SVP Marketing of CUJO AI, 15 years of experience in marketing for tech companies, Ph.D. of Economics, more than 60 articles in business magazines.
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Successful digital marketing adapts to changing customer tastes and changing market conditions. As a marketer, this is not always easy, let alone with the constant stream of brand new marketing fads making your job even more difficult. To top it off, Facebook and Google’s algorithms change several times a year, which can make your SEO tactics obsolete if you don’t keep up.
To retain your customers, scale your business and stay ahead of the competition, you need to make sure you are in lock step with the latest developments in digital marketing. Let’s explore six of our most certain predictions for digital marketing for the next five years and beyond.
Six digital marketing trends to practice in 2023
1. Livestream content and short format video
Video boasts some of the best lead generation and conversion rates of any advertising medium. But even perennial trends in digital marketing are subject to evolution and revision. The same is true with video.
According to the Conviva State of Streaming report, 23% of global viewing time is spent watching live content on platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, while the other 77% goes to on-demand content. I find this is a result of people being eager to miss out. This type of content attracts them so they can be the first to learn about events that break.
Shorter video lengths have necessitated more marketing efforts to maintain viewer interest in the advertised goods or services. However, keep in mind that people are more likely to click away from professionally produced and edited videos because they find them disjointed.
2. Greater focus on customer experience
Consumers in the year 2023 will care most about having a memorable experience. However, this does not mean that affordability and quality should be ignored. Both affect our satisfaction with choosing, buying and using the things we pay good money for.
The traditional function of technology in this area has been to facilitate simplification and alleviate user frustration. Think online customer care portals that handle issues and after-sales support, or recommendation algorithms that help us decide what to buy. While these will still be crucial in 2023, the game has changed and the buzzwords of the year will be engagement and interactivity.
This will be especially true in the metaverse, a catch-all word often used by futurists to characterize the “next level” of the online platform, where we engage with businesses and other consumers in fully immersive, 3D, virtual environments.
3. Brands will have to show accountability
It is becoming clear that modern consumers value social responsibility, integrity and transparency.
One in 2 Gen Zers and 41% of millennials are more likely to support brands that support social causes. Customers’ spending habits are deeply influenced by corporate advocacy.
In light of this, companies are changing their social media tactics to emphasize inclusive activities, campaigns, products and the issues or goals they are committed to. While this may not immediately increase product sales, it is a considerate and productive way to demonstrate social responsibility.
4. Personal events are back
Looking back on the journey so far, we can see that it has been anything but smooth as live events have had to contend with unforeseen drops and spikes in Covid-19 infections.
However, the outlook for next year is more optimistic. In a MarTech survey of 200 respondents: “About twice as many respondents were ‘extremely likely’ rather than ‘extremely unlikely’ to attend in-person events in the first half of 2023. In the second half of next year, optimism reigns, with 80 ‘extremely likely’ to go to live events, and 40 more check in as likely or very likely. Only 19 were still ‘extremely unlikely’ to jump on board.”
5. Gamification
Adding interactive features to a website is a great way to give visitors more of what they want, encourage them to explore the site and gain insight into your audience.
The use of game elements on websites is known as gamification, which represents a new direction in digital marketing. Although an oversimplification, many businesses are increasingly using game design elements to increase client retention, word-of-mouth advertising, and revenue.
Considering that 80% of smartphone owners play mobile games on their devices, it’s easy to see how games can also be a draw in e-commerce. Consider, for example, the McDonald’s Monopoly game from the pre-digital era. Players had to buy specific items from the menu to progress in the game. Easy to implement, yet highly effective.
To increase your brand’s visibility, incorporate games into your advertising strategy. Here are a few examples of how you can use gamification in digital marketing:
- Have consumers spin a wheel to get a discount (the reduction can be anywhere from 10% to 50%) on their purchase.
- Look for a specific avatar in the picture for a chance to win the competition.
- Find the treasure chest at the end of the maze and get your reward.
6. Podcasting
Today’s always-on consumer base can benefit significantly from a company’s ability to share its story via podcast, accessed from any internet-connected device.
As with any content creation site, it’s up to you to figure out who exactly you want to tune in to. The length of the podcast depends on the discussion and audience participation. As a result, you should expect to lead with the topics that capture their attention.
Where to go from here
There you have it: a list of some of the more critical digital marketing skills you should have under your belt in 2023. The only way to ensure your business’s continued viability in the new year is to be aware of and actively participate in these cutting-edge edge exercises. More significantly, know how to use these developments in digital marketing to expand your company’s customer base.
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