Digital Marketing Trends To Watch For in 2021
Welcome to 2021! We made it through a crazy year, and we're on to the next chapter. Given the strange circumstances we are all navigating, it makes sense that life is changing before our eyes. What can you expect for digital marketing in 2021? Let's take a look!
Video Content
Experts in the field are almost certain that we will be seeing more video content than ever before. Social media platforms seem to be adding new video options on a weekly basis, so it makes sense that businesses want to utilize them as marketing tools. All of the most prominent social media platforms allow and encourage video content in one form or another:
- Facebook: Posts, Ads, Live Streams, Stories
- Instagram: Posts, Ads, Live Streams, Stories, Reels
- Twitter: Posts, Ads, Fleets
- Tik Tok: Short-Form Videos (up to one minute)
- Snapchat: Snaps, Stories, Ads
There are many other examples as well. Each platform has different rules regarding video content and duration, but they're all jumping on the trend of video content. Digital marketing agencies have quickly realized exactly how effective video content can be. Databox.com compiled some key statistics about video content that really speak to the benefits. According to several digital marketing agencies and experts, videos can get you: 2x more clicks, 20-30% more conversions, 2-3x higher CTR, and more! Here's the kicker; video content has been a top priority for a few years now. With the world suddenly going remote, video views skyrocketed, and the trend doesn't seem to be going away any time soon. More people are at home making videos, and more digital marketing agencies are finding ways to get this "face to face" content out for their clients. Videos capture attention more effectively than still images, so brands will have to adapt if they want their content to stay relevant.
User-Generated Content
2021 looks like it's going to be a year that we focus on our customers! We're talking about user-generated content. What qualifies as user-generated content? To make a long story short, it's anything that was created by consumers rather than the business. The most common examples are testimonials, reposting customer images, consumer artwork or creative work with your product or service, etc. Reviews and testimonials are particularly popular amongst businesses on social media because consumers are far more likely to trust their peers than they are to trust the business itself. Think about how many times you've read customer reviews before committing to a product or service. Businesses and the digital marketing agencies they partner with have noticed that reviews can drastically affect the purchase decision, so they're showing them off on social media. Now, customers won't even have to dig through pages of testimonials; it's being shown to them right on their feed or in their stories. For maximum impact, you should find a way to combine this point with the previous trend we discussed - get your hands on some video testimonials! Nothing will sell your brand better than real customers talking about why they love what you have to offer. Putting a face to the review helps potential customers to trust that the business did not fabricate the statement. 54% of consumers will visit a business's website after seeing a positive review, so jumping on this trend can improve your CTR, site traffic, and conversions!
Live Streams/Webinars
Have you noticed the drastic upswing in live video streams and webinars? Digital marketing agencies have had to quickly master the webinar/live stream field during 2020. Events that would normally be held in person were forced to move online. Once we got the hang of things, we noticed that these digital events can be extremely successful! The pandemic is still around for at least the start of the year, so we know that these live streams will be as well. However, since seeing the success we have, most digital marketers agree that webinars and live online events will remain popular well after COVID-19 is eliminated. Here are a few reasons why:
- Online events require far less planning and funding because there is no need to secure a venue, find food, etc.
- You can open your event to anyone with access to the internet, exponentially increasing your reach.
- Most consumers feel more comfortable attending online events rather than going somewhere in person. They also appreciate the convenience that comes with it.
- Businesses can keep track of analytics to make future events even better. You can even ask for feedback from attendees about the day, time, topic, presentation, etc.
- You can record and save your videos for use later in newsletters, posts, ads, etc.
Facebook Live Streaming is particularly popular, as is Instagram Live, also owned by Facebook. There are countless webinar-hosting sites that are being inundated with new events due to COVID-19 restrictions. Since the trend grew so quickly, it's important that you're working with a digital marketing agency who knows how to make your event stand out from the pack. You'll need a nice landing page, well-constructed and eye-catching ads, an easy registration process, and more. Livestreaming is a very competitive place at the moment, but if you put in the work, it can lead to a lot of success.
Influencer Marketing
If you really want to make your brand known on social media, you should look into influencer marketing! Influencers are prominent people on various social media platforms that have a large follower base. Influencers are paid to promote your product or service for their followers to see. When someone's role model expresses appreciation for a product or business, that fan is likely to consider trying it themselves. Essentially, influencers review your product positively, which we already know builds trust. The great thing about influencer marketing is that you can hyper-target based on the influencers you approach. Different celebrities will attract different fan bases, which you can use to your advantage. For example, if you want to promote something that is kid-friendly and great for families, you may want to approach Dance Moms star and 17-year-old business mogul Jojo Siwa. On the other hand, if you sell products for infants, you'll want to find an established mom influencer because many other mothers and soon-to-be mothers are following her. It can be a bit tricky to break into the realm of influencer marketing, but working with digital agencies gives you a leg up because we know who to contact and what to say. With more people using social media than ever, 2021 certainly seems like a good year to get some influencers for your brand.
Chatbots
The last trend we want to discuss today is the rise of chatbots. Responding to customers is expected at this point, and customer service can hold a lot more weight that businesses give it credit for. Chatbots are becoming a more popular choice among companies because they provide instant customer service, at least in some capacity. If you head over the the website of your favorite brands, you'll almost certainly see a pop-up chat or the option to live chat with a representative. These chatbots are getting more and more sophisticated, able to respond to a huge number of questions and comments. Chatbots are most commonly used to offer a way to contact the business, or to answer frequently asked questions. Recently, we've seen the rise of conversational chatbots that mimic a real human response almost perfectly. Artificial Intelligence is still very much on the rise, and digital marketing agencies are incorporating it into website they develop for clients. SuperOffice recently conducted a survey about customer service expectations and found that a whopping 88% of customers expect a response from your business within 60 minutes. Many businesses do not have the manpower to manually respond anywhere near this quickly, so chatbots are absolutely essential. You may not consider them a typical form of digital marketing, but they provide instant gratification to consumers to help diffuse tense situations or encourage a purchase decision. We have the capability to use AI in place of manual responses, so why not take full advantage of it? There will always be things chatbots can't answer, but technology is truly an amazing thing. Natural Language Processing is allowing bots to interpret what customers say so that they can formulate an appropriate response. Digital marketers should quickly become familiar with setting up chat bots, because with the even greater shift to online shopping caused by the pandemic, websites will need customer service options to succeed.
There are far too many predicted trends to cover in just one blog. The digital marketing world had to shift almost overnight in the past year, so innovative trends are all around us. One thing is certain: having a solid online presence is imperative for all businesses right now. If you are not yet on social media, don't have digital ads running, or haven't updated your website, that should be an early 2021 priority! Align yourself with one of the top digital marketing agencies so they can streamline the process for you. If you're looking for an agency you can count on, check out BusySeed! We've helped to grow over 300 businesses and we offer comprehensive services that span the digital realm. We will custom-build a package to meet your company's needs and get you the results you're striving for. Give us a call at (888) 353-1484 to get started! Here's to a prosperous 2021!
