Digital marketing has become and will continue to be an integral part of many businesses’ strategies. From social media to email marketing, there are plenty of opportunities to reach customers online. Whether you are a small B2B business or a national provider, every company should carefully consider how these trends can enhance their bottom line and increase consumer awareness and loyalty.

While some of these trends carry over from last year, the marketing world continues to change rapidly. Why? Because, as marketers, our job is to test and refine our approaches. We learn, or should learn, from our audience’s interactions about their preferences and what makes them purchase our products and services.

Today’s blog explores five trends that will continue to impact marketing strategies in the long run.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Will Continue to Evolve.

AI is one of the biggest trends in digital marketing today. Unfortunately, it’s also one of the most misunderstood. So what exactly is artificial intelligence? And how does it work?

First, by definition, AI marketing makes automated judgments based on data gathering, analysis, and further observations of audience or economic patterns that may influence marketing efforts.

The result is businesses may use artificial intelligence to gain a better knowledge of their consumers’ demands even before they do. AI can provide insights into a better customer experience, hyper-targeted advertising, immediate responses, i.e., chatbots to general questions, and augmented experiences that increase loyalty and positively impact the bottom line.

Short Form Video

Video has been all the rage recently, and for a good reason. HubSpot notes 90% of marketers using short-form video will increase or maintain their investment next year, and 1 in 5 marketers plan to leverage short-form video for the first time in 2023. Moreover, experience shows that video is one of the best mediums for engagement and conversion. YouTube alone garners 5 billion video views daily.

All companies can benefit from adding video to their marketing strategy. The benefits are numerous, including:

  • Better recall – more is less
  • It’s perfect for social media
  • And it’s easier to repurpose

Finally, as mobile devices are becoming increasingly powerful, it makes sense that we would use these devices to watch videos. According to Statista, the current number of smartphone users in the world today is 6.648 billion, meaning 83.07% of the world’s population owns a smartphone. And according to eMarketer, U.S. consumers spent $100 billion on mobile video last year alone.

Voice Search Will Become a Major Driver of Traffic and Conversions.

In addition to smartphones, voice search has become an integral part of our lives. Voice search represents the use of voice recognition technology to assist users in performing Internet searches by just speaking into a device. The device is usually a smartphone, a smart voice assistant, or a computer.

Google estimates that more than 50% of searches are now performed through voice commands. This means that people search for products and services using their voices instead of typing them into a search bar.

So, how do you optimize for voice search? In a recent blog post, SEMrush notes that writing in a concise, natural tone is key to getting your content to rank for voice search. The benefits of voice search optimization are numerous, including:

  • Local search SEO
  • Quick response to queries
  • Multilingual searchability
  • Increased accessibility for all users

Social Media Advertising Will Grow In Popularity.

According to eMarketer, social media advertising spending will continue to rise as brands seek new ways to reach consumers. By 2022, social media ad spend will account for $22 billion, up from $14 billion last year.

With the success of TikTok and other social media networks, including Instagram and YouTube, advertisers will continue investing in short-form, live video, and live shopping on social media platforms. Additionally, private social messaging continues to gain popularity, and companies are taking notice. In fact, Facebook now allows advertisers to highlight their brand in users’ newsfeeds, and clicking the ads takes users to a chat window with the advertiser’s direct messenger.

Investing in Social Responsibility

As Gen Z and Millennials continue to be a powerful force in the economy, businesses of all types should pay attention to their buying habits. As noted above, social media advertising spending will continue to rise as consumers consistently purchase goods and services through this medium.

However, companies need to do more than increase their annual outlay on target platforms. A company’s stance, or lack of, about social issues significantly impacts consumer perceptions and willingness to purchase a product or service. Recent statistics show:

1 in 2 Gen Zers wants companies to take a stance on social issues, specifically racial justice, LGBTQ+ rights, gender inequality, and climate change; 41% of Millennials agree, and even 35% of Gen Xers support social responsibility.

Cautionary Tales

It’s easy to get excited about the newest trends in marketing. Let’s face it, the service providers and marketing pundits make it sound so easy. However, don’t be too quick to jump on the bandwagon before you consider your goals, budget, and staffing.

As a reminder, marketing is a multi-pronged approach, and any new initiative should be carefully evaluated and tweaked based on your target audience’s response. You will succeed if you invest in the right marketing strategy, target the right customers, and focus on the right marketing channels.

If you are ready to focus on your digital marketing efforts, reach out and schedule a consultation with the marketing experts at YGL Enterprises today.

Yvonne Levine, Charlotte NC-based Marketing Consultant Provider of strategic marketing solutions and brand management.Yvonne Levine, president of YGL Enterprises, Inc., is a strategic marketing consultant who collaborates with professional services and small and mid-sized businesses to develop and execute successful marketing strategies, branding initiatives, content creation, and digital marketing plans. By helping businesses devise a targeted strategy first, this approach creates a strong foundation for tactical decisions, which drives brand awareness and positive results. Follow Yvonne on LinkedIn and Facebook.