Last year did not go as planned. However, challenges always present new opportunities and give us other perspectives on marketing strategies and campaigns. This year we can already see some changes alongside the acceleration of several trends that have been transforming digital marketing.
1. The acceleration of digital
The global pandemic had significant repercussions and greatly affected digital marketing. Events were canceled, teams started to work remotely, and strategies, communication, and marketing underwent numerous changes. The focus has been on providing useful information and tailored solutions to consumers in this difficult period – and the biggest concern has been on having the appropriate tone of voice as teams try to achieve their goals and increase the relevance of the brand. Although a return to normal is expected in the medium term, however, it will not be a normal exactly the same as we were used to – some of the changes that occurred during this period will remain – namely, the emphasis on the relationship with consumers and the concert with client loyalty and increased interaction.
With in-person events canceled, marketers turned them into virtual events, videos, and new digital marketing channels to connect with their consumers. Due to restrictions, in March last year, there was an increase of 70% in the use of the internet (Forbes, 2020). According to a CMO study, 85% of marketers saw consumers opening up to new digital experiences offered during the pandemic.
2. The use of big data
The world has more information and data than ever before, and it seems to keep on growing. NodeGraph says that by 2025, consumer data worldwide will be the equivalent of a 1.8 billion-year download at the current speed of the Internet.
All of this information can help brands understand and serve their consumers better. This data can be a great competitive advantage, but it is necessary to collect data, manage and use it to your advantage.
3. Anyone can create and share content
Every time one of the 3.7 billion people who use social networks makes a publication, they are creating content. There are countless platforms and people share a huge variety of content on them. But what does this mean for content marketing? Marketers must strive to be more relevant and capture people’s attention. The content must be informative and useful but also delivered on a platform and format that is easily consumable. There is no shortage of content type options, but there is an intensive competition to capture the user’s attention. To win this competition it is essential to publish content with substance and clarity.
4. Global scale connection
About 59% of the world’s population is connected to the internet (Statista, 2020). It is increasingly easy to connect with people on different continents, and the possibilities are endless. There is enormous potential and new audiences waiting for your brand – but it is important to know how to communicate with these people – from the type of content, language, and even time differences.