In an article that I wrote for Quadigy Blog, I had shared the list of the digital marketing trends that I think are dominant now in 2021 and will dictate the efforts of marketers around for the coming months.
This article takes into account the huge difference that Covid pandemic has made to our lives and how businesses, people and the world in general will behave in post-Covid era.
The pandemic has completely changed the way people search for, access, and utilize information, communication, products, and services.
I will use this opportunity to summarize the Top Digital Marketing Trends for 2021. Build your marketing strategies around these to tap into the potential of enhanced reach and consumer buy-ins.
1. An explosion of user-generated (& short) videos and micro-influencers
This trend will continue to grow rapidly in 2021. For brands and marketers, these micro-influencers will continue to be the preferred low-cost alternative to TV and radio Ads.
2. New social media networks and user platforms
Related to the previous one, this trend of new social media platforms mushrooming all over will see brands and marketers experiment with many new platforms in an attempt to gain an early advantage.
3. Core Web Vitals – The New Page Experience Update from Google
Figure out the areas of improvement and start getting your website in order so that you don’t end up losing all your website traffic to a bad user experience score!
4. Increase in selling on social media platforms
Social commerce or social-selling is not necessarily new but it has become all the more powerful as a means to market, sell and build brand loyalists in today’s Covid-19 pandemic era.
2021 will see more and more social media marketplaces come up, allowing people to buy directly from their phones, through recommendations, shared products, etc.
5. Personalization and Hyper-targeting
Personalization (and hyper-targeting) in paid digital promotions and content marketing is a trend that will continue to grow in 2021.
The technological advancements made in AI and real-time data gathering is giving a lift to personalized, targeted shopping experiences as well.
In 2021, it will be very important for brands and marketers to target their audiences with data-driven and personalized messaging (as much as possible) and targeted campaigns.
6. The rise of AI (Artificial Intelligence) in Marketing
Some key areas where AI is and will be a disruptor are personalized communication (through chatbots and consumer behavior-driven content feeds), product/service recommendations, email personalization, and transaction assistance. Another key use is of AI-powered voice assistants – more prominently used by mobile users.
7. The acceptance of AR (augmented reality) in Marketing
AR Marketing still remains a novelty; been used by a few of the top brands such as Ikea, Facebook, Sephora, L’Oreal, Hyundai, Mercedes, and Uber.
However, as AR technology keeps improving, we will find more brands experimenting with it in order to provide something new to their consumers in terms of experience.
8. Brands that have values and can be trusted will have more loyal customers
The Covid-19 pandemic of 2020 has been one of their toughest times for the modern world post World War II. Humanity has been tested in many ways in 2020, bringing values like Trust, Social Responsibility, and Humanity to the fore.
Brands that are seen to be making efforts for the world’s good, in general, are enjoying more respect and loyalty from their consumers.
9. Digital ABM with LinkedIn
Over the past few years, LinkedIn has become the best platform for organizations to test various ABM strategies.
Features like the Sales Navigator and InMail allows LinkedIn users to target accounts with highly personalized engagement. It also allows us to target multiple accounts with pre-planned offers, schemes. LinkedIn is also very useful when it comes to upselling new services/products or renewals to existing clients/customers.
10. Demographic changes to the digital audience
Well, the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 has thrown the old systems awry. The world has shifted to the new reality of minimal contact (or contact-less in many cases) based existence.
This shift also forced a new demographic – the Baby Boomers to get used to the online world and even make their first online purchases (mostly out of necessity) for buying essentials and so on.
This development has presented brands and marketers an easy opportunity to access this new addition to the digital audience to engage and sell to them.
Final Word:
So, that's it! You have the top 10 digital marketing trends for 2021 – make sure that you figure out what’s relevant to your market and business and accordingly stitch together your marketing strategy.
You may also read the complete article here
Not so sure about how to leverage some of these trends? Or are you looking for help in your digital marketing to meet your business objectives? Write to me.
Cheers!