Times are evolving quicker than ever, and the internet, which used to be a tool used just for downloading illegal music, is more critical than ever. Each year, the latest market-leading strategies and marketing trends evolve as new technologies come to fruition. As a result, more and more businesses enter the space- 2021 isn’t any different than last year.
That said, marketing trends have always been very similar year after year and have seen little to no updates. However, that’s not the case in 2021. Nowadays, we live in strange times where consumer behavior is very challenging to predict, and marketing conventions are changing day-to-day according to this behavior.
In short, if you want to remain competitive in today’s demanding marketplace, staying up-to-date with the latest and greatest marketing trends is a no-brainer. Your business has to adapt to rapid changes if you don’t want it to be left behind.
But 2021 is the year business owners finally come to terms with the importance and dominance of digital marketing strategies and tactics. That said, let us take a look at some of the major marketing trends of 2021. Then, incorporate them into your general marketing strategies to reap countless benefits.
Video marketing
Video marketing is one of today’s most result-driven marketing strategies and an important one, for that matter. Over the years, we’ve seen video marketing evolve from viral videos to podcasts to webinars to vlogs and live streams. But, according to the latest marketing trends, it will continue to be the same for the foreseeable future.
According to recent studies, users spend around 100 minutes watching videos online every day, a 19 percent increase compared to 2019’s statistics. Studies also show that 52 percent of users who watched product ads and videos had more confidence in a product, which affected their purchase decisions.
Moreover, when it comes to video marketing, don’t only think about Youtube or other popular video streaming platforms. You can use tons of different ways to drive engagement and increase traffic. So, if you want to stay in the loop with the latest marketing trends, one way to do such a thing is through education.
To understand the field of marketing and its benefits, this is an excellent opportunity to enroll in an AACSB online MBA no GMAT required degree if you want to acquire business skills while remaining updated with current marketing trends.
Google Ads Smart Bidding
You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to know that the Covid-19 pandemic continues to affect the marketing world and users’ search behaviors in ways no one can imagine. So, it is unsurprising that Google decided to invest heavily in Smart Bidding and artificial intelligence, two things that every business owner uses to drive traffic and increase engagement.
With the help of Google Ads Smart Bidding, you only have to inform Google about your marketing campaigns, what you plan to achieve, and your target audience. Smart bidding will take care of the rest within the budget you’ve allotted to it. Not to mention, Google Ads works well for various PPC purposes like improving conversions, clicks, target impression share bidding, and much more.
Conversational Marketing
The sole reason marketers employ conversational marketing techniques is that they want to enhance user experience through the help of a feedback-driven business marketing model. In addition, conversational marketing is also multi-platform, meaning businesses get in touch with customers through various devices and online platforms without hassle.
Conversational marketing comprises three steps- understanding, engagement, and recommendation. When you start conversations with customers, you build trust in your brand and create ever-lasting relationships with your customers.
Personalized Marekting
Marketing continues to transform rapidly and is now an integral part of any business out there. Without marketing, you won’t have customers, and without customers, you won’t have any sales, resulting in no income. Not to mention, the Covid-19 pandemic is making matters worse for businesses looking to stay afloat in such pressing times.
However, businesses need to start personalizing their marketing efforts to stand out from the crowd, including adding a personal touch in multimedia, social media posts, emails, products, and other content. In fact, according to a study by Epson, eight percent of customers prefer doing business with brands that offer personalized experiences.
For instance, Cadbury utilized a personalized video marketing campaign that generated around 33.6 percent conversion rates and 65 percent click-through rates, a milestone. Both the study and example prove that personalized marketing is the way of the future as it generates better click-through and is an overall effective marketing strategy.
Visual Search
Is Visual search an effective tool in the digital marketing realm? Yes, it is! as technology is evolving faster than one could imagine, chances are you might no longer need a keyboard to type your queries online. Instead, people can upload an image of their choice on search engines these days and get more relevant search results. So if you’re searching for the latest marketing trends, look no further than visual search.
According to numerous reports, around 600 million searches are performed on Pinterest every month. That said, Pinterest isn’t the only website that utilizes visual search. Google has also taken advantage of this trend and developed Google Lens.
You have to open your Google Lens app on your phone, point it towards the product of your choice, and it will show you similar effects. In 2021, marketers and business owners can use visual search to increase traffic and edge their competition.
Conclusion
2020 was unforgeable for the marketing space. However, we’ve learned one thing- adaptability and flexibility are vital for a business’s survival, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic. Include these five marketing trends into your marketing strategy and focus more on what your customers desire the most- reliability, authenticity, searchability, and personal connection!
