The global pandemic has had an impact on every business. With the chaos of 2020 now behind us and the new year in full swing, it’s time to look ahead to what we can expect from the marketing landscape and forecast the marketing trends of 2021.
While last year was unpredictable (to say the least), businesses were propelled to rethink their approaches and adapt as consumer behaviour changed, advancing many marketing strategies and new marketing trends. Most notably, eCommerce sales went through the roof, people spent a lot more time on social media and video conferencing became the norm. This all led to a major shift in the way brands communicated with their customers.
So, as we turn a corner into what is shaping up to be a volatile new year, what marketing trends will continue to permeate in 2021?
Our experts have rounded up the key trends to consider applying to your marketing strategy:
Virtual Events Are Here to Stay
In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, events became virtual out of necessity. As we move into 2021 and beyond, we predict that many events will stay virtual. This shift is not only because of continued safety concerns but also as a result of lessons learned in 2020.
Companies have found that virtual events have great marketing power. By hosting events virtually, businesses are not only saving money on expensive venue hires, but they are also eliminating barriers to entry — opening their events up to an entirely new audience, as virtual events are more accessible than in-person events. In the future, virtual events will continue to be a popular route to engage with a broad set of customers.
However, virtual events fall flat when communication is just one-way. The mistake made by many brands and businesses in 2020 was thinking that virtual events should consist of pre-recorded broadcasts rather than live streams. Yes, there can often be complications with live events, but the reward is so much greater than the risk. The key is to get creative and drive engagement through great speakers, rich content and, of course, a little fun.
Charitable and Purpose-Driven Marketing
Consumers are demanding transparency around the goods and services they purchase, with a preference for brands with a social purpose or charitable edge.
Now, more than ever, brands are having to dig deep to find out how to flourish in turbulent times. A report from Deloitte states that to do this, brands need to “be deeply attuned to why they exist and who they are built to serve.”
Businesses need to offer a human-first approach when it comes to their marketing in 2021 to meet these needs. A good example of this is craft-beer brand BrewDog offering their closed pubs to be used as temporary vaccination centres in the UK, as well as offering a free can of beer to anyone vaccinated there.
Social Media Will Become a Top-Purchase Channel
Social media platforms, like Instagram, are making it easier for consumers to go from discovery to purchase without ever having to open a web browser. This creates a simple and seamless path to purchase. With social commerce continuing to grow in 2021, businesses will have to adapt to these platforms to reach their target customers and improve their sales potential.
That being said, our experts also predict that many companies will start to reduce the number of social media channels they are using to share and influence, and rightly so. With so many channels available and many companies trying to stay relevant on all of them, the need to declutter is almost pervasive. Reducing social media channels to only the most relevant will be not only popular but necessary.
An Increase in Micro-Influencer Marketing
The amount of advertising money that is being redirected from offline to online will continue to grow in 2021. As businesses continue to search for the most effective ways to share their messages to their target audiences online, one way they can authentically connect with people is through online influencer marketing.
Micro-influencers aren’t new, but they’re continuing to grow at a fast pace. With limited yet targeted follower bases, these influencers are small but mighty and can, arguably, be more influential than mass influencers, as their engagement levels tend to be higher. With brands becoming more strategic with their use of influencers, we expect to see fewer generic influencers and more niche-specific ones.
User-Generated-Content Will Enhance Customer Experience
User-generated content (UGC) is not a new trend, but it is here to stay. It means businesses are evolving beyond the age of personalisation. Instead, they are entering an age of personal commerce where consumers co-curate their experiences with them to reflect their preferences at any given moment.
The advantages of using content created by customers are numerous. This not only gives businesses a break from producing their own content, but it also allows them to showcase products and services more authentically and reward brand fans by featuring them on the company’s channels.
Now You Know the Marketing Trends of 20201, Is Your Marketing Strategy Ready?
The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have pushed brands to branch out and create more human-centric ways of reaching their buyers. Over the next year, we’ll see this continue. Virtual events will become increasingly common, purpose-driven brands will rise to the top and UGC will remain an integral part of every marketing strategy.
Contact the experts at Mint Formations today to access lots of business-boosting benefits and receive our free marketing guide to help you improve your chances of success.
