It doesn't matter if it's the end, middle or beginning of the year: marketing trends appear when we least expect them. That's why it's very important to be aware of them and to know them perfectly, as they are a crucial tool to take a business to the next level.
It's a fact that we live in a digital world, and when it comes to marketing, this space is the one to take advantage of to launch successful campaigns. Today we are going to talk to you about 10 new marketing trends that you should know about if you want to achieve success in all facets of your business.
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10 marketing trends for the future
The future of marketing and business is becoming more diverse, inclusive and connected to the real needs of customers. You can see these characteristics in the trends below:
#1 Social impact strategy at the forefront of business
Brands taking a stand for their values is nothing new, but putting social causes at the forefront of their digital marketing strategy reflects a shift in the way brands are positioning themselves in response to world events.
And we're not just talking about reacting to catastrophes or socio-political events. Consumers want brands that take the initiative in an authentic and conscious way, that focus on the values and morals they stand for.
In digital marketing terms, embedding social causes into your brand's overall mission is not a "trend" as such, but a natural effect of what it means to be a values-driven brand in today's world. Your social content, your graphics, the subject lines of your emails... everything should be influenced by and feed back into your social impact strategy.
#2 More trust in influencer marketing
Influencer marketing may not seem new, but the way brands are investing in and working with influencers to reach their audiences is constantly changing. Influencer marketing is a way to build real connections and increase engagement with the brand.
The growth of this type of strategy is due to several factors. One of them is that sponsored content on social networks is appearing prominently, as platforms are adapting their algorithms. In addition, more than 80% of users trust a recommendation more when it comes from the profile of a user they follow.
can't afford to hire a famous influencer with millions of followers? No problem - in fact, according to HubSpot, more than 56% of marketers who invest in influencer marketing work with micro-influencers.
Micro-influencers are social media promoters with a smaller number of followers (typically in the thousands to tens of thousands of followers). Although they have fewer followers, their posts tend to have more impact due to their higher level of engagement.
These influencers have also found a niche in their industry and have started to play a bigger role in converting leads, connecting with audiences and increasing brand awareness.
#3 Authentic and humanised branded content
It's not just Generation Z looking to connect with brands on a deeper level. Given recent world events, almost everyone is looking for light relief in their daily lives, including how they align with brands.
Creating digital content that offers a real, human personality, with humour, vulnerability, honesty and everything we look for in our interpersonal relationships, is one of the best ways to build customer loyalty.
Ultimately, we are moving away from perfectly crafted social feeds and into a more realistic, gritty and untouched space. Consumers want to know that the people behind the brands are living the same experiences they are, in the same world. They want to identify with your brand on a more personal and meaningful level before they buy your brand or service. For once, society prefers realism to aspiration.
#4 Multi-channel social media marketing
Just a few years ago, you didn't have to worry much about social networks other than Facebook. Everyone was there and everything happened there.
But not in 2023. Facebook is not extinct yet, but if you really want to be a good social media marketer, you have to manage a lot of different channels.
The platform that has been getting the most attention lately is TikTok. It has gained a lot of popularity in the last few years, and now brands are seeing a lot of potential in marketing on TikTok.
The TikTok story shows us that we must be prepared for any new platform that may appear on the market. Young people (Gen Z and the next generation) are especially prone to jumping ship to the new and never looking back.
Therefore, carrying out multi-channel strategies on the different social networks of the moment is a perfect opportunity to raise awareness of your brand and attract potential customers.
#5 Aligning sales and marketing teams towards the same goals
When sales, marketing and customer service are in sync, it helps optimise operations and increase revenue.
Companies have two goals: to serve their customers and to generate revenue. Both goals are interrelated: one cannot be achieved without the other. The importance of the RevOps movement starts here.
Revenue Operations (RevOps) refers to the integration of marketing, sales and customer service into a single effective strategy. It is gaining ground in B2B organisations, as it is a method for increasing productivity and growth.
According to Cyberclick, companies that have implemented this strategy have grown three times faster. Scaling revenue alone is not a viable option.
The use of technology will be essential to unify the work of these teams. The use of a good CRM such as HubSpot, for example, will be essential.
#6 TikTok's short videos
There is no doubt that TikTok videos were the most popular type of content on social media last year. They were so successful that many other major social media platforms copied the style: in recent years, we have seen the rise of Instagram Reels (later copied to Facebook), YouTube Shorts, and even Twitter tried its hand at Fleets (retiring in 2021).
One thing is certain: our attention span is getting shorter and shorter. Of course, there are still plenty of captivating videos on YouTube, but the short video format is a completely different content. You can check out TikTok on your way to work or before you go to bed to pass the time.
Here's a challenge for you as a marketer: use the first few seconds of the video to grab the user's attention and try to keep your brand in their memory. Probably not every company has the potential to go viral, but at the same time, Ryanair and Duolingo are quite successful when it comes to TikTok views.
#7 SEO is still key to attracting search traffic
As marketers, we need to ensure that our websites and content are as findable as possible, especially on Google, which can provide both short and long-term traffic benefits. And while SEO is not new, its strategies are becoming more and more ingrained in today's marketing strategies.
When it comes to which trend marketers will spend the most money on in 2023, according to HubSpot, SEO ranks third, behind short-form video and influencer marketing, and 88% of marketers with an SEO strategy will increase or maintain their investment in 2023, a slight increase from the previous year (84%).
As the interest and need for SEO strategies grows, so do all search optimisation opportunities. With the evolution of Google's algorithms, SEO has become much more than producing basic messages that respond to simple search queries. Now, brands are investing in SEO experts who can help them with everything from search reports to multimedia optimisation.
#8 User-generated content for users
Actually a strategy closely linked to influencer marketing, user-generated content (UGC) campaigns have become an important part of today's strategies.
This is original brand-specific content, created by an influencer or by the general public, in a variety of formats: images, videos, testimonials, even podcasts! User-generated content can be used at all stages of the conversion funnel to influence content and inspire buying decisions of the target audience. User-generated content is 42% more effective than branded content and has 6.9 times more engagement than your own branded messages.
If you have the opportunity, don't hesitate to include UGC in your strategies. Users want to see more and more authentic content, and platforms are increasingly relying on native content, even for use in ads.
#9 Customer experience remains key
As we move more and more into the digital world, customer experience has become an even more important part of business strategy. Reviews and opinions on almost everything can now be found in a matter of seconds.
If a company offers a bad customer experience, it won't take long for the word to spread. Customers will start to avoid their products and look for alternatives.
There is no excuse for poor customer service in 2023.
Your digital marketing strategy should focus on giving customers the best experience. Your website should be easy to use and fast. Don't hide vital information from users. Work on a clear site structure. And finally, take advantage of chatbots or other solutions to facilitate customer contact.
#10 Account-Based Marketing: content, technology and commercial actions
This is a trend focused mainly on B2B companies. Account-based marketing is based on the identification of key accounts or prospects for a business. From the location of potential customers, it is about sales and marketing teams working on personalised and high-value buying experiences for these key accounts. In fact, the sales cycle with an ABM strategy is considerably simplified and accelerated.
An ABM strategy results in generally faster and more specialised sales cycles, which increases the relevance of your business and improves ROI.
