To say that digital marketing is dynamic is an understatement. Terms like influencers and podcasters were unheard of a few decades ago. Additionally, apps like Tik Tok and Instagram have become integral parts of marketing strategies.
Digital marketing trends, along with Google’s search engine algorithms, are ever-changing. Further, many consumers have become more selective with the type of content they use. There’s no doubt that optimizing your website will help you get greater visibility. But, there are several other nuances you need to know about digital marketing.
Let’s look at 11 of the most prominent digital marketing trends.
AI Content Writing Tools
2021 is the year of AI Content software. AI content writing tools are pretty nifty because they can make your job much easier. You still need to provide a basic outline for the AI to follow and then it will do all of the work, such as filling in paragraphs with words that you specify or making sure there is always diverse language used when needed. The beauty about this type of tool is that you don’t have to spend hours trying out different combinations until one sticks – which was my old process before using an AI!
Newsletters
Newsletters can be an excellent tactic of keeping your customers in the loop about the latest affairs in your company. They can also help you establish a loyal base. We aren’t claiming that newsletters are a replacement for personalized emails though. The hyper-dynamic lifestyles of people have made them more open to subscribing for someone else to give them a distilled version about the recent happenings in a specific niche.
These can help bridge the gap created because of indigestible content. After all, nobody knows the legitimacy, accuracy or usefulness of most of the news sources presented on social media. This is one of the reasons why newsletters are making a comeback.
Micro-Influencers
The biggest advantage of influencers is the relatability that people share with them. This helps them become more trustworthy in the eyes of the general public compared to a “famous” star. Several incidents in the influencer world have made people realize how a celebrity endorsement doesn’t always guarantee quality. Besides this, investing money in a celebrity influencer isn’t exactly wise.
Smaller influencers have a more loyal community among followers, helping them generate a good ROI for a sponsored post. You should try to look for influencers with genuine active engagement since there are several fraud influencers trying to make a quick buck.
Making Data-Driven Decisions
One of the most notable changes in the digital marketing arena is the rationale of how companies make marketing-related decisions. Instead of amateur experimentation, decision-makers and teams today use hard facts to boost the efficiency of their strategies.
Data-driven marketing, backed by a plethora of marketing tools, can also help. You can also keep a record of relevant data safely and access it while being on the go. For example, Buzzsumo helps marketers determine the type of content relevant to their company trends on social media. The platform also enables smooth and efficient link building outreach.
You have to keep an eye out for essential data to make better decisions with regards to your company. After all, the numbers don’t lie.
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in Email
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) can streamline many business processes for smoother operations; email is one of them. AI turned 65 years old this year. While it’s definitely not the latest trend, its accessibility and implications in the field of marketing still continue to grow. Some find these advancements threatening, but few can deny its advantages when it comes to ascertaining more efficiency.
Business owners have started automating emails. Some of them include subject lines, product recommendations, and scheduling. Incorporating AI and ML in this activity can ensure better personalization. This, in turn, can help you get more customers. You can also use the software for analyzing the behavior of website visitors and initiating engagement.
Instagram is Slowly Dethroning Facebook
More than 3.6 billion people use social media worldwide. About 84% of millennials use it as a means to support their income. So not utilizing social media to market your products or services would be unwise. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, and even TikTok, should now be a part of your marketing strategy. That is if you want to raise awareness and engage with your target demographic of course.
While it may not be struggling, Facebook isn’t the go-to social media app for the younger generation anymore. According to Forbes, 40% of the platform users are over the age of 65. As a result, running ads on Facebook may not be very suitable for certain campaigns. Especially those targeted to younger people. Another platform that people don’t really trust is Facebook because of recent data breaches.
Instead, it’s Instagram that has seen colossal growth in popularity over the past few years. One potential issue that you should keep in mind is that Instagram is testing removing the likes feature from the platform, which already caused an uproar in the influencer community. This move can increase content quality, yes.
But there are also chances that the user might drift away to other platforms in search of vanity metrics. Even TikTok could be a good option for brands to showcase their offerings. It’s one of the fastest-growing SaaS applications with 33 million downloads in a single quarter.
Posting Stories on Social Media
The days where marketers could get away with using posts with basic captions and hashtags are gone. Social media stories are the latest fad in the digital marketing niche. The good thing about stories is that buyers perceive them as authentic and transparent. And who doesn’t like real-time updates as opposed to basic photos? No wonder HootSuite found out that 64% of marketers have already implemented Instagram stories into their social media strategy.
Good Content is Still King, With More Emphasis On Interactive Formats
Content marketing is an essential part of digital marketing. With Google developing a deeper and more sophisticated understanding of online content, companies need to make sure that whatever they publish on their blog adds value to their customers. The main idea here is to deliver tailor-made content that can solve the pain points of customers. According to the BERT update, Google search engines are prioritizing those websites that have “fast speeds, useful links, and well-written content.“
The interactive part of the content will become more prominent in the digital marketing industry. Interactive content means anything that allows visitors to click on, swipe or interact with online. The most common content types under this include quizzes and polls, 360-degree videos, and augmented reality ads.
These formats can deliver a more immersive and engaging experience from a customer‘s point of view, thanks to its cutting-edge marketing technology. It also makes them feel more connected to the company, which is very beneficial for maintaining lasting relationships.
Omnichannel Marketing Relevance
Omnichannel marketing was actually one of the buzzwords of last year. Although the intrigue has faded out a little, the strategy still remains relevant in 2021. If you don’t know already, omnichannel marketing is the process of advertising your products and services across many platforms, such as email, social media, apps, and blogs. Doing this will allow you to connect with a greater number of prospects on more touch points.
This also gives you the opportunity to enhance user experience while creating a cohesive brand reputation that forces people to take action and remain loyal to the company. It’s also necessary for all the strategies one uses to have an all-encompassing approach.
Chatbots Will Become a Crucial Part of Customer Service
Chatbots are AI software that communicates with users and assists them in solving their doubts and the completion of goals. They have the ability to interact with humans and collect data insights about customers. You can get personalized, focused interactions without putting too much strain on limited human resources. So it can be very useful for small as well as large business owners.
About 80% of businessmen want to incorporate chatbots into their customer service. They want to provide 24-hour service to customers to ensure the latter get instant responses to their queries. Chatbots also cut the need for vacations, bricks, or any overtime pay, making it a cost-effective option for businesses as well. Since both businesses and customers enjoy the involvement of chatbots, we can be sure that this digital marketing trend is here to stay.
More Intuitive Web Design
Over the past couple of years, web design has changed. Also, many companies want to SEO optimize their respective sites. Web designers who are aware of web designing trends understand that user experience is very important for customer conversions.
Poorly-designed websites can affect the business’ growth. Further, they can have a crippling effect on its revenue and even lead generation. That’s why companies need to take measures to make their websites easy to navigate.
