While it can always be a bit risky predicting marketing trends – remember how Facebook was going to transform the B2B marketing world? – some trends do appear to be evolving that jansan manufacturers, distributors, cleaning contractors, and carpet cleaning technicians should be aware of.

Because of this, the National Service Alliance (NSA), a group purchasing organization for the professional cleaning industry, lists the following marketing trends that may be in for some real traction for 2016:

1.  More than 80 percent of buyers are now influenced – and make buying decisions – based on other customers’ comments about a business or service; further, many no longer search using Google but go directly to sites such as YouTube, Facebook, and Yelp for information on products and services.

2.  Video content is becoming king. Cleaning companies that invest in high-quality video content will find it surpasses written content as to the number of visitors and the influence it has over visitors when compared to written content.

3.  Earned media – meaning articles in publications highlighting a company or its services – are expected to grow in marketing prowess and impact.

4.  Related to this, consumers want to bond with a company. The best way for a company to build that bond is to provide quality, educational content – written or video – in publications or on a company website that makes your firm look like a thought leader in your field.

5.  If you haven’t heard already, smartphones, tablets, and mobile devices are surpassing laptops and desktops as communication devices; this will grow in 2016, so make sure all marketing material is mobile-friendly.

“Not all marketing trends will impact all aspects of the jan/san industry the same,” says Tobi Colbert, director of membership services for the NSA. “For instance, while social media has not proven that effective for manufacturers and distributors, Pinterest, Facebook, and YouTube may grow into marketing powerhouses for cleaning contractors and carpet cleaning technicians.”