As digital tech continues to grow and get ever smarter, AI is creating marketing trends that lean toward more authentic engagement, personal connections and relatable brand promotion. So here’s a bite-size rundown of the digital marketing trends we’re likely to see more of in 2021.

Shopping by post.

Rather than direct customers from your Instagram account to your website, shoppable posts let them select and buy products direct from an app without having to navigate away from your posts. Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook have all introduced ways for e-commerce stores to create shoppable posts. For online retailers, it’s a great way to drive traffic to product pages.

Influencers get more personal.

Rather than use ‘celebrities’ with lots of followers, companies now seek out influencers with a smaller social media following to reach a more carefully targeted audience. Having a small but dedicated audience is more beneficial for marketing purposes than having a large but disconnected audience, and creates content that feels personal and authentic, because that’s what builds trust.

Video comes on-stream. 

One in five videos on Facebook Live is now streamed, with similar features on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and Linkedin. Live videos on Facebook and Instagram are watched 3 times longer than non-live videos. 5G technology and advances in AI and voice tech will mean more personalisation and product placement within digital video as users interact with ads from connected TV and mobile devices.

An interactive future.

Interactive content will be one of 2021’s top marketing trends. Interactive content is any type of content such as calculators, quizzes, polls, surveys, contests, infographics and videos that encourage users to actively engage with your website rather than passively consume it. It’s a great way to add value for visitors, capture their engagement and learn more about them.

Keeping it real.

Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) are both top marketing trends. In 2021, AR is expected to surpass VR in popularity. Already, many major companies are making use of AR, like Ikea’s ap that allows users to see what a piece of furniture would look like in their home before buying. With access to VR and AR technology, brands are offering tours of facilities and interactive 3D models so they can examine products.

Tech is listening. 

Voice-activated digital assistants continue to be huge sellers. 72% of people with a voice-activated speaker say they often use it as part of their daily routine. More than just a voice that responds to your verbal requests to play a song or check the weather, this tech is communication between you and all your connected devices, so in 2021 expect to see more of it as the technology improves.

Tell me a story.

Snapchat was first with these sharable 15 second glimpses of people’s lives. Then Instagram and Facebook got in on the act, and YouTube came up with a version called Reels. Even Twitter has done their own version! Instagram Stories have picked up 250 million users since launch in August 2016, and are used by 500 million people daily. Stories could become the next best way to share on social media.

Websites go mobile.

As more of us use smartphones and tablets for internet browsing, more websites are being created with a mobile-first design, with more features to deliver the best experience to mobile users. So we’ll see touchscreen-friendly navigation, streamlined navigation menus, less text-heavy content, and functions like collapsible menus.

Rise of the chatbots. 

Chatbots provide shoppers with personalized, accessible customer service, so have become an invaluable means of connecting with customers using the same kind of AI that’s found in voice search and smart assistants. They also help small and medium businesses offer a better experience by providing 24-hour service, vital information, and instant answers to customers’ questions.

Get the media message.

Facebook Messenger has 1.3 billion active users every month, and around 10 billion messages are sent between people and businesses via the app. Social media messaging apps like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and WeChat combine the convenience of shopping from home, with the quick service that comes with face-to-face interaction, and are an inexpensive and easy way to improve customer experience.

If you’re interested in kickstarting your digital marketing in 2021, get in touch with the Harrison Carloss team. We’ve got a team of experts to help boost your business online – from ecommerce to social media- we’re the agency for you. Did we mention we also make a mean website?