So no, we don’t have to worry about flying cars just yet… But technology is advancing just as fast your hairline is receding. Have no fear! We’re here to highlight some new movements in technology that can help you in your personal life, as well as your business, and online marketing.

It seems the more technology is used to facilitate our lives, the more difficult it is to keep up with all of it. It’s undeniable that the growth of technology is exponential, as things are only going to get more efficient and automated in less and less time. With self-driving cars on the market, you almost feel ancient if you still start your car with a key. And just when you figure out how to use Siri, they launch a hotel in Japan completely run by artificial intelligence.

Whether it’s for your personal convenience or you’re using technology to expand your business, you should modernize everything from your devices, to your online marketing.

1. Home Technology

Alexa is the new Siri. Now, we’re not expecting the Echo Dot to overtake the mobile phone market, but Amazon has introduced one of the biggest trends in intelligent assistance for your home or office. With contenders like Google Home on the market as well, it’s evident that everybody wants to turn on their lights or order products online with a simple voice command.

Check out the newest in home technology to see what might be best for you, but understanding what consumers are using and what they want will help you target your business in the proper market. Also, if you are not familiar with the Internet of Things and how devices are integrated with one another, you might be missing out on better business processes, grabbing leads and even making more money.

2. Automation

Now this term is huge for marketers and anyone trying to build their business on a social platform. Everybody wants to stay ahead and consistent with their digital advertising, but we’re too busy actually handling clients and day-to-day activities. This is where marketers have turned to programs like Buffer and Hootsuite to schedule out posts and bot systems to automate interaction across social platforms.

Depending on how you look at it, advances automation can beneficial, but you have to be careful not to come across too robotic with your engagement. Consumers are still people, so you need to know how to make a connection even through a screen. That being said, you can cut back on man hours and marketing budgets by implementing automation tools that can replace human-exclusive tasks.

3. VR and AR

Google Cardboard and like devices really made a boom in 2015, but since then it seems people have been quiet about Virtual Reality. It took colorful pocket monsters to make us realize the marketing potential of Augmented Reality, but it still takes time to develop software and devices that are compatible with these new age digital mediums.

Why is this is important to your business? Well consider that the internet was launched a little over two decades ago and some people still don’t have a decent website. There are a few websites that are already fully augmented so depending on your business, it may benefit you to get ahead of the curve now with your web design.

Do Your Homework

Don’t wait for tomorrow to get ahead today! There are plenty of technology trends to keep an eye on this year so get with a team that knows what’s best for your business.