As we get closer and closer to drawing the curtains on 2020, we can’t help but think ahead to next year and what it will bring – especially to the world of marketing. 2020 has been a turbulent and unpredictable year for us marketers, but a year that’s taught many lessons too. So, what have we learned and how should it influence your 2021 digital marketing strategy?
From the increasing prominence of social issues to the boom in e-commerce, in this blog, we want to discuss how 2020 has impacted digital marketing and the 5 key trends that we think will surface as we head into the New Year!
Having a more ‘personal’ touch
Internet and social media users are only becoming more aware of online advertising and, in turn, that can make it a bit more like white noise when they do see it – especially when it doesn’t fully pertain to their interests. They know it’s there, but they don’t get anything from it and, oftentimes, it may just be an irritation they ignore and scroll past.
If digital users are going to be advertised to, they want it to be personal to them and their needs. In our 2020 Luxury Watch Industry Insights report, we touched on marketing to affluent millennial audiences (millennial audiences are currently the demographic with the largest purchasing power and, therefore, an important demographic for companies across industries) and discovered that they valued 3 main things when it came to being advertised to; simplicity, personalisation, and transparency.
In fact, Salesforce’s State of Marketing Report 2020 confirmed this, stating that: “As customers navigate a series of “new normals”, personalised, empathetic engagement has never been more important. Delivering messages and offers that resonate with an individual’s unique needs and expectations requires deep insights.”
Data and its use is something we will touch on, but harnessing that data to make digital experiences more personalised is essential – a personalised email header isn’t enough to cut it any more! And, in the same Salesforce report, it was highlighted that UK markers are reporting a 144% increase in AI adoption since 2018 – AI is a key way to harness that data and provide those personalised experiences in a way that’s cost and time-efficient.
So, whether it’s running Dynamic Ads to show users products and services they want or implementing a chatbot to help users get the information they need quickly, consider how your business could make experiences more personalised in your 2021 digital marketing strategy.
Creating rich experiences; both online and offline
This may sound broad and that’s because it is. More than ever before, customers want to be provided with an ‘experience’, not just a product or service. This could be anything from immersive online content to a physical place that a person can interact with, photograph, and share on their social media.
When it comes to offline experiences, in our yet-to-be-released Hospitality Industry Insights Report (subscribe if you would like access to this when it is released), we delve into the importance of experiences as visitor attractions, restaurants, and hotels make their plan of action for their 2021 digital marketing output. In it, we discovered that 40% of consumers under 30 are prioritising “Instagrammability” of potential destinations when travelling and 84% of millennials say that they are likely to plan their own trip/holiday, and what they do on it, based on someone else’s social posts.
The experience you provide will likely be their next post on social media, providing you with user-generated content and free advertising. So, in short, what you offer has to be ‘picture-worthy’. If you have a physical, brick-and-mortar location, do you have something you can take advantage of that’s picture-worthy? If you don’t, it may be time to think about how you can make your space or your business more attractive to the generations who want to post about their experiences. After all, with 80 million Instagram posts per day, there’s no shortage of content being created – make sure you can be a part of it.
However, when it comes to online experiences, think about how you can make your content and ads more immersive. With so many interactive elements, particularly on social media; like polls, Q&As, live videos, and even quizzes; there are so many ways to turn your digital content into an engaging experience for your customers and followers. This makes you look more connected to your audience, increases their investment in and retention of your brand, and makes your business more attractive to those pesky algorithms.
However, most importantly, internet and social media users want to be engaged and giving them the opportunity to have their opinions heard doesn’t only improve the users’ experience, it also feeds into that desire for personalisation and individuality.
Being transparent and connecting with your consumer’s concerns
Again, it may seem a bit broad but connecting with your audience, and what they deem important, has now become essential – as does being transparent enough to give a view to the ways in which you show that connection. As consumer audiences become more populated with Gen Z and Millennials, their beliefs are shaping the way we market. In particular, sustainability, community support, equality, and inclusivity are all high on the agenda for what younger, influential consumers want from the businesses they invest in.
In fact, according to Sprout Social’s #BrandsGetReal study, 66% of people said that it was now “important” for brands to take a stand on current issues. And, in our Premium Drinks Industry Insights Report, we also discuss how other studies have shown that 92% of consumers hold a positive image of a company when it supports a social or environmental issue. On top of that, consumer habits are already changing because of this! According to Accenture, 41% of shoppers “have shifted… their business away from a retailer that does not reflect how important [identity and diversity] is to them.”
These are all things we knew in 2019, however, with the COVID-19 pandemic and social justice issues throughout the year, the focus and need for this have only been heightened in 2020. And, the impact has been global.
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