When it comes to digital marketing, we often focus on what will be possible in the future. Trends come and go, but the fundamentals of effective marketing always remain the same. Today’s marketing trends are here to solve real problems and to make existing processes more efficient. In other words, you can’t keep up with the latest trends if you don’t understand the fundamentals of marketing in the first place. This is one of the main reasons why we should care about trends in marketing: to see how existing methods can be improved and streamlined for maximum effectiveness.
The Growing Impact of Virtual Shopping
You may have noticed that traditional shopping malls are not what they used to be. While they’re still around, modern shopping centers often consist of buildings with numerous apartments or condos, as well as smaller storefronts that can be accessed online. This is thanks to the growing influence of online shopping, which accounted for 23% of all retail sales in 2020.
While this figure is certainly impressive, it isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The growth of e-commerce means more opportunities for online marketers, especially since most of these shoppers are already on your website. According to HubSpot Blogs’ research, 79% of consumers buy online because it’s more convenient. If your website is set up correctly, marketing to customers on their most vulnerable point, i.e. while they’re still deciding what to buy, can be extremely effective.
The Rising Influence of Influencers
Whether you like to admit it or not, you’ve probably seen the influence of social media influencers before. Maybe you saw a famous Instagrammer promote a product or service you were interested in, or maybe you’ve seen an influencer create buzz around an upcoming event or trend you’re passionate about.
Well, today’s influencers aren’t as influential as they once were. This is thanks to the algorithms used by social media platforms, which have gotten more sophisticated in the past few years. While there are still some huge names in the industry, the truth is that anyone with a decent social following can now become an influencer. This is great news for marketers, as it means they have an untapped audience ready and willing to hear what they have to say.
The Rise of Video In Marketing
Thanks to the rise of TikTok, we’re now seeing an explosion of video content across all platforms. In fact, as of March 2021, TikTok is the most downloaded app globally with over 1.7 billion downloads, followed by WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram.
This indicates that people are using video content to access information online. According to HubSpot Blogs’ research, 56% of consumers watch video content online to discover new things, and 41% use it to research products or services. Essentially, with all these video platforms, consumers now have an entire digital landscape to explore, research, and compare products and services.
These trends aren’t going anywhere, and neither is digital marketing. What is changing is how we’re implementing these trends and whether or not you’re taking advantage of them.
The Evolving Definition of Content
If you’re new to content marketing, you may wonder what it means exactly. Essentially, content marketing is a type of marketing that involves the creation and sharing of written and visual content to attract and engage potential customers. While traditional advertising focuses on getting the maximum reach for the minimum cost, content marketing is about creating content that will have a higher performance per cost.
Today, a content marketer’s job is not necessarily limited to creating informative articles and gaining large social followings. Thanks to the rise of virtual marketing, content strategists are now responsible for creating digital experiences that engage potential customers and drive them towards achieving specific business goals.
The Importance of Measurement and Analysis
If you’ve ever worked in marketing, you’ll know that the definition of success can vary from industry to industry. Despite this, there are still key metrics that matter for every business.
To start with, you need to determine how much money you’re truly making, and how much your efforts are actually costing you in terms of dollars. This is particularly important for small businesses that don’t have the budgets of larger corporations, as they could end up spending tons of money on ineffective campaigns. It also doesn’t mean that simply comparing your weekly or monthly income and expenses is the only measurement you need to make, as metrics like engagement and conversions are also crucial.
Takeaway
When it comes to digital marketing, we often focus on what will be possible in the future. Trends come and go, but the fundamentals of effective marketing always remain the same. Today’s marketing trends are here to solve real problems and to make existing processes more efficient. In other words, you can’t keep up with the latest trends if you don’t understand the fundamentals of marketing in the first place. This is one of the main reasons why we should care about trends in marketing: to see how existing methods can be improved and streamlined for maximum effectiveness.