Digital marketing is dynamic and continually changes to meet users' needs and changing preferences. From AI in marketing to SEO, influencers, and TikTok, new digital marketing trends emerge every day. Marketers must keep up with these trends to succeed in the market and outperform their competitors. This article details some of the popular trends shaping the digital marketing industry.
Referral Marketing
Although referral marketing was initially based on word of mouth, it's changed now. It now involves both word of mouth and digital engagement through affiliates, social media sharing, and reviews. It's based on turning your satisfied and passionate customers into brand advocates to directly refer their networks (friends, family, colleagues) to your business. An example is referral marketing for therapists, where patients talk about how their therapists served them well, and their network picks it from there and signs with the same therapist.
AI-Driven Marketing
Artificial Intelligence (AI) in marketing has emerged as an important tool for digital marketing. AI tools like ChatGPT and Midjourney power marketing, allowing marketers to achieve more in less time. Marketers are using it for different purposes and aspects of digital marketing such as:
Customer data analysis for personalization
Customer segmentation and audience segmentation
Content creation and generation
Sentiment analysis
Customer engagement via AI chatbots and virtual assistants
Marketing roles have adopted AI to facilitate their work and not do the whole job. Many companies are also creating their own versions of AI and chatbots, which they integrate in their marketing strategies to support their activities.
Voice Search Optimization
Voice search arrived on the digital marketing scene after the creation of voice-activated devices such as Apple Sir, Amazon Alexa and Google Home. Now, maintaining a strong online presence also requires optimizing your content for voice search. This includes using conversational keywords, natural language, long tail keywords, and making your website mobile-friendly.
When people employ voice search, they use their natural, conversational language, not short, specific keywords. This is why you need to focus on natural language in your content, using phrases that users will likely employ when speaking into their smart devices.
Interactive Content
People, especially Gen Z, like interacting with brands. This is mostly through social media like TikTok, Twitter, and Facebook, but it can also be through other platforms. Interactive content lets your brand talk to your audience (followers) in real time. Brands can use interactive features to engage their audience with content like interactive videos, polls, Quizzes, ads, personalized emails, and content repurposing. These include:
Instagram Live
Facebook Live
Twitter polls
YouTube videos
TikTok Live
Let people interact with your brand individually or talk to you while you're recording a video for more engagement.
Influencers marketing
Above all, marketers are partnering with the new "Influencer" to support them in increasing brand exposure in what is now called influencer marketing. Marketers are partnering with major and micro-influencers. Micro influencers have a smaller audience and reach out to their audience more quicker and more intimately. Micro-influencers have large and niche audiences who are often trusting but very engaged and can benefit certain brands. Marketers need to reach out to the right influencers in their niche and with their target audience to get the best results.
Endnote
Digital marketing keeps evolving as technology and audiences evolve. But the future looks exciting based on the digital marketing trends. Businesses willing to adapt to these new trends are positioning their brands for the best chance of success.