The marketing landscape has evolved significantly over the past few years, and 2023 is set to bring new trends to the forefront of digital marketing. For brands and their agency counterparts, a return to marketing fundamentals with a laser focus on performance and metrics for digital marketing is expected.
The digital marketing space will see marketers moving towards performance measurement as a primary metric for determining ROI. For brands that have traditionally invested heavily in print, television and sponsorships, shifting spending to digital marketing channels where performance data is more readily available for analysis will be a trend. Personalized marketing is also set to go the extra mile as using third-party data sets will allow brands to create custom audience segments of more interested buyers efficiently.
The importance of email marketing cannot be ignored, and this trend will continue to grow in 2023. Many consumers prefer to receive emails from brands to learn, engage and stay current, and many marketers rely on email as a reliable workhorse for driving conversions. The email platform provides an ideal space for delivering timely and relevant messages to hyper-targeted audiences. As email grows increasingly interactive with the inclusion of games, image carousels, quizzes, and videos that don’t require leaving the email client, marketers should also focus on delivering an exceptional mobile email experience, given the majority of email views are on mobile devices.
- Performance marketing to drive ROI With marketers scrutinizing their budgets and focusing on maximum returns, there will be a shift from expensive branding campaigns to those based on performance. Brands will lean into digital marketing channels where performance data is more readily available for analysis, and campaigns will need to result in contributions to pipeline or revenue. This will require hiring new digital marketers who are proficient with the latest technologies and can convert data into actionable insights.
- B2B Perspective: Performance metrics like lead generation, pipeline contribution, and conversions will become even more critical for B2B SMEs, who will need to prioritize digital channels for more significant returns.
- B2C Perspective: With DTC brands leading the way, B2C SMEs will focus on optimizing channels that promote engagement and conversion across a wide landscape of digital touchpoints.
- Personalized marketing will go the extra mile Personalized marketing will become even more crucial for brands, as hyper-targeted ad delivery enables marketers to reach consumers with a higher intent to buy at the right time. Third-party data sets will enrich first-party data, giving brands the ability to create custom audience segments of more interested buyers. Sequential messaging in omnichannel campaigns will guide consumers through more personalized experiences based on how they’ve engaged with the content.
- B2B Perspective: Personalization will be key for B2B SMEs to attract and retain customers, with hyper-targeted ad delivery and custom audience segments based on buying signals.
- B2C Perspective: B2C SMEs will focus on building relationships with customers through sequential messaging in omnichannel campaigns, delivering more personalized experiences to consumers.
- Email marketing will continue to be effective and evolving Email marketing will remain an ideal platform for delivering timely and relevant messages to hyper-targeted audiences. Triggered responses, time-of-day sending, and the immediacy of the email will contribute to its overall effectiveness. Look for an email to grow increasingly interactive with the inclusion of games, image carousels, quizzes, and videos that don’t require leaving the email client.
- B2B Perspective: Email marketing will remain a reliable workhorse for B2B SMEs, with triggered responses, timely sending, and interactive content that engages the audience.
- B2C Perspective: B2C SMEs will focus on delivering an exceptional mobile email experience that engages and retains customers with interactive content.
- Doubling down on the right metrics Marketers will need to focus on the metrics that define success and determine how they will be collected and reported. Omnichannel digital marketing will provide personalization, engagement, and data that ROI-focused marketers demand.
- B2B Perspective: B2B SMEs will need to identify the metrics that define success for different types of campaigns and determine how they will be collected and reported.
- B2C Perspective: B2C SMEs will focus on omnichannel digital marketing that provides the personalization, engagement, and data that ROI-focused marketers demand.
Voice search is not new, but its usage is growing rapidly. It’s estimated that by 2023, there will be 8 billion voice assistants in use. Brands that prioritize voice search optimization can be at a competitive advantage, as the trend is projected to only grow in popularity.
- To optimize for voice search, brands should focus on long-tail keywords and use natural language that matches the way people speak. This trend is relevant to both B2B and B2C companies.
- For B2B companies, optimizing for voice search means providing answers to common industry-related questions. For example, a software company could create a video series that answers common questions about its product or service.
- For B2C companies, optimizing for voice search means incorporating natural language that matches how consumers speak. Brands can create FAQ pages with questions that people are likely to ask when looking for their product or service.
The Takeaway
As we head into 2023, brands and marketers are going to need to focus on the basics of digital marketing while leveraging new technologies and trends. A combination of traditional tactics and modern strategies will be the key to success in the coming year.
For SMEs, it’s crucial to stay up to date on these digital marketing trends and how they can benefit both B2B and B2C segments. It’s also important to prioritize ROI and performance measurement when allocating marketing budgets.
By staying on top of the latest digital marketing trends and investing in the right areas, SMEs can compete with larger companies and make the most of their marketing efforts.