We’re Excited by These 2019 Technology Trends

This time of year always feels like the ultimate Friday – except instead of a weekend full of promise and possibilities ahead, it’s a whole new year and a chance at a clean slate.

While January is prime time for people to “reset” with resolutions, diets, and overall wellness, it’s also a time where a lot of predictions are thrown out anticipating what to expect from the year ahead.

One of my personal goals this year is to work smarter, not harder (aka the epitome of what technology is all about…).

So, when it came time to write an article on 2019 technology trends, instead of stifling a yawn and offering a sterile view of what’s coming down the pipeline – I turned to my colleagues and asked the most digitally savvy people I know:

“What technology has you most excited for 2019 and why?”

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Michael Van Diest

Director of Engineering, Data Platform and Custom Engineering @PowerChord

“My family and I just recently moved into our “forever home”, so in 2019 I am diving headfirst into home automation.

I’ve settled in with Google Home because of its superior NLP (natural language processing) capabilities. Now I’m fully geeking out on, not only what I can do with it, but also how it could apply to our customers’ use of the technology and our opportunities to leverage voice search optimization in providing seamless, local search experiences.”

For example:

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Nikki Vegenski

Director of Strategic Accounts @PowerChord

“For 2019, I’m most energized by the evolution of artificial intelligence (AI) and the significant role it will play in how technology will empower organizations.

Today, brands, advertisers, and agencies are obtaining massive quantities of data that can be amassed and correlated into finding meaningful insights. For the most part, these insights are then applied manually by humans – making decisions based on this data to inform their website experience journey and advertising placements.

Tomorrow, AI will enable machines to make these very informed decisions for us.  In turn, consumers will embrace faster, more relatable experiences that are catered specifically to them.  This ultimately will drive more wins for consumers, brands, and marketers.

With today’s consumers expecting individually tailored ads and digital journeys that are hyper-relevant to them, advertisers must adopt this new technology to provide the best consumer experience possible. Marketers must anticipate their needs and provide relevant paths to research and/or purchase that are convenient and seamless.

Needless to say, I’m less excited by the mere notion of AI and more enthused in how AI driven results can best be applied in the online ecosystem.”

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Kim Williams

Digital Marketing Paid Media Manager @PowerChord

“The technology I’m most excited about in 2019 is Google Hub (Facebook portal seems similar, but I’m Google preferred).

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At this point, we’re all used to having voice assistants in our homes (think Alexa or Google Home), but this technology is quickly being taken to the next level by introducing screens.

I think having a visual element to home assistants will open them up to potentially being used more heavily for things like online shopping and video communication.”

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Kevin Sabourin

Senior Director of Business Development @PowerChord

“Personally, I love the emergence of the disruptive technologies that are taking traditional institutions, for example taxi cabs – a transportation experience that often leaves something to be desired, and transforming them into something like Uber or Lyft.

Now riders enjoy a clean car and a better consumer experience, while drivers benefit from side incomes, flexible hours, and a complete abundance of available work – all by leveraging technology assets and regular resources (like a second vehicle) that would otherwise just be sitting around.

On a professional level, I’m looking at automation, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. There’s lots to get excited about in that space. With better data, we can make more informed decisions, and use it to frame results-driven local strategies for our customers.”

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Ryan Turner

VP of Digital Marketing @PowerChord

“Voice Optimization – my team is excited about updating our search engine optimized sites to handle Voice interactions to further streamline the use and reach of websites. This has the potential to be even bigger than hand-held phones capable of doing an Internet search.

Augmented Reality / Virtual Reality tools – the ability to immerse consumers in a product/service offering will continue to expand the ability for brands to create a connection with or a desire for that product/service. The more ingrained the connection, the more opportunity to drive sales and local revenue for clients.”