It’s a new year and that means new marketing trends. With digital marketing, these trends are sometimes hard to keep track of – so we’ve compiled a list of the top trends that we think you should learn about and then keep your eyes on in 2023. As we know that budgets are all tight, this may help narrow your focus a little.
1. Artificial Intelligence (AI) – specifically, ChatGPT.
You probably guessed this would be on the list, right? If you haven’t yet read or seen headlines about ChatGPT, you will. ChatGPT uses AI technology to create original content. This, of course, has sparked lots of speculation on whether it will replace content creators, offer easy ways out for students and their writing assignments…and more. ChatGPT seems to be a big enough improvement over previous attempts at technology like this – that it shouldn’t be ignored. With the ease at which people are going to be able to churn out content with this tool, it will make the content marketing arena even more crowded. However, it will also make quality content more important and smart content creators will learn how to work with the technology and not against it.
2. Content Creators vs Influencers
The world of social media is fast and crowded. Businesses need to produce content that is specific to their brand and that is truly engaging to their audience. This has spawned the demand for “content creators” which are individuals actually familiar with the brand or subject and spend time focusing on the content itself. In contrast to “influencers” who are more concerned with the number of followers – content creators are focused on building content for a brand that will be compelling, stand out, and be recommended to others.
This doesn’t mean that influencer marketing is over though – it’s not. Influencer marketing is expected to continue to grow throughout 2023. When exploring the use of influencer marketing, one of the most important factors is to understand your audience and the reach of the influencer. In simple terms, choose an influencer that is likely to have reach that includes your target audience.
3. Short Form Video Content
Video continues to be immensely popular. YouTube, LinkedIn and Instagram are all channels that companies are using as a big part of their digital marketing strategy. Attention spans are short…and that means your videos should be as well. TikTok, which started out as a channel for teens to show off quick dance moves, quickly became a mainstream marketing tool for businesses.
4. B2B Videos
B2B marketing can be dry, but through the many digital options now available – it doesn’t have to be. B2B has embraced the strategy of using social media for marketing – and it’s the perfect place for video. LinkedIn has become particularly popular for B2B marketing and as a platform for expressing expertise and sharing knowledge with potentially interested audiences. Through video, businesses can showcase more of a personality and develop relationships with other businesses. This is harder to do through print marketing.
5. Automation Tools
There are all sorts of automation tools to help businesses regardless of the phase you’re in. For example, you may not be ready to implement regular blogs and sophisticated content via ChatGPT…but you could still make use of a Chatbot to assist your customers. In fact, Chatbots are seen to be the fastest growing brand communication channel. In addition to Chatbots, any automation tools that help enhance the customer experience are on the rise and will continue to grow in popularity this year. Social media scheduling, CRMs, email marketing will all continue to be critical in your business’s digital marketing strategy.
6. Use of natural, raw, unfiltered footage and photography
It’s no surprise that many businesses are stretching their budgets and trying to figure out how to cut costs in various ways. This lower-cost approach to operations actually ties in well with the trend of using realistic and unpolished videos and photos for social media. In fact, businesses can get a lot of mileage out of reposting social media posts from their customers. Encouraging people to tag your business and to share reviews is a great way to get some free marketing.
Sources:
What are the Top Digital Marketing Trends for 2023?
The Next 8 Big Digital Marketing Trends In 2023
