2023's Digital Marketing Trends Update
So much has changed since 2022 already, so we thought it would be wise to give this article a quick update. As predicted, the economic climate changed dramatically after the pandemic. The cost of living crisis developed throughout 2022 and continues to effect shopping habits in 2023.
Digital Marketing Trends We Discovered In 2022
While many were relieved to see the end of 2021 and a return to normalcy on the horizon, there is still a long way to go. The full economic effects of the pandemic are still likely to play out over decades and in diverse ways. This will have repercussions for digital marketing, with the pandemic-induced lockdowns affecting online behaviours and igniting all new trends. These trends include voice search, the accelerated expansion of eCommerce and the expanding metaverse for digital connection.
Marketing departments throughout the UK geared up for a prosperous 2022. With this in mind, here are 5 digital marketing trends that your team should incorporate:
Mobile First Marketing
The Increase of AI
Improvements in artificial intelligence are already being used in marketing by companies in fields such as retail, banking and healthcare. While AI is most commonly used in marketing automation to automate basic tasks like reporting on website traffic and recommending keywords that can improve a company’s organic search results, marketers are also looking into AI applications that can predict what customers will buy in the future based on their previous purchases and browsing history.
Virtual Assistants
Along with AI, the virtual assistant is becoming increasingly popular. It’s predicted that voice commerce transactions will hit $164billion by 2025. Therefore, optimising products and services for voice search will be in everyone’s best interests.
A virtual assistant is already being used by many businesses to automate customer care demands through apps, efficiently addressing consumer enquiries on social media channels, email marketing and other online platforms.
Visual Search
Google Lens
- Find similar products and where to buy them in the apparel and home goods categories.
- Barcodes can be used to find information about a product, such as where to buy it.
- Save the phone number or address from a business card to a contact.
- Get an overview of the book and read reviews.
- Flyer or billboard for an event: make a note of the event in your calendar.
- See historical details, hours of operation, and more about a landmark or structure.
- Read about the artist and learn more about the painting in a museum.
- Learn about the species and breeds of plants and animals.
It is also crucial for local SEO. Google Lens can recognise cafés, clubs and restaurants and display a pop-up with information such as opening hours, reviews and more.
Social Media Stories
Snapchat was the first startup to pioneer the ‘stories’ concept. Then came Instagram and Facebook. Then came YouTube, LinkedIn and Twitter, each with their own take on the story format – albeit with somewhat different titles. Stories are posts that are only visible for 24 hours. Despite (or perhaps because of) their simplicity, stories allow marketers to share real content and engage with their audiences on a human level. They can be used in several ways:
- Incorporate polls into your Instagram stories
- Include links in your social media posts
- Use Snapchat's geofilters to your advantage
- Add references of other brands and your fans to your location tags
- When developing stories, try using live video.
- With unambiguous call-to-actions, encourage your audience to learn more.
Digital Marketing In 2022 (And Beyond!)
In today’s increasingly linked world, your marketing strategy must be equally integrated. Search4Local design unique solutions for your company by combining marketing tools and technology in new ways while focusing on the end-user experience.
Contact us for more information on our variety of digital marketing strategies.
