Digital Marketing Trends That Will Continue in 2023

4 Digital Marketing Trends That Will Continue in 2023 & Beyond

Travis Dillard, 21 January 2022.

Digital marketing is constantly evolving to meet the changing consumer needs and leverage emerging technologies.

However, although digital marketing is changing, it's not doing so as rapidly as many people might think. Many of last years' trends remain relevant today – think SEO blogging, social media, and so on.

In other words, you won't have to change your marketing tactics and strategies every year. Instead, a few adjustments to what you're already doing will do just fine in most cases.

Fortunately for marketers, modern technology allows them to predict these sudden changes and adapt accordingly. It also allows them to determine which market trends are here to stay and which trends will be short-lived. Speaking of which, let's look at a few trends that will carry on in 2022.

1. Website content in 2022 and beyond

Content marketing has been the fundamental component of marketing strategies for some time now and will continue to do so in the future. That's for a good reason: content helps bolster your other marketing efforts, such as SEO, social media marketing and email marketing.

However, the way content is created and published changes year after year. For example, video content is more relevant today than using just articles or blog posts.

One of the best ways to establish a relationship with your target audience and communicate with them regularly is through content.

Moreover, even the search engines, Google included, provide recommendations for content creation so that content will be more visible and accessible in their search results.

That being said, Google wants content to be optimized for humans, meaning that accurate information, value and more focus towards search intent is a priority.

Here are a few things to consider for your website content marketing efforts

•   Use different content types, such as videos, podcasts, webinars and blog posts
•   Use different content formats, such as product reviews, demos, comparisons and how-to guides
•   Provide value with your content by addressing consumer pain points, providing information, education and entertainment, among other things
•   Use visual elements to make your content more appealing and engaging

2. Omnichannel marketing

Omnichannel marketing is a consumer-centric approach that provides customers access to products, services, support and custom offers throughout various channels, platforms and devices.

As you may already know, omnichannel marketing is a technique organizations use to provide their customers with a consistent brand experience in every step of their buyer's journey. That includes both offline and online touchpoints.

This approach enables a more impactful and seamless customer experience as they move down the sales funnel.

This isn't a new trend. In fact, omnichannel marketing has been around since 2010 as the next logical step away from multi-channel marketing and will continue thriving in 2022.

Therefore, if you were to hire a website development company from Los Angeles, for instance, to design your website and online store, you'd have to ensure that the same experience is available to customers on other channels and platforms.

That includes a brick-and-mortar store, social media platforms, mobile devices and other channels. That way, you create a unified experience where customers are exposed to your brand's influence everywhere they go.

Here's what your organization should focus on for an omnichannel experience:

•   Focus on data collection
•   Run a thorough data analysis
•   Map your customer journey
•   Clearly define your brand guidelines
•   Constantly test and optimize your strategies

3. Word-of-mouth marketing

Many brands spend a lot of resources on promotions and marketing campaigns. However, it's interesting that, in most cases, the main force behind their success is their customers.

You've probably heard of word-of-mouth marketing (WOM) and yes, this trend is still going strong.

The fact of the matter is that 91% of modern consumers read online reviews. That said, 84% of these consumers trust online reviews as much as they trust personal recommendations from family members or close friends.

When it comes to digital marketing strategies, word-of-mouth is still quite powerful. Simply put, online consumers trust other consumers more than they trust brands, which is quite logical when you look at it objectively.

Crafty marketers know how to turn this to their advantage and allow their customers to promote their businesses further. This trend will continue beyond 2022 because consumers won't take any company's word for granted any time soon.

Here's how to leverage WOM in 2023 and beyond

•   Encourage customers to leave reviews and comments on your website and social media pages
•   Showcase your user-generated content (UGC)
•   Collaborate with influencers in your industry or niche
•   Don't hide negative reviews
•   Encourage WOM promotions and referrals by offering incentives to customers

4. The rise of video

Video content is much more powerful these days than any other type of content. People simply want to watch things instead of reading about them.

Even though that's not the case all the time, most consumers prefer the video format over the others. Cisco predicted that 82% of global IP traffic will be video by 2022 compared to 75% back in 2017.

The fact of the matter is that consumers have got used to on-demand video content provided by platforms, such as Netflix, HBO, Amazon, Apple and Disney. The same goes for the marketing world.

There are tools available that make it easier to create high-quality video content. One such tool is VEED, an easy-to-use online video editing platform. It is equipped with features like video downloader, pre-made templates library, video translator, and other AI automated tools, making it accessible for businesses looking to make videos without extensive technical skills. 

Some interesting facts about video and why it makes sense to include video in your marketing strategy:

•   79% of consumers claim they've been convinced to purchase a product after watching a video
•   Video links in the landing pages improve conversion rates by 80%
•   YouTube became the second most visited website in the U.S.
•   Video became the most popular media in 2021, followed by blogs and infographics

Using video in your marketing efforts is pretty much mandatory, if you want the best results from your strategies and campaigns.

Although high-quality video production requires more effort and resources than producing any other type of content, it can still yield significant results in terms of ROI and other business benefits.

 

Final thoughts

Although emerging trends tend to be quite disruptive, marketers expect those and are more or less ready for them.

What really shapes the future of digital marketing is the trends that linger for years. These trends carry on from one year to the next. They are the foundation for every marketing campaign that's about to be created or modified.

Online consumer behavior is susceptible to changes, but consumers are still creatures of habit. They prefer to hold on to their preferences and expectations for as long as possible, which is what marketers are counting on when planning their future marketing efforts.

Author bio

Travis Dillard is a business consultant and an organizational psychologist based in Arlington, Texas. Passionate about marketing, social networks, and business in general. In his spare time, he writes a lot about new business strategies and digital marketing for DigitalStrategyOne.