Elon Musk’s Starlink, The Future of Marketing, and Chinese Import Tax Hikes

How Will Elon Musk’s Starlink Actually Work?

Elon Musk doesn’t set the bar low. As of late, it seems as if his sights have been set only on space travel, especially considering the progress his rocket company, SpaceX, is making. But, it isn’t all rockets and stars for SpaceX. Recently, Musk announced that he’s focusing on launching an internet revolution.

Armed with sixty ready-to-launch satellites designed to provide internet services, SpaceX’s latest venture is known as Starlink. And while sixty earth-orbiting satellites might seem like quite the adventure, Starlink’s plan is to create a network of some 12,000 internet satellites, all orbiting in the name of moving internet data “50% faster than existing fiber-optic cables”.

The goal of Starlink, says Musk, is to provide the world with internet services that are cheap and fast. But, more importantly, to make sure even the most remote areas can access the internet, changing the world for international teleconferencing, financial institutions, and relentless gamers.

While the completion of Starlink is projected to happen in 2027, the next several years will undoubtedly have their obstacles. In order to “blanket the Earth with high-speed, low-latency, and affordable internet access”, Musk and his team will need to spend upward of $10 billion, with some projections reaching far beyond - a staggering $50 billion each year until completion.

Because of the new technology required to make Starlink happen, Musk admits that “it's possible that some of these satellites may not work”. When pressed, he admitted that there's a "small possibility that all of the satellites will not work."

Only time - and a whole lot of resources - will tell.

What the Future of Marketing Really Looks Like

The world of technology is constantly being disrupted with new innovations. And, as exciting as they might be, for marketers, these changes leave them feeling like they’re constantly behind. In order to stay ahead, marketing strategies need to innovate almost as rapidly as the technology itself, which means traditional marketing tactics aren’t just outdated - they’re ineffective.

Today, even the term digital marketing is no longer as relevant as it used to be, with more modern terms like “multichannel” and “omnichannel” quickly rising to the top. But what do these changes really mean for marketing? And, more importantly, where should marketers be focusing in order to stay relevant (and effective) in the years to come?

For starters, marketers who leverage SEO to gain results need to focus in even more by dialing in on what’s now being called on-SERP SEO. Rather than just “optimizing” for search engines, marketers need to focus on getting results that are on page one of the search engine results page (on-SERP). Still a rather mysterious formula, whichever company can figure out how to repeatedly create content that is featured as the snippet on page one will have a huge advantage.

Another big shift in marketing? The need to appear on smart speakers by optimizing for voice search. More and more people are bringing smart speakers into their home and, as such, are using them to do more than just “Ask Alexa to turn up the volume”. By creating opportunities to market and advertise on these platforms, companies can create a new niche - and gain another valuable advantage.

Of course, that’s just the beginning. But, like any good idea, it’s a great place for marketers to start.

A Closer Look at the Chinese Import Tax Hike

President Trump has taken strong action against China by raising duties on “$200 billion of Chinese imports from 10% to 25%”. This import tax hike has left Beijing already vowing to retaliate, although they haven’t yet explained exactly what that means for the United States and the rest of the world.

Despite negotiations taking place between the United States and China, the tax increase still went through, which could mean trouble for current and future trade talks. According to one investing expert, “The risk of complete breakdown in trade talks has certainly increased” since the tax increase took effect.

Why did the hike happen?

While it’s complicated of course, it stems from the fact that American officials are accusing Beijing of “backtracking on commitments” that were made earlier during trade negotiations.

And, if the hike wasn't already enough, President Trump recently added that more penalties could be put in place, which could impact all Chinese goods shipped to the United States.