A lot has changed in a year. Your marketing strategy needs to change with it. This blog explores how recent life changes have affected marketing and what the trends for 2021 will be. Some changes include:
- Consumers spend more time at home than ever before. Many jobs have gone viral and restaurants/entertainment centers have closed.
- Technology has become more convenient. First, you could access your phone on the go, and computer at home. Now, you can access your phone, email, wallet and more from your phone, watch, or by simply shouting what you want to a voice search device. You don’t even have to get up!
- These changes, plus some peoples’ lingering fear of getting COVID, made many reluctant to go anywhere or do anything outside of their home. More people are living their lives from the couch- including shopping, entertainment and attending events.
- 5G Technology will make technology more reliable, efficient and helpful. This will encourage more people to use the internet to solve their problems and find what they want or need.
- Online Marketers are becoming true experts. Many of us have been in the industry for 10-20 years now. With increased experience, years of A/B testing and new technology to analyze results, we know with great accuracy what businesses need to do in the marketing space. This helps business owners gain faster results and ROI.
Due to these lifestyle changes, business owners will need to change their marketing strategies in order to survive. Here is our list of 2021 Marketing Trends:
- Consumers spend more time and money online. People are spending less money on restaurants, entertainment and transportation. With this additional money and access to the internet, shopping online has dramatically increased. According to an article on CNN.com written in October of 2020, “US e-commerce sales will increase 18% to $710 billion this year.” Here are the best ways for your business to capitalize on this trend:
- Streamline your client’s journey from discovering your brand to purchasing.
- Guarantee your clients can easily purchase through your website.
- Ensure your website is compatible with Voice Search and Visual Search technology.
- Post frequently to your social media.
- Create shoppable social media posts.
- Send out frequent email and text marketing blasts.
- Increase spending on social media boosts/ads for successful social media campaigns.
- Create a holistic approach to your Search Engine Optimization strategy.
- Personalized Marketing. As the demand for online shopping increases, there will be an increase in competition. Therefore, it is important your brand stands out. The best way to do that is to select a niche target market and create a brand that is very specific to your ideal customer. The more specific your branding is, the more personalized it will feel. Here are the best ways to capitalize on this trend:
- When you develop content always keep in mind what your ideal customer wants to see, what is relatable to them and their lifestyle; and stick to it.
- Segment your email list into different categories based on different demographics. Then send custom emails speaking to each group.
- Personalize your messages on social media instead of automating them.
- When you boost posts, create ads or do SEO, create separate campaigns for different demographics. For example, instead of paying $100 for one ad, you can break it up into different demographics such as:
- Age/Gender- spend $25 on men ages 25-40, $25 on men ages 41-75, $25 on women 25-40 and $25 on women 41-75
- Interests- $25 on sports enthusiasts, $25 on animal lovers, $25 on boaters and $25 on car enthusiasts.
- Industry- $25 on attorneys, $25 on realtors, $25 nurses, and $25 on teachers.
- Interactive Content. With COVID still a thing and jobs moving home, many people are socializing less and are left with a craving for human connection. Allowing your audience to interact or socialize with your brand will help you gain customers who are willing to spend more, refer friends and continue to shop with you. Here are some ways you can capitalize on this trend:
- Write posts that are conversational, not sales-y.
- Create clickable posts.
- Ask Questions. For example instead of me posting this quote by David Alston, “Social media is not a media. The key is to listen, engage, and build relationships.” I can post a question like, How are you building relationships using social media?” or “What do you think separates social media from traditional media?”
- Include calls to action on posts.
- Ask for participation such as: post a picture with your pet! or Post a picture with your favorite mug! etc. Sometimes you can give prizes to people who post.
- Encourage your audience to post pictures/videos of themselves interacting with your brand.
- Ask your audience’s opinion, for instance: Do you prefer this product or that one? OR I’m getting new post cards, do like this style or that one?
- Don’t be social media selfish, engage on other people’s posts too!
- Community and Employee Engagement. A good brand engages their potential clients; a great brand engages their local community and employees as well. While everyone is living and working remotely, it’s more important than ever to keep your world close through online marketing. Here are some ways you can capitalize on this trend:
- Brand-to- Brand collaborations. Work with another local or affiliate business to cross-promote each other!
- TikTok challenges.
- Use high-end or local influencers to promote your brand for you. The people you engage could be anyone from an international celebrity to a parent on the school board who has a lot of friends.
- Encourage your employees to create organic content for your business.
- Post content to online communities; Facebook or LinkedIn groups, your local chamber of commerce websites, business listing sites, etc.
- Ask the vendors you use to post about you. (my insurance agency just posted a customer spotlight video about us)
- Try local Search Engine Optimization. Although my company works with clients all over the country, our local clients love that they can stop by our office if they wanted to.
- Google Maps Optimization.
- Ask your clients to tell their success story with your company.
- Ask your employees to talk about their favorite parts of the job or success they’ve had working in your company.
- Share something a good customer is doing on your page. If a customer is raising money or hosting an event, share that information to your social media.
- Spotlight small businesses, non-profits and extraordinary people in your local community.
- Share information from your community. such as the local school play, event at the library or a local non-profit’s fundraiser.
- Appropriate Automation. There is a time and place to automate your marketing. We know there’s a lot to do and not a lot of time so here are some ways you can capitalize on this trend:
- Click-funnel marketing.
- Chatbots on your social media or website IF it makes sense for your brand. (be careful to walk the line between practical and impersonal)
- Text Marketing.
- Email sign-up forms.
- WiFi Plug-Ins.
- Push Notifications.
- Virtual Experiences. With a lack of in-person events, people are craving new experiences without leaving the house. Here is how you can do this and capitalize on this trend:
- Facebook and Instagram Live.
- Clubhouse or virtual educational talks.
- Create great video content that is educational, funny or tells a story.
- Augmented Reality.
- Gamification.
- Brand Transparency. As people grow physically further apart, they are looking for other ways to feel connected. You can help your audience feel connected to your brand by revealing some “personal” content. Smart brands will capitalize on this trend by:
- Posting their company values on social media and including this information on their website.
- Posting “behind-the-scenes” photos/videos.
- Sharing parts of your process with your audience.
- Sharing the history of your business – including your successes and failures.
- Sharing company goals.
- Share what your company does to reward employees
- Share what your company does to give back to the community.
- Thoughtful Leadership. This world is changing so rapidly, it is increasingly difficult for people to keep up. Instead of going through long educational processes, they are turning to experts for quick answers and are eager to support a business with a knowledgable, trustworthy, leader. You can capitalize on this trend by:
- Posting industry tips.
- Doing virtual talks.
- Hosting workshops.
- Host/ be a guest on Podcasts.
- Write blogs.
- Write an e-book.
- Instead of posting an ad in the newspaper, post an article about an interesting subject in your industry.
- Put Your Audience First. The main reason people prefer to shop in-store is based on trust. When people are shopping in person, they know exactly what they are buying and where to find you if there is a problem. When people shop online, there is some fear that the product will not meet their expectations, and if it doesn’t, it will be difficult to resolve the issue. This is why big brands are making sure their customers feel confident purchasing from them online. You can capitalize on this trend by:
- Updating your Google My Business Page
- Making sure the about and contact information is correct on all websites, online listings and social media sites.
- Developing a professional website that works well.
- Incorporating internet privacy and data security to your website.
- Making sure your return policies are clear on your website.
- Making sure your website is easy to use and navigate.
- Posting content that is professional, clear and inviting.
- Avoiding any subjects that could make your audience feel uncomfortable such as politics, religion, sex, gossip, negativity, bashing of other professionals, etc.
- Hire Professional Help. Business owners used to think anyone can handle their marketing but now, people are beginning to understand the value of a true professional. If you have made it through this entire blog, you probably have questions. Or you realize you’re going to need help getting all of this done. Luckily, online marketing is now over 10 years old, which makes many professionals in the industry true experts in the field. They have the education and experience to help you get results faster than ever before. You can capitalize on this trend by: Calling/Emailing Jillian’s Circus! 516.208.9061 Jillian@JilliansCircus.com
Jillian's Circus: For the Love of Business 