The year 2021 has already shown no signs of slowing down when it comes to new trends in digital marketing. The online marketspace is now more crowded than ever before, with a range of different services and apps all vying for user’s attention. Here are some of the top digital marketing trends for 2021 so far.
AI and Machine Learning
Computers and algorithms have long been used to make human tasks quicker, easier and more efficient. However, the rise in AI and machine learning is seeing machines and computers not just carry out pre-typed instructions, but be able to start solving problems independently. Whilst AI still requires human programming, machine learning differs in that it does not need specific instructions in order to carry out and complete a given task. This means that over time, a machine can learn itself how to improve efficiency and solve a problem, which is very exciting if slightly unnerving. Whatever your personal opinion of machines taking on a mind of their own, 2021 promises to be the year that AI and computers begin to surpass humans when it comes to coding and programme development.
Data Driven Marketing
Rather as it sounds, data driven marketing is the process used to adapt marketing strategies to the information obtained by analysing data. It is now even easier for online businesses and sites to gain greater insight into their customer’s preferences, tastes and habits. This enables marketing to digitally target to specific users and can also be adapted and altered to suit the audience they are trying to capture the attention of just as frequently as those tastes themselves change. This means that by using data driven marketing, companies are able to stay ahead of trends and it is likely that 2021 will see the levels of this type of information gathering only increase.
Snackable Media
Snackable media is quick, easy to consume and designed to be as visually appetising and appealing as possible. The rise in popularity of apps such as TikTok, Snapchat and Triller offer users the chance to make bite size chunks of content with little to no social media skill. Although sometimes critiqued for encouraging users to have an ever shortening attention span, snackable media provides the opportunity for brands and influencers to connect with their audience on a much more frequent basis than uploading to other forms of media, such as YouTube. Snackable media bridges the gap between platforms such as YouTube and grid format platforms such as Instagram, which still offer a much more static level of media communication between users and audience. 2021 promises to be the year we want to dip in and out of social media, taking a bite over here and a nibble over there without sitting for hours watching painstakingly edited videos.
Digital Darwinism
Darwin is all about evolution and survival of the fittest. When applied to the digital world, this term has been coined for those looking to stay ahead of the curve and not just survive but thrive online. We live in an age of constant change, with technology upgrading faster than most business models can keep up with. The way we fundamentally consume media, communicate with one another and run our everyday lives continues to adapt and evolve in this new era of technological advancement. It is likely that 2021 will continue to see the growth in popularity for all things ‘smart’ – smart watches for fitness, smart devices for home tasks along with smart meters, smart phones, smart speakers, smart cars – the list is endless! As is the appetite for the next big advancement in the digital race.
Evolution of Consumer Experience
All the main digital marketing trends of 2021 are primarily centred around one concept – the evolution of the consumer experience. Never before has advertising and content been so directly user centric, with brands gathering data about their users in order to create the most customised experience possible. But this level of interaction goes two ways. Consumers now want user friendly apps that help them make a difference in the ‘woke’ generation. Apps such as Yuka are great for giving instant feedback on the health content of a product and TED have a tailor-made app where users can enjoy a lecture or talk anywhere, anytime. Buycott is also an app that allows users to see whether or not the item they are purchasing has been tested on animals or been manufactured using illegal labour and Signal is bound to be the new WhatsApp, offering end to end encryptions and passwords to keep chats even more secure. Customers are demanding more of their experience online and brands are ensuring that they are creating and curating to meet those needs more now in 2021 than ever before.