Introduction
Do you feel the pull of new media? Consider this: how often do you use the internet in your daily lives? The number of social media apps you switch between on your phone? The answer, from experience, is too much. To imagine a life without digitalization is beyond understanding in today’s world; that is the pull and power of new, digital media. It is not just for personal use, though. Brands realize that they can use the digital world for marketing and promotional purposes.
Digital Marketing: What is it?
Digital marketing is when brands reach their audience to promote their products/services via the internet, mobile phones, social media platforms, and other digital options available to people.
Digital Marketing in 2020
While it is a universally accepted fact that 2020 has been an unfortunate end to the decade, that is not the case with digital media activities. Covid-19 pandemic and the ensuing need for social distancing made digitized activities a hit among people of all ages. For example, the use of e-commerce rose exponentially: a rise of 30.1% in e-commerce in just the first six months. People were stuck in their homes while schools/workplaces were shutting down- what else is there to do when binging Netflix gets boring after a while? Retail therapy, but make it online.
Digital Marketing Predictions for 2021
Digital marketing is on the rise and is likely to continue in 2021. Field experts have predicted a set of trends that you can use for your business to enhance productivity and get a better ROI. Lets look at the top digital marketing trends for 2021
- Social Media a leading channel for purchases
Late in 2020, Instagram introduced a Shop feature on its app. The feature allows users to browse through products and make purchases without leaving the app. Naturally, you can add this to your brand’s marketing strategy. Open your Instagram right now and look at all the brands on Instagram Shop. There are so many brands available to choose from. What are you waiting for? Become one of them!
- Virtual events / Live streams
Do you also get tons of notifications a day informing you that one of your friends has gone live on social media? It turns out that they are not the only ones doing it. There was a surge in virtual events in 2020, i.e., live streams of events that, under normal circumstances, would have been held in-person.
An example of such a virtual event is the Louis Vuitton show for Paris Fashion Week 2020. Brands took the opportunity to present their events via Facebook and Instagram live as entertainment during the harsh realities of the lockdown period. According to statistics, there was a rise of Instagram live viewing up to 70%- that is a considerable increase.
- Voice Search
An estimate of 3.25b people uses voice search. Let that sink in.
AI voice-activated technology like Amazon Alexa and siri has become quite popular as it can make calls, play music, read audiobooks, answer questions, and so much more. 71% of consumers prefer to make inquiries using voice search, making it a popular search method. Using it as a customer service tool can enhance your customers’ experiences. According to search engine journal, 2021 and beyond voice search plays a huge role in SEO.
- Rise of Chatbots
Have you seen the little chat box pop-ups when you visit a website, asking if you need help with anything? That little thing is called a Chatbot.
Companies use AI technology to communicate between a brand and its customers in real-time. Using it holds plenty of benefits for your business, number one being the availability for 24/7.
- Personalization
In today’s world, personalized marketing material for different target segments proves to be far more effective.
One of the most prominent examples of customized content is everyone’s best friend in 2020: Netflix. Statistics say 80% of people said they are likely to use brands that offer personalization. Following up on this could go a long way for your company, especially when the competition is high.
- Programmatic Advertising
AI technology has made possible what would have been impossible just a few decades ago. If you think about it, much of what brands achieve through digital marketing would have been regarded with suspicion, too, at that time.
Programmatic advertising is a tool whereby businesses buy ads via an automated system. It is time to invest in this type of ad buying as it is increasingly becoming a popular way for brands to advertise to their audience.
To Conclude
Digital marketing 2021 has a lot to offer to your business; the wide variety of platforms available to leverage your business launch your promotional activities, e.g., social media marketing, SMS marketing, chatbots, email marketing, etc. Want to tap into this world but do not know where to start? Home of Performance is a boutique digital marketing agency where we provide expert guidance on navigating digitalized ads and ensure that your business reaches the next level.
Got questions? Reach out to us.
