Digital Marketing // October 3, 2019
Southeast Asian countries are adopting 5G research and partnerships to stay ahead of the technological game, and fighting to be pioneers in the region. According to Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Marzuki Yahya, Malaysia is working towards fully adopting 5G technology by year 2023.
The Malaysian government has strong aspirations for 5G technology, and has set up a 5G task force to research and explore applications in various sectors including education, transportation, healthcare, and entertainment. Just imagine internet download and streaming speeds up to 1,815 Mbps, as experienced by 5G users in the USA! How much time would people save in traffic on the road? How many more hours would people spend on streaming sites like Netflix and Twitch?
5G’s Impact on Our Society
While most news articles talk about 5G improving AI technologies, let us put our AI fantasies aside, and look at some actionable steps most brands can take.
Telecommunications leaders Maxis and Celcom Axiata are nearly ready to launch 5G in Malaysia. Gamuda Cove, Gamuda Land’s newly launched township, has also partnered with the former, aiming to create Malaysia’s first Maxis-delivered 5G township.
Photo Source: Maxis
This sets an example of what a ‘smart township’ could look like. Maxis and Gamuda Land are also exploring smart city and smart retailing solutions across the developer’s townships, which will change the way Malaysian consumers interact with technology.
Huawei has also made strides with its 5G tech innovations since 2009, and have announced partnerships with local 5G cellular network service providers, bringing affordable solutions to the Malaysian economy.
Top Tips for Marketers as Malaysia Increases 5G Implementation
Re-evaluate Content Strategies
With 5G comes higher streaming speeds and increased screen time for consumers. Brands can expect the online streaming entertainment industry to boom, with consumers spending more time watching Netflix, Twitch, and YouTube as compared to cable TV.
If digital marketing is a huge part of your annual strategy, take this as a sign to increase your video advertising budget on popular streaming platforms. Adjust your content strategy to adapt to shifting consumer behaviours, and allocate expenditure for more video ads on social media, higher product placement frequencies within on-demand TV shows or short films, as well as gaming and YouTube influencer engagements.
Embrace New and Emerging Tech Right Now
The development of 5G alongside smart IoT (Internet of Things) devices and emerging tech presents new opportunities for advertisers to explore more efficient ways to collect data and gain consumer insights. Just imagine the targeted content brands could produce with this wealth of information at hand.
Here’s an example of how 5G would benefit consumers through emerging technologies: Magnolia Market partnered with Shopify to create an experiential e-commerce experience by allowing shoppers to visualise how products will look in their homes.
Not only is AR tech expected to load seamlessly with 5G, Ericsson Consumer and IndustryLab’s Insight Report (May 2019) shows four in ten high-spending smartphone users expect new apps and services from their 5G plan. This is a great window of opportunity to innovate and engage with your customers.
With 5G’s low latency rate, these emerging technologies could eventually replace real-time interactions. Industries like property development, surgical healthcare, oil and gas, etc. are also exploring ways to employ more emerging tech in day-to-day operations for increased safety and higher efficiency. Brands should embrace the latest technological trends and work with innovators across different industries to better prepare and adopt new infrastructures in the near future.
Speak in Your Audience’s Voice
Since the innovation of Apple’s Siri, Android’s Google Assistant, Google Home, and Amazon’s Alexa, voice searches have surged across search engines recently. According to Uberall’s study, Google, Yelp, and Bing have a 90% share of the world’s voice search directories. With 5G’s improved bandwidth, brands can expect voice search to triumph over conventional search.
So, what can we do as marketers to maximise the potential of voice searching? Tailor your content to suit your target audiences. Pay attention to long-tail keywords within natural voice queries from casual conversations, and keep up-to-date with local slang, jargon, and lingos.
The way people are asking questions reveal another kind of consumer pattern we should start analysing: customer intent. Read more about personalised search intent HERE.
Our Hopes from 5G in the near Future?
Even though we’re still waiting for a national report on the health effects of electromagnetic fields emitted by 5G networks, which is expected by the end of 2019, there are far greater benefits to be gained by its development. Digital transformation efforts and mindsets should start nurturing now, so businesses can catch up and streamline operations for smarter investments, in response to upcoming disruptive technologies like 5G. Hopefully, the network and tech will be more affordable and accessible for brands to adopt, and bring changes to consumers for the better.
At FOREFRONT, we’re passionate about embarking on this journey of discovery with our clients. Shoot us a message and we’ll be glad to help!
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