8 Digital Marketing Lessons To Scale Your Brand in 2021

• January 25, 2021
• Brigitte Evans

Digital marketing trends are evolving at an astounding pace. Parallel with them, customer preferences and expectations are also changing fast. They are often hard to predict..

Just remember that, a decade ago, technologies like artificial intelligence or machine learning were bordering science fiction. Today, they are the nerve center of any successful digital marketing strategy. To gain a competitive advantage in the hyper-competitive market, do not rely on guesswork anymore. Instead, keep tracking and implementing the hottest industry trends. You need to keep your finger on customers’ pulse to build user-centric marketing strategies. In this article, I will share eight powerful digital marketing trends that will help your brand thrive in 2021 and beyond.

1. Create Engaging Video Content

Video is taking content marketing to a whole new level. The popularity of videos is linked with the rise of mobile devices. Unlike articles that are hard to read on smaller screens, videos are more easily consumable on all devices. Most importantly, video allows you to present relevant data in a more engaging and user-friendly way. When created strategically, they can boost brand awareness, evoke emotions in customers, and build stronger relationships.

According to research studies, 70% of customers have shared a brand’s video, while 52% emphasize that watching product videos makes them more confident to make shopping decisions. Moreover, 68% of consumers say that short videos are their preferred way to learn about a new product. Video is also vital to the visibility of your website on Google. That is because people find video content more compelling and user-friendly. Therefore, Google ranks it higher in the organic search. In 2021, video content goes far beyond YouTube marketing. There are numerous video creation opportunities that can help you boost user engagement. For example, you can also create 360-degree video content, live videos, and shoppable videos on social networks.

2. Encourage User-Generated Content

Parallel with the rise of social networks, the importance of UGC has also grown. For brands targeting Millennial and Gen Z markets, that is one of the most valuable tactics. It makes your brand more relatable and trustworthy. For you, UGC is an opportunity to build trust with your target customers by showing photos created by your satisfied buyers. Most importantly, you can use user-generated content creatively. Encourage customers to create photos of your products by offering a valuable incentive, such as a gift or a discount. Consider partnering with customers to achieve a goal. You should also create and promote brand hashtags for customers to use to boost brand visibility.

For example, Aerie decided not to retouch the photos of models in their clothes. For every customer posting an unedited photo of themselves with a dedicated hashtag, the brand donates $1 to the National Eating Disorders Association. Campaigns like this help you boost brand awareness and trust. They engage users and encourage new audiences to discover and purchase your products. Studies found that 90% of shoppers say that UGC influenced their purchasing decisions more than any other advertising types.

3. Build a Recognizable Personal Brand

Today, customers have too many choices. They choose reliable brands they trust. And, to gain their trust, you need to establish an authentic and memorable brand. Now, you can do that in multiple ways

• Keep it consistent: Use brand elements, such as color schemes, typography, and tone of voice consistently across all digital channels.
• Personify your brand: Give your brand a unique personality. Many business owners decide to humanize their brand. Neil Patel uses the same profile photo across all digital channels, from his website to popular industry blogs. That is how you build stronger and more personal relationships with your target customers.
• Create valuable content: By producing articles, videos, infographics, email newsletters, and social posts, you will position yourself as an authoritative industry player. People will take your tips more seriously and start following you to get informed about your latest content.

4. Use Augmented Reality and Immersive Technologies

Gartner estimates that 70% of companies will be implementing immersive technologies by 2020. Brands are increasingly using augmented reality to boost user experiences and maximize sales. For example, Elite Body Contouring, one of Australia’s most renowned body contouring clinics, hired a website design agency from Sydney to help them create an immersive 360-degree virtual tour of their clinic. When combined with other website design and marketing practices, the use of AR helped them boost rankings in the local search by 132% and website visits by 65%. Sephora’s Virtual Artist is another example of how AR can boost user experiences. Their app allows customers to upload their photos and virtually try on makeup products. That way, they can choose the right item and make purchasing decisions without going to a physical store.

5. Deliver Consistent Brand Experiences across All Digital Channels

Having a website or blog is not enough to attract the right audiences and convert them. As you can see from the examples mentioned above, the use of mobile devices continues to grow. Customers are getting more tech-savvy. They use multiple digital channels to connect with brands. That is why you need to have a strategic omnichannel marketing strategy. Omnichannel marketing requires promoting your brand across multiple platforms, such as your website, blog, email, social networks, apps, etc. That way, customers can connect with you across various touchpoints. This boosts customer experiences and encourages them to purchase from you.

However, just because you already use the channels mentioned above does not mean you are rocking omnichannel marketing. This way of brand promotion is all about brand consistency. No matter if a user lands on your Facebook page or email newsletter, they should immediately recognize your brand. Do not experiment with your brand features. Determine your brand voice, message, and design and present it consistently across all media you use. That is how you build brand awareness and gain customer trust.

6. Create Interactive Content

Over the past few years, we have witnessed a shift from traditional content forms toward interactive ones. According to research studies, 91% of customers are actively searching for interactive content. It helps them feel more involved in the purchasing process. For example, customers love quizzes because they help them reveal something new about themselves. Most importantly, quizzes are more engaging than traditional forms on your website. A quiz app collects customer data and provides them with relevant product recommendations. Additionally, you can also create:

• Interactive emails.
• Polls and surveys.
• Calculators.
• Interactive infographics.

7. Leverage Artificial Intelligence

By 2025, AI will turn into a $190 billion industry. AI provides a sales and marketing opportunity for businesses across various industries. It can enhance your digital marketing and branding in multiple ways. With AI, you can analyze massive chunks of customer data and put them to use. That way, you can build data-driven marketing strategies and deliver highly personalized user experiences. One of the most impressive examples of artificial intelligence in customer service is chatbots. They use natural language processing, an AI technology that “understands” customer questions and responds in a natural way. You can use chatbots to streamline product orders, deliver product recommendations, provide faster feedback, and follow back on customers.

8. Combine Influencer Marketing and Live Streaming

Influencer marketing is one of the most effective forms of word-of-mouth marketing. It focuses on building relationships with social media celebrities, bloggers, or YouTube stars to put your brand in front of wider audiences. The best thing about influencer marketing is that it is more authentic and personal than traditional brand advertising. According to research Edelman studies, 63% of customer trust influencers’ product recommendations, while 58% of customers have purchased a product because of an influencer’s recommendation.

One of the latest trends dominating influencer marketing is live streaming. Since in-person events are canceled due to Coronavirus, the number of people tuning into live-streams has grown. The number of live viewings on Facebook has risen by 50% during the lockdown, while on Instagram, that number reached 70%. Given that the use of TikTok skyrocketed in 2020, this social network may become a differentiator for influencer marketing in 2021. Influencer live streams build customer trust and deliver exciting user experiences. Since the pandemic, influencers use Amazon Live to promote their favorite products during live events. The best thing, the content was shoppable, meaning customers could buy products while watching.

Ready to Boost your Digital Marketing Efforts in 2021?

There is no doubt that digital marketing will continue to evolve in 2021. Many factors impact its further growth, and one of them is the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to social distancing measures, customers will focus more on online purchases. For brands, that means delivering seamless online shopping experiences. From AI to immersive technologies, use technology to build data-driven and user-centric marketing strategies. Most importantly, do not forget to measure results and tweak your tactics accordingly!

What are your thoughts on these digital marketing trends? Have you already implemented them in your marketing campaigns? Please, share your experiences with us on Twitter! If you enjoyed this Mod, you might like to read more about these 7 apps for making friends from home! Please share this Mod using the social links below.

Tagged in : Marketing2021