Technology races ahead each year, introducing new, trendy social media apps, improved smartphones, and other tech advancements poised to revolutionize your digital marketing game. To help you streamline the excitement, we’ve compiled a list of the digital marketing trends that a digital marketing agency should keep an eye on in the upcoming year.
1) Optimizing for voice search
Digital assistants like Siri, Alexa, Cortana, and Google’s assistant are popular, simplifying web searches without phones. In 2021, 20% of searches were voice-based. Refine your SEO for voice searches, focusing on conversational phrases users might use. For instance, from typing to voice asking for “great Middle Eastern cuisine in Dubai.”
2) Online privacy and tracking mechanisms
Google aims to enhance internet privacy by eliminating third-party cookies, affecting the display of onsite and banner ads. Firefox and Safari have already stopped supporting them. Despite cookies vanishing by 2023, Google and other platforms are developing alternate algorithms for ads, urging adaptation through contextual advertising and strategic keyword usage.
3) Mobile alerts
Leverage this tool to prompt customers about scheduled appointments, instantly share digital receipts, and advertise upcoming sales. With an estimated 7.1 billion mobile users in 2021, the likelihood is high that your clientele owns smartphones. Push notifications provide a direct channel to reach them, delivering personalized messages via message bubbles or SMS on their mobile screens.
4) Feed commerce
For e-commerce, utilize social media’s shoppable posts by linking Facebook/Instagram to your catalog for direct purchasing. Google Ads presents in-feed shopping campaigns, tied to your catalog, and displayed as shoppable images. Craft ads, define search terms, set parameters like location and inventory, allowing Google to remove sold-out items.
5) Visual promotions
People spend an average of 100 daily minutes watching online videos, a popular Facebook activity. Engage this audience by crafting video ads. Options include YouTube/Vimeo channels for education, TikTok content for connection, and using common hashtags for visibility. For sporadic content creation, opt for 10-15 sec OTT ads atop other videos.
6) Engaged media
Audiences favour brand engagement on social media and various platforms. Interactive content enables real-time conversations with your followers. Utilize tools like Instagram Live or Facebook Live, enabling direct interaction during video recordings. Host engaging events like Q&A or “ask me anything” to connect with customers. Promote these events beforehand for increased participation, ensuring a quality streaming setup for a successful experience.
7) Text promotions
Engage clients via direct text, an aspect of digital marketing trends. Use SMS along with push notifications and emails, sending messages once clients opt-in. Common uses are promos, coupons, and personalized brief messages, ensuring opt-out options for customers.
As a digital marketing agency, you need not tackle all 7 digital marketing trends at once. Research each thoroughly, selecting those aligning with your clientele. Integrate chosen tools into your strategy, starting with one. As you get comfortable, experiment with more, enjoy business growth or prioritize digital marketing services.
