By Amitek Sinha
Technology progresses rapidly, with each passing year bringing forward fresh and trendy social media applications, improved mobile devices, and various technological advancements poised to transform your digital marketing efforts.
To assist brands in navigating through the buzz, here is a compilation of the digital marketing trends that changed the digital marketing landscape this year and all marketers should keep an eye on in the upcoming year.
- AI as a game changer: AI technology has revolutionized the marketing industry by enabling businesses to automate customer interactions and provide personalized experiences at scale. In the performance marketing space as well, the recent changes have reshaped the way major campaigns behave. For example : Google’s Performance Max, with newer features like Campaign level brand exclusions, empowers advertisers to exercise greater control over their brand representation. Meanwhile, Meta’s Advantage+ Ads with creative updates, has redefined user engagement by tailoring product recommendations and making ads more visually appealing. The extensive use of ChatGPT beyond content generation, like recommendations for precise targeting, offers marketers more refined tools for audience segmentation.
- Performance and Branding are not standalone terms : The days when performance and branding campaigns operated independently are a thing of the past. Today, in order for a brand to attain long-term success and prevent falling into the customer acquisition cost (CAC) pitfall, it’s important to run both types of campaigns simultaneously with well-thought-out strategies. At ETML, we refer to this integrated approach as “performance branding.” In this methodology, we carefully plan and allocate budgets to both performance and branding strategies, ensuring a comprehensive and balanced approach. This synergy allows us to achieve the best possible results, fostering brand growth and profitability.
- Privacy changes and first party data becoming critical : Privacy concerns have fundamentally transformed the landscape of digital marketing. With the rise of strict data protection regulations and growing awareness among consumers about the value of their personal information, first-party data has become a critical asset for marketers. This shift towards prioritizing first-party data means that businesses must focus on building direct relationships with their customers, gathering data through opt-ins and consent, and ensuring data security.
- The power of Influencer Marketing and UGC content : Influencer marketing has gained remarkable importance in recent years, even though it began around 15 years back. This surge can be attributed to the shifting landscape of social media and consumer behavior. People increasingly turn to influencers as trusted sources of information. Additionally, the explosive growth of user-generated content (UGC) and short videos, like Reels and Shorts, has been phenomenal. These bite-sized, engaging videos have captured the attention of millions, and their popularity keeps growing. With AI taking a front seat, brands must leverage the power of content creation to influence the targeting of most of the automated campaigns.
- Understanding the potential of Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities : Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities of India are witnessing a digital revolution. Brands must recognize their immense potential in order to tap the rapid expansion of the affluent middle class with considerable purchasing power. The internet and smartphone penetration in these regions have not only increased but also their cost of advertising is often lower than that of the Tier 1 cities. Tailoring content to resonate with the preferences of this audience is of strategic importance.
- Chatbots, WhatsApp and the Power of Broadcasting : WIth WhatsApp’s popularity, brands are offered with a direct, personal way to engage with customers, enabling one-on-one communication and building trust. Globally, the WhatsApp business has crossed the mark of 200 million monthly active users — up from 50 million in 2020. In India, with 50 Cr+ Indians being on WhatsApp, the platform has a huge potential for businesses to involve seamlessly during each stage of a customer’s journey: Pre- purchase, Purchase and Post-purchase. The app is predicted to hit revenue of $1 billion in India in 2023. Brands can download our guide on CTWA (Click to WhatsApp Ads) for more detailed information.
Chatbots, powered by AI, on the other hand, enhance customer service, providing quick responses and assistance round the clock. Meanwhile, broadcasting capabilities allow brands to reach a wide audience instantly, sharing updates, offers, or content efficiently. These tools not only streamline interactions but also help brands tailor their messaging and offerings to individual preferences, resulting in a more personalized and effective marketing approach in today’s fast-paced digital world.
- Rise of Voice Search Optimization: Voice search is no longer unique; it has become an integral component of how people leverage technology. Today, businesses are optimizing their content for voice search as the use of virtual assistants grows. This entails employing conversational language, long-tail keywords, and producing material that responds to certain voice-based inquiries. In order to stay relevant in the voice-activated era, organizations are rethinking how they approach SEO and content development.
- End to End Personalisation: Considering that the majority of the Indian population uses regional languages, it is essential to implement a comprehensive personalization strategy throughout the entire customer journey. This goes beyond translations or vernacular content and requires tailoring the entire user experience to the individual’s language. This includes native language content and communication, personalized landing page and app experiences, chatbot interactions, call center support, as well as notifications and updates, ensuring a holistic and consistent personalized experience in their language.
Constant modification: The key to future growth
Digital marketing has evolved into a dynamic sector that is continuously adapting to trends. Thus, to compete in an ever-changing digital marketing world, businesses must not only embrace the above mentioned trends but also forecast what lies ahead. The only thing constant in this landscape is Change !
(The author is Amitek Sinha, Co Founder and COO, ETML- a growth advertising and analytics company, and the views expressed in this article are his own)
