In digital marketing, change happens rapidly. If you are a business owner wanting to stay ahead of your competition, it’s good to be aware of the latest digital marketing trends. By staying informed, you can adapt your strategies accordingly. This will help stretch your marketing dollars grow your business. We have identified three digital marketing trends that we think will be important in 2021 and into the future.
Trend #1: SEO will be important as more people install ad blocker on their web browser.
Today, roughly one in four internet users have an ad blocker installed on their web browser. As more people learn about ad blocker technology, the percentage of internet users utilizing ad block will increase slightly each year. In 2021, ad block usage is projected to rise at least 3.3%. Although this represents a relatively small increase, the use of ad blocker technology is on the rise.
However, pay-per-click (PPC) ads are not going away anytime soon. Rather, their effectiveness may decrease as more people install ad block. Due to this digital marketing trend, business owners should direct more marketing dollars towards search engine optimization (SEO) advertising. Thanks to SEO, web content will still be discoverable via search engines. Since SEO is an organic digital marketing channel, it is unaffected by ad block usage. Here at Interscope Media, we are vamping up our SEO services so that our clients can reap the full benefits of this future proof marketing strategy.
Trend #2: Inclusive marketing appeals to many prospective clients, especially Millennials and younger Gen Xers.
Many social issues bubbled to the surface in 2020. Systemic racism, police brutality and worsening economic inequality resulted in upheaval and protest. More than ever before, people want to see their identity acknowledged and represented across media, including the ads they interact with online. Marginalized people want to see fairness, their subcultures represented and their unique needs met.
If your business is minority-owned, women-owned or LGBTQ+ owned, you should highlight this on your business website. In addition, you should create content and ads that speak to inclusivity and equity. For example, if your target client is Latino or Latina, use Spanglish in ad copy and make sure stock photos include models of Latin heritage. It may surprise you, but nearly half of minorities prefer businesses that demonstrate a commitment to diversity and inclusion. Clearly, it is worth your while to add inclusive messaging into your overall digital marketing plan.
Trend #3: Chatbots will become more useful customer support tools.
Artificial intelligence (AI) technology is developing at breakneck speed. Advances in machine learning will continue to make chatbots more useful. Moreover, with over half of consumers preferring to send messages over calling a business support line, chatbots are in demand. Effective chatbots will help you gain and maintain clients that may otherwise be lost due to long email and phone response times. Programmed to answer frequently asked questions and trained to elevate complex issues to real business representatives, chatbots are destined to be more than a momentary trend.
