Forbes recently released their 2021 Marketing Predictions Survey, and among the top 3 trends they identified were:

• international online marketing
• multicultural marketing
• video content

Since video content is becoming more accessible to consumers and content creators across the globe, the possibilities for marketers to expand their reach are endless. Video content can be used to explain a product or service, offer tips & tricks, showcase events or provide a narrative driven story. Traditional billboards, bus stops and magazine spreads soon won’t cut it anymore. In the coming years, video content will be available on every platform and device so marketers need to ensure they are using the correct terminology, tagging the right actors and using compelling creative to keep viewers engaged.

The Rise Of Multicultural Marketing

As the world turns, the line between marketing to consumers and engaging with communities starts to blur. Marketers are realizing the benefits of engaging with cultures to expand their reach and connect with prospective customers. Not too long ago, marketing was purely focused on reaching the largest audience possible and would use any means necessary to attract as many people to their brand or product. For example, using a popular hashtag or re-posting an engaging status can gain a lot of traction and bring in an interested audience, but in order to truly understand the scope of this effort, marketers need to step back and look at the numbers.

According to HubSpot Blogs research, only 13% of consumers see advertising as ‘good’ or ‘necessary’. To reach the remaining 87%, marketers need to change how they engage with consumers and utilize digital marketing methods that allow for more depth and accuracy in the information provided to the target audience.

One of the industries that has been able to effectively utilize multicultural marketing is the travel industry. Airbnb, for example, launched their ‘Welcome’ campaign in 2019 which focuses on introducing themselves to new people in different countries around the world. The company’s rationale was simple: they believed that by engaging with potential customers in different countries, they would be able to reach people beyond their initial audience and provide them with relevant content that would ultimately lead to conversions.

Airbnb did something unique by taking advantage of their target audience’s different nationalities and utilizing different languages to engage with consumers in a way that allowed them to understand and retain the interest of the user.

Video Content Is On The Rise

Video content is becoming more prominent every year, and in 2021, marketers need to be looking for ways to make the most of this trend.

According to HubSpot Blogs research, 72% of marketers plan to increase their video content efforts this year, and only 17% plan to reduce their video content budget. Video content can be extremely effective in engaging with potential customers and transforming them into customers, and since most people are now spending more time consuming content on their phones than on traditional TV sets, these figures are likely to increase even more in the coming years.

The key advantage of video content is that it can be used on any digital marketing channel so long as it is informative. This makes it extremely flexible and allows for many different types of videos to be used to engage with a global audience.

Marketing On The Move

Forbes also predicted that consumer behavior will change in the coming years, and marketers need to be ready for this shift. Thanks to the pandemic, many consumers are now working remotely which has forced businesses to adapt.

According to HubSpot Blogs research, 30% of consumers either already work remotely or do so part-time, and another 40% plan to in the coming months. In 2021, marketers need to ensure they are providing content to attract and retain customers, while also educating them about the benefits of their products and services.

The Role Of Mobile

Since the majority of consumers are now working remotely, the way businesses communicate with customers has changed. Thanks to the mobile revolution, businesses can provide content when and where customers are so long as they have a mobile device. For example, online retailers have shifted to providing their customers with in-app purchasing options so they can continue purchasing content without having to leave the app.

With more consumers switching to consuming content on their mobile phones, digital marketing methods that can be accessed on mobile devices will continue to grow in importance.

The Importance Of SEO

SEO is now an essential part of every digital marketing strategy, and marketers need to be looking for ways to optimize their SEO efforts.

In 2021, SEO will still be important for gaining organic search rankings, but the tactics used to game the system will become less effective. Thanks to the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning and big data, SEO tactics that rely on getting a ‘perfect’ score on algorithms will be outmatched by content produced using these same tools.

In the coming months, marketers will need to re-evaluate their SEO strategy and ensure they are doing everything they can to increase their organic search rankings and gain a good reputation for providing quality content.

Conclusion

In the coming years, the way we engage with each other and learn about products and services will continue to evolve, and marketers need to be ready for this change. Video content is becoming more prominent every year, and thanks to the technology available, businesses can now effectively use this content to engage with consumers regardless of their location.

As long as there is an internet connection, video content can be accessed anywhere in the world, which makes it extremely versatile and allows for many different types of videos to be used to engage with a global audience. Thanks to the role of mobile in our everyday lives, changing consumer behavior and expanding the digital marketing channel universe, marketers can be confident that video content will continue to play an important role in attracting and retaining customers.