Are you fascinated with digital marketing?
The ability to market and sell stuff online, be it products or services, is truly something special. Never before can individuals live off the internet so comfortably, so completely. We have kids today telling their parents that they want to quit school to become full-time social influencers – and don’t be surprised that some parents totally get behind it.
Digital marketing is a constantly evolving field, and staying on top of the latest trends is essential for businesses to stay competitive. Here are some digital marketing trends in 2023 worth paying attention to:
Personalization and Inclusive Marketing
Consumers today expect personalized experiences from brands, and digital marketing is no exception. Businesses must now resonate with their audience in ways that are bold and new. This is also evident in the current movie zeitgeist where filmmakers are trying to pander to all sorts of demographics never before seen in the past. And you’ll find that businesses worldwide are doing the same. Be inclusive. Be sensitive. Be personal.
Influencer Marketing
It used to be that celebrity status was privileged to only a select few. But with the power of the internet today, we have influencers who can stand toe-to-toe with the biggest movie stars even though Hollywood hates this notion. Influencer marketing has become a mainstream strategy for many brands, and it’s not hard to see why. Social media influencers have built loyal followings that trust their opinions and recommendations. By partnering with influencers, brands can reach new audiences and build credibility with their existing followers.
Short Form Video Marketing
TikTok videos dominated the social media space in recent years. Many other platforms followed suit and copied the style – from Instagram Reels to YouTube Shorts to Twitter Fleets (which didn’t make it). Attention spans are short these days. If you have a talent for making concise videos that are attention-grabbing and interesting, then you certainly have a leg up in digital marketing. Don’t waste it.
Raw, Down-to-Earth Marketing
You’ll notice that many successful TikTok videos, whether for business or not, are quite candid and earnest in their delivery. Forget the fancy lighting, forget the super-calculated backdrops and props. People today respect and enjoy authenticity. Apply the Japanese concept of wabi-sabi, there is no need to find perfection. Once upon a time, a streamer called Ninja was the face of Twitch. The total subscribers he held during his record peak is still the 3rd highest in the platform even today. But then he started jazzing up his lifestyle to the max, pimping out everything to the point that his audience no longer resonated with his newfound lavish brand. Don’t become out of touch. Keep it real.
Social Commerce
Used to be that people really wanted websites. But I think websites are taking a backseat these days in favor of tools and services available off social platforms. Instagram and Facebook are increasingly becoming shopping destinations in their own right. By integrating e-commerce functionality into their platforms, these social media giants are making it easier than ever for consumers to discover and buy products directly from their feeds.
Social Responsibility and Ethics
It’s easy to get disheartened with the state of the world today. Scammers are everywhere. Never-ending wars. Climate change. Pollution. Corporate greed. Over-fishing. Royally entitled, easily offended snowflakes are everywhere. The narcissism epidemic. It’s a hot mess. So is it any wonder why people are appreciating good-natured businesses that practice ethics, kindness, and social responsibility? We need honest and humane businesses to flourish more than ever.
Business With Personality
Ever met someone with absolutely no personality? Ever compared someone to a dry biscuit? Some businesses fall into a similar category. On one hand, it’s totally fine to take the ‘safe’ approach and never show any form of corporate personality. On the other hand, when you do it right – it really really works. For example, I enjoy Nandos Malaysia’s branding because it is full of zest and personality.
This also means avoiding over-reliance on AI-generated copywriting since those texts tend to be cookie-cutter and devoid of any real human personality. People out there are going crazy with ChatGPT. But this is exactly the chance to not join the herd and stand out in your own way. Don’t be a dry biscuit.
Bold Colors are Trending
Marketing and color harmonies go hand in hand. We can’t discuss one without the other. So it’s a good idea to also follow graphics design trends.
Artificial Intelligence
Surely you knew this had to be here right? Everyone’s talking about AI these days. It is becoming an increasingly important tool in digital marketing. From chatbots that can handle customer service inquiries to predictive analytics that can help businesses make more informed decisions, AI is transforming the way we do marketing. By staying up-to-date with the latest trends and technologies, businesses can stay competitive and reach their audiences more effectively.
Podcasting
Podcasting is a form of digital media that involves creating audio files and distributing them online for listeners to download or stream. Popular podcast channels are gaining massive traction these days, and becoming quite an attractive option for savvy businesses to promote ads, brand shoutouts, or product placements.
SEO
I’d like to think that SEO is making a comeback of sorts. It used to be the catchword back in the day when it was even much less understood. And then a glut of dodgy ‘SEO specialists’ made everything smelly and turned people away. They promised to reveal SEO but in reality, their seminars were nothing more than glorified sales pitches for additional buy-ins and product subscriptions. But I think SEO is trending again under digital marketing umbrella keywords because the topic has become more accessible. And more than ever, there is a dire need for businesses to rank highly on search engines due to increasing population and competition.
Learn all about it by joining my SEO course.
And here is further reading on the hottest content marketing trends by SemRush.