Digital marketing has become quite literally the most effective strategy for growth in the wake of the internet, and more specifically, social media and digital advertising. With nearly 4 billion social media users globally, and more businesses transitioning to an online presence by the day, the importance of having an effective digital marketing strategy is becoming more and more clear.
To be specific, online advertising has become the new television commercial; the new main street billboard. The best part? Results come at a fraction of the cost, yet return multiples of what traditional marketing advertisements would convert.
The value of having an online presence in business is becoming undeniable, even necessary. Those without a well-thought-out digital strategy will inevitably fall to the wayside and suffer the consequences. Contrastingly, those who understand its importance & implement it effectively will inevitably reap the rewards.
Growing a business in today’s competitive landscape requires an efficient and effective strategy… Without one, your business is likely running itself blind. So, for those ready to take their business to new heights, it’s imperative to remain up-to-date with the latest digital marketing & advertising trends of 2022 and beyond…
Top 4 Digital Trends for 2023
The rate at which the online advertising arena is growing is something that we haven’t yet experienced before. As such, it can be difficult to remain atop the latest in digital trends.
Luckily, we’ve researched and outlined the most prominent trends so that you don’t have to… Below are the top four (4) digital marketing and advertising trends
E-Commerce Meets Social
While the shopping feature and swipe-up feature have been a familiar integration in recent years, most notably on Instagram, there’s since been a major push toward making e-commerce a mainstream social component.
What was once an exclusive feature available only to verified and highly followed accounts is now available to the masses. Whether a small business, influencer, or large organization, the ability to link to your website, share products and services, and allow purchase actions can now take place within the confines of your social media platform.
Again, while this isn’t a “new” feature, its evolution is certainly something to keep an eye on. Who knows, before you know it you might just be able to voice what you want, say “purchase” and the action will be complete.
In short, what’s to come is a major shift from separating e-commerce and social, to a cohesive, one-stop-shop approach; consumers will have the ability to shop to their heart's content, all in the convenience of their social media feeds.
Prioritization of Video Content
Content marketing at large is as valuable a strategy as any, primarily for its communication capabilities but also for how effectively it increases engagement and retention. Whether your goal is to build brand awareness, increase trust, and/or boost credibility, content marketing is an incredible tool to do so; in an age where attention spans are so low, this is something you’ll certainly want to take advantage of…
While all types of content are appropriate respectively, video content has become a primary means of consumption in recent years, not merely since the rise of TikTok.
As a marketing professional, you evidently want to place your energy and focus where the majority of eyes reside. Well, at present, most spend time-consuming video content. To illustrate its prevalence, let’s share a few mind-boggling statistics:
First, 78% of online users say that they watch videos weekly, with more than half admitting to consuming videos daily. Moreover, the average weekly watch time of those who consume video content is 16 hours! As for its effectiveness from a marketing standpoint, of those who consume video, 95% absorb its messaging. Finally, 81% of all social media users report preferring video content over any other type of content.
If that’s not enough to convince you, we’re not sure what is…
Mobile Optimization
Nearly 75% of all online purchases now occur on mobile. In 2021 alone, online e-commerce sales via a mobile device reached nearly $360 billion. This number, of course, is only presumed to continue to grow.
Evidently, mobile-friendly content is essential, both in the context of organic content and paid advertising alike. Unfortunately, many businesses and brands fail to understand its importance…
To illustrate its importance regarding SEO, mobile devices account for over 50% of all search engine clicks. Further, by 2023, it’s predicted that mobile advertising will count for over 50% of overall advertising spend, overtaking the focus on desktop at the end of this year.
By ignoring such prevalent opportunities, you’re inevitably missing out on these staggering numbers; something you surely don’t want to miss out on… Simply put, to increase overall conversion rates and boost total ROI, you must optimize for mobile.
While optimizing your digital advertisements for mobile may impede existing strategies, it remains imperative to stay relevant in today’s online ecosystem. With that said, here are a few key features to prioritize: responsive web design, content compression (i.e. image and video quality), and increased checkout and load speeds.
Other considerations include pop-up redesigns, mobile app development, and crawling for features that aren’t mobile-friendly…
Privacy and Data Security
Google has since implemented a major phase-out pertaining to data restriction via the removal of the third-party cookie. If you’re in the digital advertising space, you’ve likely foreseen this happening. If not, however, here’s what you need to know…
While certain individuals will certainly get hit by this major change, it doesn’t mean that advertisers can no longer track users. It also doesn’t mean that there will no longer be cookies. What it does mean is that the way in which you can track users will be much different. Take Google’s new Privacy Sandbox, for example. Since its inception, businesses can now track an enormous amount of people without the need to breach data or the privacy of singular users. The best of both worlds, right?!
Remember, this doesn’t mean it’s the end of tracking and targeting; two very important factors of online advertising. It simply means adaption and adjustments will be required. Change is difficult, but it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s negative.
A Final Word
As we’ve discussed throughout, digital advertising is important, valuable, and imperative to a business's success. Not only does it allow a business to gain traffic, earn trust in the market, and build brand awareness, but it also ensures a greater ROI, rapid growth, and ultimately a shift in the bottom line.
Without an effective digital adverting and marketing strategy, your business is likely set up for failure… Unless you keep up to date with the aforementioned digital trends at those that follow! Good luck!