Standing still is the worst thing you can do in this constantly changing world. Everything is changing, including marketing, and to move fast at customers, brands and marketers must adapt to the changes and capitalize on these emerging opportunities. With events like the Coronavirus, everything is shifting to digital methods.
In 2023, we expect technological trends to shape the strategies that will be most effective for reaching your target audience. The first half of the year is almost one, and we have already seen massive changes in brand marketing.
Starting in 2021, social media has changed for the better during the pandemic era. Those who claim they do not interact with or follow brands on social media platforms dropped drastically from 23% in 2020 to 17% in 2021. Nevertheless, in 2023 we still see social media marketing as a vital tool, as it has continuously proven to be a successful digital marketing technique. Facebook, for example, has a staying power and is not going anywhere.
Platforms like Twitter and LinkedIn are becoming great marketing tools with live streaming, videos, and podcasts. However, among all the media, TikTok has seen the most growth in 2023. TikTok forms up to 15% to 25% across all ages. Conversely, Instagram and Twitter have experienced a substantial decline in brand engagement in 2020 and 2021, with Instagram dropping from 43% to 38% and Twitter from 29% to 21%. The key takeaway for brands and marketers is that consumers continuously favor interaction through long and short-form videos. These videos give marketers an extraordinary opportunity to breathe life into their brands and establish a more personal connection with the holders of their growth.
Getting personal
When marketing your brand, getting close to your audience is essential. This effective method is a way to win a place in the heart. Marketers must build strong customer relationships to maintain valuable and reliable connections using first-party data targeting. However, consumers are cautious about their personal information, and having a computer system that tracks this information is incorrect.
Moreover, people are more aware of their online privacy than they were years ago, leading many to opt out of tracking and third-party cookies. This has led to some advertisers collecting information about their clients using first-party data. Zero-party data is also growing, where the customer gives data to the brand using strategies such as surveys, online interactions, and gamification strategies. In addition, it is vital to have a robust CRM in place so that you can embrace data sooner and faster.
When consumers were polled on the messaging they would like to receive from their favorite brands, 47% said they would like motivational messages this year. This was closely followed by customers wanting to be entertained, clocking in at 57%. Customers also expect brands to be meaningful in dealing with social issues like inequality and poverty, with 36% stating that they want these major social issues behind them.
At the same time, 24% of consumers prefer brands that stay out of political matters. So the billion-dollar question is, what do marketers and brands do in such a split? To win the hearts of 2023 consumers, marketers and brands should strike a balance by taking actionable steps toward fixing some of the world’s most significant issues while at the same time infusing humor into the customer experience.
Brand Images will be a valuable tool.
In 2023, marketers need to focus on building strong brand images. In 2023 a brand’s image is everything, and marketers should be ready to spend more time and resources to create a trustworthy brand. To create a strong brand image, pay close attention to the words you use, but consider the most efficient words in your marketing. Communicating the right message to the audience remains essential.
Do you have to spend more on building a brand image with the rising costs? There are many ways of building your brand in 2023 in an organic manner. Numerous ways to raise brand awareness organically without relying on paid advertisements exist. First, however, consider the most effective method for your audience. These methods include weekly podcasts to connect with customers or high-quality web content.
Mobile Optimization
As a result of the pandemic, most companies have mobile optimization. Moreover, this technique is likely to grow going further. The logic is that more than half of online website traffic comes from mobile devices. This year, the buying power of Millenials and Gen Z is growing, so the mobile-optimized experience is becoming quite significant.
According to Hubspot, 84% of marketers investing in mobile web design plan to support the same, if not more, in 2023. At the same time, 64% of SEO marketers consider mobile optimization a compelling investment. Undoubtedly, mobile is not going anywhere and will continue beyond 2023. Those who will master it and take full advantage of it will see great results in the long term.
Google announced it would support third-party cookies for all popular Chrome browser users. For this reason, marketers expect significant changes in digital marketing. It is estimated that 70% of all browser users rely on Chrome, which means a massive change for those banking on cookies as a marketing strategy.
This is expected to create a significant change but is not the only concern. Most marketers use cookies to find their audience’s needs and track their web use. Brands and marketers have found this method of tackling users essential and beneficial in shaping how they will reach their audience and marketing plan.
Influencer marketing is likely to grow.
There has been significant growth in 2020 and 2021; experts believe this growth will increase even further in 2023. For example, 34% of global marketing professionals told Hubspot that in 2023 they were putting more money into influencer marketing and making it a top-priority investment. This means spending more on short video marketing and mobile web design. In addition, 57% of marketers using influencer marketing say it is practical, 11% say it is the maximum return on investment, and 46% plan to increase their investment in 2023.
This trend is growing because influencers are masters of the fields and platforms they operate in, with an audience interested and engaged in their content. As a result, marketers can increase brand awareness and gain more customers from the influencer’s audience when they partner with them.
Short video content is best.
One constant thing in consumer behavior is that they don’t like spending more time on advertisements. Therefore marketers will need to keep their marketing videos memorable and short simultaneously. A survey by HubSpot showed that short-form content is the second most effective marketing trend marketers use.
With more than 31% of brands and marketers investing in short content, 46% consider it an effective strategy for engagement and performance. Additionally, 89% of global marketers plan to either increase their investment in this tactic or continue investing in it.
Inbound marketing is expected to remain the best practice
While it has been around for years, 27% of marketers who have not used it plan to start in 2023, while 11% say it will be their most significant investment. Embracing inbound marketing is a smart move during these times of digital transformation.
Inbound marketing can be a great strategy to build trust and create brand awareness digitally by driving customers to seek out your content. However, it requires valuable, high-quality content tailored to buyers’ personas, target customers, and needs.
More businesses will use SEO to attract search traffic
As a marketer, you must ensure your content and websites, especially on Google, are as discoverable as possible. This tactic provides both short and long-term traffic returns. While SEO is not new, it is becoming more rooted within modern-day marketing strategies.
It was the sixth marketing trend those surveyed used, with 28% of current users. Of them, 84% will continue to invest either more or the same amount in 2023, while 49% call it an effective strategy. All search optimization opportunities grow as the need and interest for SEO strategies grow. Brands are now investing in SEO experts who can help them with everything about the strategy, including multimedia optimization and search insight reports.
Final Thought
We have learned about consumer behavior over the past years, which is more unpredictable than ever. This is the main reason for the changes in marketing trends. To grab the 2023 market by its horns, marketers should keep an ongoing conversation with consumers alive. The best way for brands to remain in a live and active chat is by listening to consumers and staying nimble in the face of change. While the principles remain the same year after year, brands’ marketing tools are changing yearly to reach more customers. A change is never a walk in the park, but staying ahead of the game is essential amidst these changes. Even though a business cannot invest in all these methods, it must select at least a combination of these suitable trends.