[vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″ shape_divider_position=”bottom”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text]It’s always important to reflect on past marketing efforts to see what worked and what didn’t. But it’s equally important to look ahead to see what trends are out there and which ones we should implement to stay updated and relevant to our audiences. With changes in customer behavior, algorithms, and updates in technology, marketing evolves fast. Although it might feel as if last year’s restrictions put us at a complete stand-still, the challenges with social distancing forced us to adapt to the situation and find new ways to talk to our leads and customers. As predicted, those experiences also shaped the marketing trends in 2021.
In this post, we listed 4 of the top marketing trends in 2021. The trends that you see here are all practices you could apply to your marketing right away. While doing this trendspotting, we also noticed that you could say that they have something in common.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″ shape_divider_position=”bottom”][vc_column boxed=”true” column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text]
Join our webinar where we go a bit deeper into the top marketing trends in 2021. Click here for more info and sign-up.
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Video in marketing 2021 edition
To be honest, video marketing isn’t anything new. It has topped the trendspotting lists for the past couple of years as video continues to be the most preferred content type out there. A bit more than 27% of online viewers watch more than 10 hours of online video every week. Many marketers have already embraced video marketing, with great results; 84% of them say that videos have helped them get more leads. The ones that have yet to add videos to their marketing mix have a big opportunity ahead as the video internet traffic continues to grow.
But this year around, there’s a bit of a different angle to why video marketing is on this list, and that’s live streaming. More platforms are supporting live streaming, Linkedin for example. Although it relates to the gaming industry, the fact that the live streaming viewership increased by 99% in just one year, tells us there’s a big opportunity in live streams. So what is it that’s so special with live videos? The answer is pretty simple; compared to “normal” videos, the live setting gives your audience a chance to feel included. After what we’ve all been through recently, we are all starving for a personal touch. Although it’s a screen between you and the viewer, the live videos build a personal connection.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″ shape_divider_position=”bottom”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text css_animation=”none”]
User-generated content
Content pieces about your product are important to help a potential buyer to get to know you and the product. But the biggest factor that decides if they are going to buy or not is the opinion of your other customers; they’re the ultimate proof that you can be trusted. 84% of consumers say that they consider recommendations from friends or peers the most trustworthy over all other forms of advertising. In other words, a happy customer is the best promotion you can get, especially if they’re satisfied enough to write a review or post about you. Examples of user-generated content could be unboxing videos, reviews, or photos when they use your product. As with video marketing, user-generated content isn’t new per se. But since companies haven’t been able to meet customers and perhaps create content in the way that they’re used to, you can expect to see that companies let the users and customers help out a bit more with content marketing.
So here’s what it tells us; don’t forget to create a strategy for your already existing customers. What actions and type of content would you like your customers to do? Ask them to do it. And do the same thing with reviews; don’t be afraid to ask your customers to write a review. If they’re happy with you, they are often more than happy to let their friends and peers know so.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″ shape_divider_position=”bottom”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text]
End of third-party cookies – power to email marketing
To make sure that visitors get a digital experience that is personalized for their interests, websites use cookies. It means that when someone visits a website, a small piece of code is added to their browser. Companies can then use that information to improve the user experience and target them with relevant ads. But even though visitors accept the use of cookies when entering a site, cookies have become quite problematic when it comes to privacy and security. The Firefox and Safari browsers have already phased out third-party cookies, and Google announced that they will be phased out from the Chrome browsers as well by 2022.
This will lead to changes in how we can target ads, but another conclusion we can draw from this is that companies need become more content marketing-focused. We need to make sure that we provide enough value so that users and leads opt-in themselves to hear from us. This brings all the “power” to your owned marketing channels. Call it an email marketing revival if you will. Perhaps not a revival per se, email marketing is still one of the most successful marketing channels out there in terms of ROI. But the point here is that you can’t rely on third-party cookies any longer, but focus instead on how to get opt-ins from leads with valuable content that will have them stick around for a long time with good content and a strong lead nurture strategy.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″ shape_divider_position=”bottom”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text]
Strengthen your content marketing
We spend a great number of hours producing great content to catch the eyes of leads and search engines. When we’re happy with it, we post it in our channels and move on over to the next content masterpiece. That means that your content only has one shot in channels where everyone’s competing about grabbing eyeballs. This year’s content marketing trend is a reminder to focus more on promotion rather than production. A good rule is 20% on producing the content and 80% on promoting it. So how can we max our content pieces? One way is to re-use and re-purpose, where you could convert your piece into different content formats; one blog post can turn into 7 different social media posts, for instance. Or why not tap into the first trends we mentioned in this post, where you record a video of your blog post or hold a live webinar on the topic.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″ shape_divider_position=”bottom”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text]
Conclusion: what do they all have in common?
There are of course more trends out there that are not on this list, for example, the always so relevant AI. The reason why we chose these 4 trends is that they are quite easy to implement for anyone. Rather than start adding new technology, these trends are more about how you should focus on bits of your marketing. Plus, marketers believe these four trends are successful. Do you also notice that they all something in common?
It’s all about being personal.
Not just personal in the way that we use our recipients’ first names in email marketing or customize their buyer’s journeys. You notice that all these trends are a lot about showing our personal sides, as brands, so our customers can get to know who we are. That’s how we connect, isn’t it?
So, if there’s one thing that you should focus on this year when you create videos, texts, social media posts; be personal.
Can’t get enough? Don’t forget to sign up for our webinar where we elaborate more on the top marketing trends in 2021.
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