It’s a new year. 2020 was not kind to any of us. The pandemic had an impact on every business. As marketers, this past year upended how we typically operate. Many of the strategies we had used for years were not as effective or no longer applied.
While we would all probably like to leave 2020 in the past, perhaps there are some things we can take with us. We saw more products and services move online, and a number of new trends emerge. Here are a few of the marketing trends we think your business should consider to help you engage and retain current customers and generate more traffic and leads in 2021.
Are Virtual Events Here to Stay?
2020 decimated the trade show industry. With no in-person events, many organizations shifted their event to a digital one. There were several positive developments to come out of this trend. Companies found that by going virtual, they opened up their event to an entirely new audience. By eliminating travel costs, this allowed for higher attendance and more participation.
While there is optimism the trade show industry will bounce back (people crave human interaction), it’s possible it may not fully return until 2022 or possibly later. With all the positives to come out of hosting virtual events, they are likely here to stay – and with it a new avenue for marketers to grow their audience.
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Will Digital Spend Continue to Grow?
The pandemic caused our habits to shift dramatically. Specifically in the way we shop and absorb media – and marketers are starting to take notice. A recent study by Kantar found that marketers plan to increase their allocations to digital channels including online video, social media, display, branded content, streaming and podcasts. While a recent report from Forrestor projects digital marketing spend will make up 46 percent of all ad spend in the coming year.
The Importance of Social Media
Even before the pandemic, social media was an almost indispensable component of our daily lives. Through the pandemic, we’ve learned social media has taken on an even more significant role.
We just pointed out of a recent study on how marketers plan to increase their allocations to digital channels, and social media will play a big part. According to a study by Sirkin Research, marketers expect a 66 percent increase in social media content creation as a result of the pandemic. This is an opportunity for marketers to increase their reach with new audiences, and continue to engage with current customers.
What will 2021 bring (your guess is as good as ours)? Which of these trends are here to stay? If we’ve learned anything in the past year there is no point in trying to predict the future. However, if you implement some of the trends outlined above, you’ll set your marketing strategy up for success.
Looking to jump start your marketing in the new year? Contact us today to see how we can help!