Attention Business Owners & Marketers!
Digital Marketing Trends That Are Here To Stay
Two years ago, we at Social Sherpa wrote about trends that were up and coming for 2021. However, do you now that those trends are still relevant for today’s Marketing world? In fact, they are not just relevant; they are very relevant and my predictions are that they will still be applicable in 5 to 10 years from now, or more.
So, here’s a tip for those of you who don’t already know: if you want your organization to not get left behind, there is no better time than today to assess your Marketing goals and Strategies and…….. get moving!
As Nike says: ‘Just Do It”!
For better results overall, particularly with your bottom line, the following are important points to consider. In other words, the 10 “Trends”/ Strategies that were relevant in 2021 and still relevant today, include:
1. PROPER IDENTIFICATION OF YOUR TARGET MARKET
It can be so tempting to skip this step and just get into action mode. Whether you are doing ads or writing content, you need to determine who your target audience/s is/are before taking the relevant action. To skip this step could be costly in both time and money.
2. HAVING ENGAGING AND IDEALLY, INTERACTIVE CONTENT
The concept of various learning styles is said to have begun with Aristotle, 3 centuries before Christ but it was only around the 1960’s or thereabouts, that greater focus was placed on it. With that, it stands to reason that, businesses and/or Marketers need to use a variety of media to reach most people. In other words, some people love to read, others prefer to see a video (YouTube) or listen to audio (Podcast), et cetera. Some also prefer something interactive such as a quiz versus a one-way flow of info. Am sure you get the point. So to reach most of your target audience, it is imperative you have varied media with content that is both engaging and relevant.
3. HAVING EXCELLENT SEO EFFORTS (Search Engine Optimization)
Many companies still do not have a proper website set up and/or very little Social Media presence.
For all Business Owners, here is a question for you:
Would you rather appear at the top of the SERP (Search Engine Results Page) or lower down, where viewers will likely not get to your website because most people usually click on one of the results higher up? If the former, then you ought to ensure that every factor that impacts where and how you show up in search results, is considered & implemented. If this means hiring others or outsourcing this function then I strongly recommend doing so.
To have a properly functioning website needs time; while it can be time-consuming,
a. It will be well worth the effort and
b. There are software tools that facilitate planning, executing and data gathering that have low or no costs.
To be closer to the top of the SERP, given budget levels, businesses need to maximize their SEO efforts.
4. SUPPORTING CAUSES OTHER THAN YOUR PROFIT LEVELS
Consumers today are very
passionate about the carbon footprints left on our planet. Many if not most, pay very close attention to what a company is doing and how it’s running its business; regarding the environment as well as how they treat people (staff, employees
and customers).
That said, if a company is merely paying lip service and not “walking the talk”, I believe many of the existing or potential customers will quicker walk away than patronize a company that has values contradictory to their own.
Businesses need to accept and genuinely own their share of responsibility in sustaining life, for generations to come.
5. FLAWLESS COMMUNICATION
Digital Marketers know that there are many linkages between a company’s website and all the other accounts or assets, such as the social media accounts held by that business. I cannot stress enough how critical it is for businesses to ensure consistency, particularly with all the info that is in public view. Additionally, changes noted on one social media account should be updated on the other “accounts”, for example. Spending time to ensure consistent communication across platforms will increase credibility and the level of literary professionalism.
6. GETTING TO POSITION ZERO ON THE SERP (Search Engine Results Page)
With the amount of competition globally, only a handful of companies will make it to the 1st page of the SERP and a few others will make it onto the first 10 pages or so. That said, while most will not make it onto the first few pages, apparently there is still a way to get into what is known as Position zero. It is the spot just above the organic search results. It features basically a snippet of company info with answers to questions users may have.
One way to get into that position is to get verified by Google. We have included the instructions below for your convenience.
To get verified on Google
- If you don’t have one, create a Google Account.
- Go to Google Search.
- Search for yourself or the entity you represent and find its knowledge panel.
- At the bottom, click “Claim this knowledge panel”.
- Review the information.
- Sign in to one of the official sites or profiles listed for YouTube, Search Console, Twitter, or Facebook.
Tip: If Google can’t identify any sites associated with the entity, you’ll be prompted to provide more information to help them verify you.
7. OPTIMIZING THE USE OF VIDEOS AND IMAGES WITH ACCOMPANYING TEXT
If Content is King, I would say Video is Queen……..research shows that Video content is ranking very high in the methods that people use to acceinfo. Not all of us like to read; some are doers by seeing so it makes sense to include video as part of your Marketing strategy. Here’s what Forbes Advisor had to say:
THE MOST ENGAGING TYPE OF CONTENT ON SOCIAL MEDIA IS SHORT-FORM VIDEOS
Both brevity and authenticity are winning ……, with short-form videos— less than a minute in length—capturing the attention of 66% of consumers. Highly shareable, these bite-sized videos are 2.5 times more engaging than longer videos, and 34% of consumers appreciate the more genuine nature of the shorter form.[5]
More short-form video content will likely increase awareness &/or engagement by audiences who prefer seeing versus reading. Ensuring images have accompanying descriptions also will help improve accessibility for those with visual challenges.
8. HAVE A PLAN B, DUE TO THE ADVENT OF AD BLOCKERS
While I have not yet installed an Ad Blocker, I know many people who have, in order to mitigate the intrusions of ads in our daily lives. As a Business Owner &/or Marketer, this can be very frustrating and obviously impacts Marketing efforts and results. While it may be very tempting to ask your (potential or) current customers to refrain from using Ad Blockers, generally this will be counter-productive, as it will likely turn off most people if not all. But…..
A Plan B strategy could include.
i. more email marketing strategies and/or
ii. using Influencers.
To bypass Ad Blockers, Businesses need to be more creative to reach audiences.
9. MAXIMIZE THE FULL POTENTIAL OF SOCIAL MEDIA
A Forbes Advisor article, states that:
- In 2023, to date, 4.9 billion people use Social Media, globally
- S.M. users (in the USA) have an average of 7.1 accounts
- Globally, S.M. users range in having on average – 3.8 accounts (in Japan) to 11.5 (India)
- A global average of 2 hours, 25 minutes is spent daily on S.M.
- Facebook alone has 2.9 million monthly users, YouTube 2.5 million and Instagram & WhatsApp are tied with 2 million each.
10. BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR NEW AND EMERGING (SOCIAL MEDIA) PLATFORMS
Interestingly 5-10 years ago, I would have thought that some of the Social Media platforms would have petered out by now. Conversely, many have increased their following or membership numbers. This is because most of them came out with features others did not have, were user-friendly, and/or catered to a “niche” segment of the market.
I am not advocating to get every single type of Social Media account but I am saying that businesses need to keep up to date with what’s new. Simply review and if they seem like an appropriate fit for your business, then I suggest jumping in while the ‘fire is hot”. Plus most of these platforms are easy to install or get started with, at very low cost if any.
Hope this article added value for you and your business and we wish you all the best in your efforts. Should you need any advice or have any questions, feel free to reach out to us. We are just a phone call or email away. Take care and stay safe!