Tag: digital marketing trends

2020 started like any other new year. Marketers were excited and prepared to take on digital opportunities. But it only took about a couple of months for this enthusiasm to subside.

As the COVID-19 pandemic started making its presence felt across the world, marketers were back to their drawing boards, trying to figure out the next course of action. While internet consumption increased significantly during the lockdowns, the way consumers shop changed drastically.

Coupled with the technological advancements and search engines updating their algorithms, 2020 didn’t turn out as expected for most marketers. But with the year about to end, it is time to start working towards the future.

What are the digital marketing trends marketers should watch out for in 2021? Here is a list of top 9-

1. Video Marketing Critical for Digital Growth

Online video consumption has doubled in the last two years in India.

Consumption has grown to the extent that video marketing has become a vital element of every successful digital strategy. From boosting conversions and sales, building trust to higher ROI, marketers can experience several valuable benefits with this addition.

2. The Age of AI is Now

We’ve all heard how Artificial Intelligence (AI) will rule the world of technology in the future. But look closely, and you’ll see that AI is already being used massively across the digital landscape.

One of the biggest examples is Google’s RankBrain algorithm, which uses a machine-learning AI. Marketers should focus on using AI-powered tools to jump this technological bandwagon as early as possible.

3. Hello, Voice Integration

With the growing popularity of smart devices such as Amazon Alexa, Google Home, and Apple’s Siri, 2021 should be an excellent starting point to start working on voice optimization.

India has been witnessing a huge surge in the usage of voice assistants through smartphones and smart devices. Marketers should look for ways to adapt and optimize for voice search to remain relevant.

4. The Rise of Customer Data Analytics

Customer data analytics is all about technologies and processes that provide organizations with a sort of customer insight which is vital for delivering anticipated, timely, and relevant content.

While customer analytics has been around for some time, marketers should ditch traditional practices and look for advanced solutions that can better understand the customer journey.

5. Social Media for Advertising, Engaging and Retaining

Social media became the go-to destination for people to not only communicate but to get entertained, connect with brands, and even access the latest news throughout the pandemic. As social media usage has increased, marketers should focus on using these platforms to advertise, engage, and retain customers.

According to a report on Statista, social media ad spending in India is expected to grow at an annual growth rate of 8.7% between 2020 and 2025. If you don’t already have a presence on social platforms, 2021 can be the year to make a move.

6. Local SEO and Listings Are More Important Than Ever

Marketers working for small businesses cannot overlook local SEO and listings anymore in 2021. Improved reputation, customer feedback, and digital presence boost are some of the critical advantages of getting a business listed on Google My Business and other directories. 

Small businesses wanting to remain competitive at the local level should focus on local SEO to experience a host of valuable benefits.

7.The Future is Programmatic Advertising

While programmatic advertising is a branch of AI, it deserves a special mention. A simple example of this technology-driven ad buying process is real-time bidding or RTB, which takes into consideration hundreds of different signals to display relevant ads to specific consumers.

According to a report on Exchange4Media, programmatic advertising is growing at a rate of 70% in India. With the digital ecosystem looking for effective ways to deliver relevant ads to target consumers, programmatic advertising could be the most vital piece of the online marketing puzzle.  

8. Master Visual Search with Video and Image SEO

While text search is how most people use search engines, visual search is getting increasingly popular. Search engines like Google are also introducing features to encourage people to use visual search. For instance, Google now allows users to use their original photos to search for content online.

As more people will discover these features, it will have a considerable impact on the overall SEO landscape. Take a proactive approach for capitalizing on the rising popularity of visual search. If you’re an e-commerce brand, do try to know more about Google Lens.

9. Blocking Ad-Blockers

As per an eMarketer report, around 28% of internet users will use ad blockers in 2021. These ad blockers often cut off the source of your traffic, including PPC campaigns. As people will continue using these ad blockers, marketers should look for ways to adjust their strategies accordingly.

For instance, if they see that their strategies are being affected by ad blockers, marketers can focus on other forms of marketing, such as sponsored content or influencer marketing, that are not affected by such obstacles.

Making the Most of Your Digital Strategy in 2021

Every new year brings with it a host of digital marketing possibilities. While 2021 is not expected to be a usual new year like the past, one thing is for sure- there will be no shortage of opportunities if you know what to do.

If you’re looking for ways to make the most of 2021, these are some of the top digital marketing strategies you should watch out for.

The COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdowns imposed by governments across the world have dramatically transformed consumers. The shopping habits have changed, and so has consumer expectations from brands. The digital marketing landscape continued to evolve throughout 2020 to keep up with the changing trends.

With 2021 around the corner, what are the digital marketing trends skilled marketers should watch out for? Here is a list of top 10-

1. Short-Form Videos

In many ways, TikTok can be considered the star performer of 2020. This video-sharing social platform’s popularity has been such that the likes of Instagram, Snapchat, and YouTube have adopted short-form videos in their own ways. Marketers should reimagine their video ads and serve them in bite-sized pieces for improved engagement in 2021.

2. Digital Marketing Maturity

Digital marketing maturity is all about the ability of brands or marketers to deliver the right message to the right person at the right time. As consumer expectations are increasing, marketers should look for ways to use technologies and data insights to achieve a level of marketing maturity that helps them improve the relevance of their content, ads, and services.

3. Voice Assistants

According to Statista, there will be more than 8.4 billion voice assistants in use by 2024. From smartphones, homes, offices, to even vehicles, voice assistants are expected to become a vital component of our day to day lives. Your website, app, and ads can be optimized for voice search to reach more people.

4. Taking a Stand

Modern consumers, especially millennials, want brands to take a stand on social issues. From racial injustice, sustainability to climate change, consumers now expect the brands they deal with to be socially conscious. Social platforms can be an excellent place for brands to demonstrate their support for such causes and improve their engagement with the consumers.

5. Brand Transparency

In this digital world, it is no longer difficult or time-consuming for consumers to find a good amount of information about global businesses. A simple solution to avoid fake news or inaccurate information is to be more transparent. In the following year, try to be more transparent about your values, goals, products, and practices as it could help improve customer loyalty.

6. Image SEO

While text-based content has its place, the demand for visual content is on the rise. According to a post on MOZ, around 19% of the search queries on Google return image results. This is an unavoidable statistic for any marketer. Focus on combining text with visual content to rank higher on search engines in this visual age.

7. Customer Experience Strategy for Mobile

Consumers no longer only want to purchase great products. They also want the purchase experience to be smooth and worth their time. As mobile sales are reaching new heights, 2021 will be the time for brands to work on their mobile customer experience. Understanding mobile interactions and investing in technologies like PWA and AMP are some ways to enhance the mobile experience.

8. AI and ML

Google now uses an artificial intelligence system known as RankBrain for search results. With regard to digital marketing, AI and ML have vast implications, ranging from improving customer experience, creating new business streams, content optimization, improved personalization, and more. As we move forward, look for ways to make use of these technologies for improved digital results.

9. Personalization at Scale

It is no longer adequate to personalize your marketing approach. You should personalize at scale for improved reach and engagement. If done right, you will be able to enhance the customer journey while also creating loyalty and engagement with personalized messages that are tuned as per their expectations.

10. Data-driven Ad Campaigns

Just like your website content, you should also focus your ad campaigns on the needs of your target consumers. Take advantage of tools such as Google Analytics and YouTube analytics to gather audience insights that you can use to improve your ads further. Learn, rehearse, and implement to increase the ability of your ads to strike a chord with the consumers.

Achieving Digital Marketing Goals in 2021

Every new year introduces several new digital marketing trends and changes. But thanks to the pandemic, 2021 is not expected to be one of the regular new years. Consumer habits have massively changed, and 2021 is expected to be a year full of understanding these changes and adjusting digital strategies to fulfil their expectations.

Focus on the digital marketing trends discussed in this post to start working on your marketing strategy and make 2021 a year full of growth and success.