5 Ways that 5G Could Change Online Marketing
The rollout of the 4G network has driven online marketing forward over the past years – marketing efforts now heavily include the use of mobile apps, for example. With the fifth generation of mobile networks on the horizon, there could be a similar push forward in the techniques available to digital marketers.
Although it’s a technology still considered to be in its infancy, it’s thought that 5G will introduce more reliable connections, faster data transfer speeds, and usher in a new ‘internet of things’ with connected devices and real-time alerts. This could all lead to an exciting range of possibilities from a marketing perspective.
Here are five possibilities to think about.
1. Everyday objects will be connected.
Many believe that 5G and the ‘internet of things’ is connected, and that this will allow our everyday devices to communicate with one another over the new superfast network in a way that we’ve only seen glimpses of thus far. Imagine how your computer and smartphone are now linked via apps, and then imagine if all of your household devices were similarly connected.
It would create a complete picture of your daily habits, energy use, and needs. This type of information could be used to offer you products and services that are more highly targeted to what you actually need, cutting out unnecessary advertising.
2. Download speeds will be faster.
Online marketing will become a lot faster, which is exciting particularly if you spend any time interacting with clients via services like Skype or sending files back and forth. While it only takes you an hour or so to download a file equivalent to a feature-length film, this will be shaved down to a matter of seconds with 5G. You’ll be able to stay connected on the same network no matter how many other users are trying to connect, eliminating dropped calls or interrupted transfers.
3. Data will be transmitted in real time.
Major players like Samsung, Ericsson, and Nokia Networks are all working on the 5G transition at the moment, and when it arrives it will enable new technology like hologram video chats and virtual reality. Data can be transmitted with real-time updates, whether it’s traffic information in the car or drops in product prices in the supermarket. This opens up new opportunities for marketing campaigns in a wide range of smart devices, with real, live, updates for consumers.
4. Connections can be better maintained during big events
What happens when you throw a few thousand people together in a football stadium or music festival? Amid the flurry of selfies and tweets, it can be difficult to get a working signal. This makes it difficult for event markets to coordinate promotional efforts that rely on attendees uploading photos on Instagram, for example.
This is because with current networks, all of those devices are trying to connect using the same station or mast. In order for 5G to work, it will require a higher number of smaller base stations or antennae from versatile 5G radio.
5. 5G will be part of a global network.
If you do any travelling as part of your online marketing business, you know just how annoying it is to have to switch networks depending on the country, or even switch devices because your phone won’t work in a particular region. The idea with 5G is that it will be ubiquitous, run more like a common utility than today’s 3G and 4G networks.
The World Radiocommunications Conferences are bringing together a range of different countries to agree on international standards and a global spectrum of use for it, which should ensure that your phone should work in Korea whether it was issued in Japan, the United States, or the UK. International standards also make it easier to reach international consumers.
Featured Image: Diverse People on Shutterstock
