ZenChange Marketing recently held a webinar to discuss digital marketing strategy trends in 2021. This article is based on our discussion.
The shift from 2020 to 2021 is going to be huge in digital marketing.
The speed of 5G networks, which are expected to be more broadly available over the next year, will make people even more connected to the web than they are now (as hard as that might be to picture). People will rely on personalized content, such as social media, blogs, and podcasts, and less on mass media like TV and radio.
Since video content is going to continue to be essential for businesses on social media, 5G’s arrival couldn’t be more timely.
Voice search is another trend to keep an eye on since people tend to ask their devices questions in a similar way to how they would as a human.
The pandemic has brought greater globalization as online activity has surged. We are witnessing the growth of cross-border e-commerce and the exponential growth of online marketplaces like Amazon.
We may not be Amazon, but small businesses like ZenChange Marketing have experienced major changes all the same because of COVID-19. From strategy to tech, communication and digital presence, the bar has been raised—consumers expect more from a digital experience.
According to Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, referring to the world’s increased reliance on technology for work and commerce, after COVID-19 passes, we are not going to be returning to “the same economy [of recent years], we’re going back to a different economy.” As small business owners, our digital marketing strategy needs to align with this sentiment.
If you want to succeed in 2021, keep your eye on these trends.
Digital Marketing Strategy + Marketing Trends
The pandemic has been painful for many businesses, but many of them found ways to move their operations online. Now more than ever, it is clear that every business needs a website and some sort of online engagement to stay competitive.
COVID-19 is not going away anytime soon, so if you have not done so already, you need to pivot your business to include at least some online functionality. Here are six things you can do right now to make a difference:
- Ask for more online reviews
- Tap into mobile communication for business
- Implement ADA compliance on your site
- Offer online payment options
- Consider launching a learning platform to educate your audience
- Engage with your audience on social media
Social Media Trends
Over the past decade, using social media for business has shifted from a marketing exception to a marketing rule. Approximately 3.8 billion people use social media. You might be wondering how you can possibly sift through all the different platforms to find your ideal audience. A good place to start is by trying each of them out.
These statistics and facts might help you decide:
- On Instagram, 90% of users follow a business, which makes engagement highly likely.
- Facebook is where business decision makers spend their time. If yours is a B2B company, this is where you should be.
- Out of all the social media platforms, LinkedIn offers perhaps the highest ROI for leads. A majority of users—62% to be precise—report that the platform generates 1-2x more leads than the next highest performing platform.
- As demonstrated by the 77% of users who have a more positive outlook on a company after their tweet gets answered, Twitter is great for customer service.
Facebook Ad Trends
Facebook Ads are always high performers for small businesses. Here are some trends that you should include in your digital marketing strategy.
Mark Zuckerberg recently said that video will dominate Facebook by 2022. As AI and machine learning improve, Facebook’s algorithm will become more adept at picking content for users, which will help you find your target audience more easily.
This year, even though more people were using Facebook, ad pricing fell by as much as 50% in March. To take advantage of this opportunity, you need to create an amazing offer and use video to attract clicks. But before you do, make sure you are familiar with Facebook’s ad policies if you don’t want to get bogged down.
SEO + Web Security Trends
Search Engine Optimization continues to be integral to online revenue generation and engagement in 2021. As we have seen in the last few years, mobile is one of the most popular ways customers find what they need. Now that 60% of all Google searches are done on a mobile phone, you need to make sure your site is mobile-friendly.
Similarly, voice search is expected to grow in popularity in 2021. By 2022, voice retail sales may reach up to $40 billion!
But don’t let those trends convince you that traditional content is losing importance—long-form content is one of the most popular things to share on social media. Plus, creating new content always helps boost your site’s SEO.
Security will also become more critical than ever in 2021. From secure passwords to firewalls and SSL certificates for your website, you need to keep things locked down to prevent a major data breach.
Video Trends
Video is a great way to build trust and engagement on social media. To create effective video content as a part of your digital marketing strategy, you need to do six things:
- Tell a story – Storytelling is a powerful part of being human. We are wired to respond to stories.
- Rehearse – Unless you are a master of improv, don’t just start filming. Know what you are going to say and how you are going to say it before recording.
- Light it up – Good lighting is easier to achieve than ever. Consider investing in a lighting ring to keep the shadows off your face.
- Make Yourself Be Heard – Good sound is just as important as quality picture in video marketing. You will probably need to invest in an external microphone for better sound.
- Use the right software – Don’t use internet-dependent software like Zoom to record your videos. Instead, record directly to your computer using QuickTime or something similar.
- Once you complete your video, promote it – There’s no point in creating content if no one’s going to see it. Make sure you promote your videos wherever possible, especially on social media.
Design Trends
In terms of digital design, 2021 is going to be quite a bit more soothing and fluid than this year has been. Dark mode—once an accessibility feature for a few apps and websites—is going to be a conscious design element for many websites in the coming year. Lots of creators are also including gradients in their designs for the web.
Large hero text and abstract shapes are also going to be a big focus for web design next year, as well as muted color palettes. For the font enthusiasts among us, serif fonts are making a comeback. Lastly, for all that video content you are about to create, know that text-heavy video is a trend that you will see quite a bit this year.
Bring Your Digital Marketing Strategy Back Better and Stronger in 2021
Now that you know what to expect for 2021, why not get the ball rolling? Get in touch with our team at ZenChange Marketing today so that we can discuss your goals for the next year!