The Future of Digital Marketing: Connecting People With Your Brand
By Elizabeth Arenivar-Kennedy | LinkedIn, Medium
It is 2021, and digital marketing is constantly evolving into new trends at a rapid pace. Businesses are racing to keep up on new ways to connect with their customers.
How is it changing?
Businesses need to understand the future of marketing to predict any upcoming challenges. It is essential for businesses and any marketer to stay ahead of the trends and to embrace changes.
The list is focusing on the many ways to connect with your customers and to increase brand awareness.
Here is a list of four different ways Digital Marketing is impacting the future in 2021 and beyond!
➔ Influencer Marketing
➔ Branded Content
➔ User-Generated Content
➔ Interactive Content
Influencer Marketing
As social media influencers grow and gain massive audiences, many are on different platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, Twitch, and TikTok. According to Business Insider, “Brands are set to spend up to $15 billion on influencer marketing by 2022, per insider intelligence estimates, based on Media Kix data”.
During the rise of influencers, brands focused on finding influencers with thousands, if not millions, of followers. But, what is more important now is focusing on finding influencers whose audience matches the brand.
Influencer Marketing is about identifying with the right people.
Brands are better off working with someone who is in a more specialized niche. They have a dedicated audience. Their audience is interested in learning about products from the influencer because they have built trust with their audience.
People are spending more and more time engaging with social media. They are likely engaging with influencers that occupy the space.
With the continuous rise of video content, the growing popularity of TikTok, and Instagram reels. These platforms are becoming more collaborative and creative than ever. And businesses need to keep up!
Branded Content
Branded content is not conventional advertising, like tv commercials and banner ads. What branded content includes is articles, YouTube, TikTok, Instagram Reels, podcasts, and films. Going into a core marketing principle: People do not want to feel like they are being sold something.
Branded content involves storytelling and evokes a connection with its audience. People want an experience.
The times have changed, and the type of in-your-face marketing does not work anymore.
When branded content works right, it should drive engagement and improve brand awareness and loyalty. The content engages with the audience naturally through entertainment, educational, or inspirational values.
Examples! Think of The Lego Movie, a massive hit in 2014. It became the most successful branded content piece ever produced. This film increased brand awareness and sales by 25%.
Branded content is a sure way to stay in the times and connect with your audience.
User-Generated Content
Brands are improving their ads! Brands turn their customer’s free social media posts into User-Generated Content, including videos, images, or reviews. Brands are “reposting” the content onto their social media accounts, websites, and other marketing outlets. They are candid, authentic, and relatable.
This marketing strategy is a sure way to improve brand loyalty. It is the best word-of-mouth marketing strategy to apply.
People expect brands to self-promote. But when somebody else promotes them, it feels more authentic, and people are more likely to buy in.
User-Generated content is about creating trust. “A full 92% of consumers trust recommendations from people they know, and 70% trust consumer opinions.”
Engage with users who create FREE content with genuine feedback about your brand. Start a hashtag! Provide an incentive with your hashtag! Customers will flock with posts and increase your brand’s engagement.
Interactive Content
So far, all the future of marketing is about customers wanting to interact more with brands. This means people want to engage with products and services before making the final decision to buy.
93% of marketers agreed that interactive content effectively educates buyers versus 70% for static content. Interactive content is interesting, engaging, and grabs your attention. Static content is flat and dull.
What is interactive content? Any content encourages the user to engage with your brand rather than passively consume it. Interactive content lets users personalize and participate in an interactive experience.
For example,
Calculators and Configures
These tools help your customers calculate the costs and compare them to various product features. This helps customers evaluate the benefits of purchasing your product.
Create Polls and Surveys
Get helpful information from your audiences like feedback, insights, and purchasing preferences. Learn more about subjects they are interested in.
Product Recommendations
Create quizzes to direct people to your products and services.
Example: Adobe’s Creative Types Quiz
Adobe created a fun quiz that helps creative people explore what their creative style is. It is also a clever way to show how creators can use Adobe’s tools to express their style and skills.
Interactive content can deepen engagement with your business and can drive customer satisfaction. It can make you more memorable
In Conclusion
The future of marketing is constantly changing, and it is important to keep up. Brands should always look for ways to connect with their audience and learn ways to stay relevant.
By implementing these marketing techniques in different ways, you can connect with your customer in a more impactful way. You will stay ahead of the competition as long as you pay attention to what the people want!
Thank you!
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