, and skin temperature) and smartwatches (like Apple's rumored future iWatch) that have exploded in popularity.
So what's the connection to marketing?
According to the Content Marketing Association, wearables have the potential to redefine how marketers reach consumers.
They'll spur new content creation, both from marketers seeking to engage with wearable devices and from users themselves. Increased social sharing and user-generated content associated with smart devices will help marketers create more useful, targeted marketing.
New technologies will support improved communication. For example, Spritz's new push-text feature has the potential to rapidly increase the speed with which consumers read with headsets and watches. Marketers may also be able to embed extra content in print and physical advertisements that will appear when viewed through specific wearables, like smart glasses.
Wearables, as an emerging technology, also present potential issues that users and content marketers should be aware of:
What do you think? Are wearables the next best thing in advanced technology, a fad, or a privacy bomb waiting to erupt?
Let us know in the comments below!