Digital marketing consists of different moving parts. You can increase rankings through SEO or create visibility on social media for brand awareness. At one time, artificial intelligence and data-driven marketing was a myth, but now every business prioritizes these methods. The evolution happened gradually, during which different techniques and trends emerged. These trends directed digital marketing trends and strategies towards more result-oriented outcomes.
The year 2021 had many marketers scrambled due to a sudden shift in current events that affected their digital marketing strategies. The covid-19 pandemic has impacted almost every business, and marketers sought new methods to keep their strategy running.
The point of discussion here is that marketers now have to scrutinize their performance metrics and goals. They have to remain nimble ad adapt to different trends to survive and thrive again. While we look forward to 2021 with high hopes, we also have to keep new trends in mind. The trends that will work for 2021 and beyond include:
Best Quality Customer Experience
Digital marketing is all about giving the best experience to customers. We have seen a massive shift in beliefs about marketing that does not focus solely on selling a product. Instead, the priority is towards providing a better experience that compels customers to come back for more.
When you focus on offering a positive experience and good quality service, the marketing takes care of itself. Customers expect a seamless experience from the moment they engage with a brand. From personalized messages to after-sales engagement, customers want an experience that delivers quality. The better the experience, the more business a brand earns.
The rise in online content has given more power to customers. Now they have better information when it comes to purchasing products. They do not wait for someone to tell the value of a product as they conduct researches themselves. Building lasting relationships with clients is worth every penny. A small effort to give a better customer experience goes a long way in boosting profit and customer retention.
Upgraded Video Marketing
Video marketing has upgraded, and to say we live in a golden period of video would be an understatement. Especially due to innovations and formats that add captions to youtube video, audience engagement has gone off the roof. When we think about video, only Youtube comes to mind. It is because Youtube has become the most engaging video content platform that has the most visual engagement.
Following Youtube is Twitch that has increased popularity due to preference by most gamers. The point here is that the importance of video across all digital marketing platforms has become essential. It means that you need to consider videos in your marketing strategy to target and attract new customers in 2021 effectively.
Focus on Featured Google Snippets
Ranking on top of Google’s SERP is the goal of every SEO marketer. Various methods, tools, and techniques determine ranking in SERP, including high-quality content, videos, link building, etc. However, another result-changing factor has made headlines today, and that is “Featured Snippets.” These snippets are texts that Google uses to answer queries without the need to click anything.
As the popularity of featured snippets has increased, marketers now compete for snippet raking. No-click searches have become a new norm for SEO marketing that benefits both readers and brands. You have to target snippets in the same way as keywords that give a one-point answer to search intent.
Voice Searching
Voice-activated digital search assistants like Cortana, Alexa, or Siri have become a massive game-changer for digital marketing prospects. The popularity of voice searching has led to the most significant shits in the use of keywords. When we type a query in any search engine, our phrasing looks different from the one we use on Alexa for information.
For example, you type in a search engine about “cheap restaurant in Austin,” you will directly ask Cortana about the closest restaurant. Marketers choose keywords based on questions in their content that people may ask Siri or Alexa. Voice searching is an emerging trend that does not show signs of slowing down anytime soon.
Programmed Advertising
Programmed advertising means using Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning systems to automate the promotion process. The automation helps you target a more specific and relatable audience. An example of programmed advertising is real-time bidding and automated ad buying—the automation results in a higher conversion rate and lower acquisition costs.
Programmed advertising has changed the market so much that a speculated 82% of ads in the US will automate themselves in 2021. The best part of programmed advertising is that it considers all the factors needed for an effective campaign that marketers might miss.
Use of Chatbot
Chatbots have become an essential part of digital marketing strategies in 2021. The AI response system utilizes instant messages to reply in real-time with customers or site visitors. The chatbot responds irrespective of the day or time, as it remains active 24/7. Many customers and website visitors want a prompt reply that an automated chatbot can provide.
These chatbots can recall entire history and do not lose patience. These virtual assistants offer excellent customer service by meeting customer expectations and automating repetitive tasks. It means that marketers can focus on other activities while chatbots take care of customer experiences.
Interactive Content
The success of digital marketing strategy relies on the quality of content. Content has become a best practice for some time. It has evolved to a more interactive manner of engaging readers. Interactive content not only provides more engagement it also gives better user enjoyment. Interactive content like quizzes, surveys, widgets, contests, etc., can do wonders for brand promotion.
It helps to lengthen the time a visitor stays on-page, effectively improving the rankings in search algorithms. Such content is another step towards a personalized marketing method. It allows a user to have their opinion known and establish a deeper connection with the brand. It also helps in data collection for user preference, either for product or experience improvement.
Final Word
Digital marketing has continued to evolve and introduced some new trends in 2021. These trends have given marketers a new way to engage customers and bring something new to the table. Digital marketing is about offering the best customer experience and the active trends of this year provide just that. With the use of virtual assistants on the rise, automated marketing has made its way. With each passing year, digital marketing introduces us to another incredible innovation that improves overall strategy.
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