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What’s the next big thing in digital marketing?

It’s the question at the top of everyone’s minds as we say goodbye to the past year and usher in a new one – with, ideally, a fresh start, fresh ideas, and enhanced results. 

Top Trends in Digital Marketing 2023

1. Email Marketing Leading the Way

Email marketing. It is not new. It is not flashy. What it is… incredibly effective and the next big thing in digital marketing. Just like it has been. 

Email marketing is far and away one of the best (some may argue the best) methods at your disposal. Expect this stalwart to charge into 2023 like a boss. It will become even more important for small businesses, given its accessibility – and the ubiquity of email. 

It will also become an even more invaluable tool for product launches. Use email subscriber lists to connect with existing customers and those who may have signed up but not yet made a purchase. Your targeted messages can help you improve profit margins as you introduce new and exciting offerings. 

2. Strategic Zero-Party Data Gathering

When it comes to data, we cannot get enough. It is more important than ever to effective strategy development and marketing. The issue is that stricter privacy laws have forced a change in how we gather that data. We’re all for it; maintaining privacy and ensuring your personal information is only shared when and with whom you want is critical. 

That said, we will see a rise in zero-party data gathering practices. Zero-data information is that which is obtained when customers voluntarily, consensually, and intentionally share information with brands. Vehicles included quizzes, polls, messages with customers, website activity, etc. Building easy, quick, and effective forms is going to be big in the coming year. 

3. Strong Influencer-Brand Relationships

From time immemorial, word of mouth has been the most effective way to spread the word about businesses, products, and services. People trust their peers more than they do brands (at least until they build a relationship), so leveraging the experiences of customers is invaluable.  Influencer marketing is a logical extension of word of mouth. And it can be very effective. On average, you can expect a return of $5.20 for $1 spent.

Not new to the new year, influencer marketing is evolving. It’s about building authentic, genuine relationships with their target audience through carefully selected brand ambassadors. They needn’t have 10 million followers; a micro-influencer who has sway with your target customers is even more effective – and real. 

4. Rich Content Sources

Content plays an integral role in digital marketing strategies – and it is dynamic. In 2023, we will still need blog posts, articles, whitepapers, ebooks, and other written assets that allow people to research, dig in, and answer questions. Offering a wealth of options is essential. This includes:

• Live Streaming and Video-Based Content.  Video-based content is incredibly effective in capturing the attention span of fickle and media-saturated consumers quickly. Look for more opportunities to integrate TikTok and instagram reel-style content into your strategy. Live streaming is also appealing as we spend about 550 billion hours streaming collectively.

• User-Generated Content. Another vital form of word of mouth, UGC is relevant, original, and authentic. Ideas include unboxing videos, reviews, #OOTD (outfit of the day) type posts, branded hashtags, and more.

• Ready Resources. Consumers don’t want to talk to you. Yet. But they do want you to answer their questions, provide information, and tell them what they need to know. Having a solid bank of content – in all formats – is critical in creating memorable and compelling touchpoints.
• Interactive Content. Rather than static content and passive consumption, today’s best digital marketing strategies integrate dynamic, interactive experiences. These can include games, quizzes, calculators, assessments, interactive maps, scrollytelling, contests, and interactive videos.

5. Conversational Marketing

One of the most important trends in digital marketing for 2023 is a move towards proactive strategies. For example, rather than leading people to a data capture form and waiting for them to take action, savvy brands use AI automation and targeted messages to engage with visitors. Intelligent chatbots can have fairly sophisticated conversations, which allows for anytime, all the time, touchpoints.

6. VR and AI

We’ll see more integration of VR and AI in marketing strategies. These allow for a rich customer experience for prospects and customers. Sephora’s Virtual Artist app is just one tool that has seen massive engagement and success. We’re going beyond this now, so you can expect more innovative usage and tools on the horizon. AI will also play a large role in everything from data gathering to analysis. By achieving a better understanding of their customers, brands can customize content, optimize their spending, and create personalized experiences. 

7. Social Awareness

Already important, it will become even more essential that brands practice social responsibility. Over half of US consumers consider a company’s values as they make purchase decisions, and 66% are willing to pay more to buy from brands that have a strong commitment to social causes. Marketing will appeal to those who want to make a positive impact with their money. Brands can spread awareness of key issues, direct a portion of their profits to a charity, hold company-wide community service events, etc. 

It will also become even more critical to embody inclusion and representation in marketing. Consumers expect it and most want to see a variety of races, body types, ages, orientations, etc., in campaigns. 

8. Outsourcing Digital Marketing Needs

And finally, more businesses will seize the opportunities that 2023 brings by outsourcing their digital marketing needs to an external agency. It is difficult, particularly for small companies, to do it all in-house, and by working with a trusted partner, they can leverage vast experience, expertise, knowledge, and how-how.

Don’t miss out on the next big thing in digital marketing. Contact THAT Agency today for more information about what we can do for your business.