Online businesses continue to be a booming market despite the difficulties of 2020, which means that digital marketing is becoming even more of a vital practice for businesses if you can believe it! Regardless of the industry, niche, target market, or operational processes, digital marketing demands a hawkish awareness of the trends that are shaping the landscape today. Here are the top five this year:
- Remarketing
Remarketing is not a new trend per-se, it has been around for a little while but is due to boom in popularity in 2021 as more and more businesses become aware of its benefits. It involves hitting targeted users with marketing efforts, but the users that are targeted are those who have previously interacted with your brand. Retargeting ushers them down the conversion funnel. Madebyfactory.com reports on why this is so valuable, namely, it has a much higher click through and conversion rate. Keep in mind that it takes 7-10 views of a brand for it to stick in your brain, so remarketing is a very sensible approach.
- Live-Streams
As 2021 looks set to be a year where hundreds of millions stay in and work from home, live-streaming is going to become a big trend. The number of live-stream viewings was up in 2020 due to stay at home orders, regardless of who posted the content – the spike was seen for content posted by brands, influencers, and celebs. Live viewings on Facebook were up 50% during periods of locking down, and on Instagram they surged 70%!
- Inclusivity
There has been a clear move towards inclusivity in shoppers. Research has found that a cultural shift exists, and it is one that is already impacting the behaviour of the buyers themselves. A mammoth 41% of shoppers have started shopping with retailers that fit their identity and diversity philosophies, and many consumers are willing to completely reject brands that don’t do enough to keep their team diverse. Brands will have to showcase inclusivity more than ever in 2021 to stay relevant, especially to younger target markets like Gen Z and Millennials.
- Featured Snippets
SEO experts have always tried to get their websites to the number one spot on Google or another SERP – in 2021, there’s a higher position; position zero. Position zero refers to Google’s ‘featured snippet’, and 2021 SEO marketers are prioritizing it above all else. It works differently to other search engine results – it has a separate results box and gives those who occupy it a supreme authority and viewer trust. It displays extra relevant information that answers a user’s question quickly without the need for a click.
- Sustainability
Just like inclusivity, people are getting passionate about sustainable businesses and the environment. Businesses need to showcase this with their marketing efforts in 2021. A high 81% of consumers feel that companies should do all they can to help the environment, so make sure you effectively broadcast what you do to stay sustainable.
