Digital Marketing Trends & Predictions to Look Out For in 2023
As 2022 draws to a close, 2023 looms large on the horizon. With it comes a whole new raft of digital marketing trends, innovations, updates and changes for us marketers to get to grips with. This is no different to any other year as we know that the marketing industry moves fast. However, it’s still absolutely crucial that you keep up with the latest ideas and trends to make sure your marketing is up-to-date and as effective as it can be.
We’re taking this opportunity to reflect on the last 12 months and take stock of how the marketing landscape changed. We’ll also be looking to the future to make our own predictions of what digital marketing trends to look out for in the year ahead. Whether it’s the continual development of the Metaverse or the rise of short video social media platforms like TikTok, we’ll cover everything that you need to know about for 2023.
The Biggest Marketing Trends of 2022
We marked the development of AI as one of our marketing predictions for 2022 and sure enough, it played a big part in the marketing landscape. Automation can help to save time, as well as improve the decisions we make in our marketing. It is a varied trend that will only continue to grow in importance and scope in the coming years. Whether it’s helping marketers best utilise their budgets or providing essential data and analysing their audience, AI marketing sure isn’t going away anytime soon.
Video marketing continued to rise in importance and popularity in 2022 and they are still regarded as the future of content marketing. Not only are they a great, visual method of showcasing your products, but they also help to build trust with your brand and make it more accessible. Google also loves video and it is estimated that 35% of search results in the UK now contain a video of some kind. It’s no surprise then that 61% of brands consider video production as a major part of their strategy in 2022.
Marketing Trends We’re Leaving in 2022
Over-Technical Jargon
Trying Too Hard To Go Viral
Greenwashing
Inauthentic Influencer Marketing
Clickbait Tactics
Over-Technical Jargon
Just because something is new and trending doesn’t mean we should incorporate it into our work. Some trends are better left behind, especially if they’re not serving their purpose. The first thing that should stay in 2022 is overly technical jargon in your content. It’s time to embrace the human side of your brand as consumers are more aware of authenticity than ever. Communicate with your audience in a friendly, professional manner for maximum success.
Trying Too Hard To Go Viral
Closely linked with the above; don’t try too hard to be cool. It’s common to see brands like Aldi and Burger King create engaging, funny social strategies, and you might think you want in on the action. Whilst this is fine, don’t try too hard or your content will lose its edge. The key to developing a great brand identity online is by being you. Find out what that is and leave the forced social posts in the past.
Greenwashing
Next up is greenwashing. With the rise in a more sustainable approach to business in recent years, it’s perhaps no surprise that some brands have looked to convey a false impression to their audience. Greenwashing is the act of creating a fake or vastly inflated image to deceive consumers into believing a company or product is environmentally friendly. It can involve using fake environmental imagery, hiding non-green activity and using misleading labels on products.
It is deceitful and unethical, and if discovered can seriously harm a brand’s reputation. Don’t take this one into the new year.
Inauthentic Influencer Marketing
Our penultimate pick for digital marketing trends to ditch in 2023 is influencer marketing. Don’t panic, we don’t want to get rid of it altogether – it’s still very much one of the most effective forms of digital marketing. Influencer marketing has its place in the world, but it’s important we understand how it’s most effective.
Consumers are getting smarter and they know how influencer marketing works and recognise when brands have made inauthentic moves to secure revenue. Over the last decade, consumers have become more conscious about their values and the impact their purchasing decisions have.
In 2023, we recommend focusing your marketing efforts on getting your products in front of the right audiences, not all audiences, using paid media sparingly. By making conscious improvements to your brand’s social responsibility you’ll naturally build a loyal customer base who shares your values. Authenticity will be key in 2023.
Clickbait Tactics
We imagine that for most of you, this will be welcome news. Over the past 12 months, many clickbait tactics have lost their efficiency and subsequently died. There are two sides to how this has come about.
The first is that online users have become savvier when it comes to spotting clickbaity titles and flashy imagery. Our digital lives are incredibly busy and users are becoming more focused on eliminating the barriers that prevent us from reaching the information we need as quickly as possible.
The other side that has bought about this change is the evolution of algorithms. Search and social media algorithms are now more intelligent and better at identifying spammy content. Algorithms want to provide the most relevant information to the user and demoting clickbait content is a sure way to do this.
Forecasted Marketing Trends in 2023
Marketing in The Metaverse
Voice Search
Short-Form Video
Shoppable Ads & Live Commerce
Data Privacy
Marketing Metaverse
Yes, we know we included this in our 2022 marketing trends list, but the Metaverse continues to make waves. After Facebook rebranded at Meta in 2021, the marketing world has been waiting with eager anticipation to see what was next.
The Metaverse has the potential to provide platforms and entire visual worlds where users can communicate and do business. Not only this, but it could completely change the way in which staff training is conducted. Brands have the capability of designing complete virtual replicas of their offices or working environments during training processes.
Brands such as HSBC, JP Morgan and Nike are already increasing their presence in the Metaverse. The number of brands is only likely to increase in the future too. The opportunities for engaging, one-to-one customer communication are the obvious draw – that and the fact that it’s all still to play for. No one knows where the marketing in the metaverse will go, but no one wants to be left behind.
Voice Search
Voice search isn’t all that new, but it continues to change the way in which we search the web. Typing out our online queries has for many years been the only way of searching online for many years, but that’s all changed.
Smart speaker technology and its subsidiary voice-enabled assistant have become an integral part of many homes across the world. Around half of UK homes now own a voice assistant and the demand for this technology continues to grow steadily over time.
The most common use of voice search is asking for directions (with 40% of users have used voice search for this), then writing texts (39%), calling someone (31%), checking the time (11%), playing a song (11%) and finding out movie times (9%). Unsurprisingly, voice search is popular with local search. To capitalise on this, businesses must ensure that they optimise fully for voice search and incorporate it into the SEO strategy.
Voice search has the potential to be more than just a way to search the web. It can make communication between users and brands much more efficient and quicker. A good example of this would be by utilising voice technology chatbots. By doing so, companies have the ability to produce seamless support for their audience with zero wait times and rapid responses. They are available 24/7 and have the power to detect fraud by using impressive AI technology.
Short Video Platforms
Video marketing has been around for a number of years, but it’s only with the introduction of TikTok to the marketing landscape that things have really begun to change. Recent reports suggest that around 1.6 billion users now use short-form video to communicate and we anticipate this number will grow.
User-generated content (UGC) still continues to dominate social media and remains a key way for users to consume their media. UGC could involve users discussing your product or using it in day-to-day life. This feels totally authentic and sits completely opposite the hard sales style of many brand advertising strategies.
Channel diversification is one of the main video marketing trends to look out for in 2023. Different audiences use different social media platforms, causing brands to have a scattered selection of platforms to choose from. Targeting each platform individually and creating content specifically will ensure your entire audience is fully engaged, regardless of what they’re watching.
Shoppable Ads & Live Commerce
Influenced by the growth in short-form and live videos on the TikTok platform, we anticipate shoppable ads and live commerce will continue on their upward trajectory. Around 80% of consumers say that they are more likely to purchase from brands that offer interactive content.
Over the past 12 months, more and more brands are capitalising on the live and social media purchasing behaviours of consumers. Whilst this route might be more appropriate for B2C brands, there is still opportunity for B2B businesses too.
Shoppable videos and advertisements can help drive conversions and engagement among the targeted audience. This is partly due to the fact that many of the conventional purchasing steps are removed. Again this reinforces the idea that consumers are gravitating towards frictionless purchasing experiences.
Data Privacy
2022 has brought with it court case after court case against the technological giants and their alleged misuse of our data. Going into 2023, we anticipate businesses will be looking to differentiate themselves or detach entirely from brands that do not respect online privacy.
Consumers are increasingly more aware of how and why their data should remain secure as well as the consequences of improper usage. Fortunately, many corporations have already begun to take steps that force brands to be more transparent about their data policies, and it’s working. Studies have shown that ads perform better for brands that respect privacy which fuels user trust.
With a stripped-back, UK variation of the GDPR regulations on the cards for the new year, we recommend closely following parliamentary developments and assess how they could impact your business.
How to Prepare for Upcoming Industry Changes
Making sure you’re prepared for the year ahead is the key to success. It’s important to understand the latest marketing trends and utilise them effectively. The latest trends can appear quickly, so you need to remain vigilant for upcoming developments and embed a level of agility within your more long-term plans. Follow marketing news as well as key personalities and influencers closely, and make sure to dig as deep as possible to maximise your knowledge.
Remember, keep in mind your own brand and don’t be tempted to try every marketing trend you see – it’s important to remain authentic at all times. Knowing your audience is key, so spend time getting to know where and how they engage with your content. We’d recommend keeping a close eye on your similar competitors and pinching inspiration from them from time to time.
Another Year at Loop Digital
Here at Loop Digital, we’re looking forward to 2023 with eager anticipation. Each year presents new opportunities for us to help our clients fulfil their digital marketing needs. By staying up to date with marketing trends, we can ensure we stay ahead of the curve and utilise the latest, cutting-edge innovation fully.
As exciting as the new year may be, it’s important to think about the past year too. We’re continually proud of the work we do for our clients and are as passionate as ever about driving online success. We’re always adding to our range of high-quality bespoke digital marketing services and will look to develop our social media and inbound marketing in the year ahead.
To do this, we’ve hired new talent to help reach our goals and through our commitment to developing internal skillsets, we’re more confident than ever in our range of services and skills. We’ve also rebranded from Bright Design to Loop Digital to better reflect our position in the market.
Mel is our Partner Strategy & Delivery Manager and also a CIM Chartered Marketer, a testament to her commitment to excellence in the field. But Mel’s contributions don’t stop at the office door. Beyond her professional endeavours, she leads an active life as a qualified run leader and dedicated volunteer. Her experience in these roles has streamlined her leadership and teamwork skills, making her an invaluable asset when it comes to collaborating on projects and ensuring their success. Her sharp insights, strategic thinking, and knowledge have made her a backbone in our team’s ability to drive results for clients in this industry. Mel will make sure that we can approach marketing challenges from all angles and deliver outstanding results for our clients.
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