Digital Marketing Trends to Watch Out for in 2021

If you're not first, you're last. That's especially true in digital marketing, a field that's driven by trends and culture more than other fields are.

Content marketing in 2021 is a dynamic and exciting industry. Anyone who wants to be competitive in the field must stay on top of this year's current and coming trends. Stay ahead of 2021's digital marketing trends by giving this a read.

Community and Transparency

Consumers crave community now more than ever before. Pivoting your company's focus from selling to building a community will — paradoxically — boost your sales.

Resist the temptation to make a hard sell to compensate for the lost revenue of last year. Emphasize the oft-forgotten human element of your business with user-generated content. That's how you'll connect to consumers.

Part of your connection to your audience comes through transparency. Consumers want to spend their money on a business that has the same values.

Don't make the PR mistakes that companies made last year. Make your brand transparent, honest, and trustworthy.

Video and Social Media

Next, fully embrace live streaming. It became more popular last year as people stayed home during lockdowns. Live streaming connects the consumer with the world outside and your business.

Get live footage on social media's Big Four platforms: Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram. TikTok is now a reputable platform in the business world.

Live streaming is far from your only choice for videos. Long-form, short-form, animated, informative, and humorous videos all attract and retain customers.

Sustainability and Voice Tech

The trends continue with the display of your sustainability credentials.

How is your business operating without any risk to the planet? Modern consumers care more than ever about eco-friendly, sustainable business practices. You'll have to manage to not raise your prices while not harming the planet in the process.

Be aware of visual and voice technology. SEO is still very important, but so are the methods by which consumers perform searches.

Mobile Browsing and Chatbots

Tablet and mobile browsing have replaced desktop use. Consumers talk to Cortana, Siri, Alexa, and Google to perform searches. So, ensure that your SEO strategy accounts for the rise in voice and visual searches.

Finally, if your business doesn't have one already, get a chatbot. In 2016, only 5% of companies used chatbots, according to Hubspot. 32% of them planned on using them by 2017.

Chatbots have become so conversationally fluent as to mimic a real, live human. They are acceptable substitutes for humans that won't — bleep, bloop — repel customers.

(Trendy) Content Is King

Content marketing isn't going anywhere this year. In fact, it may be more relevant than ever, so long as it's engaging, digestible, and memorable. That goes for blogging, too.

As human connection sadly becomes less common, your brand can provide consumers with it. A humanized, genuine brand image can connect to consumers via shared values and a common vision for the world.

If this sounds like what you want for your business, contact COASTR Marketing today.