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Looking ahead, that's what we prefer to do at Social Brothers! That's why we've dived into the trends for the coming year and listed the best for you below. To prepare you for the trends, but also so that you know what you can do with it and whether it is something for you.
Video marketing
To start with one of the biggest trends of this year – it should come as no surprise – video marketing. Videos, shorts, reels and so on. A video is the means to tell a story, because moving images do something for the eye and are therefore many times more effective than text. In fact; '1 second of a video is worth about 30.000 words Idea Rocket.
A study from Microsoft also claims that people nowadays only have an attention span of 8 seconds. A considerable decrease compared to the year 2000, when people lasted 12 seconds.
Keep in mind: on platforms such as Instagram and TikTok, short videos – from 21 to 34 seconds – are gaining ground in leaps and bounds. The reason? People's timeline or feed is becoming more and more saturated, which lowers the tension and increases the demand for short and easy-to-consume content. But whether you go with the trends or prefer to make longer videos; the clearer the message, the greater the impact.
Influencer marketing
The rise of influencer marketing already started in 2012. However, this will still be an important trend in 2023. That's because word of mouth is still one of the most effective forms of advertising. Betting on this with the help of influencers is therefore a golden strategy. People are more likely to purchase a service or try a product if someone they know or trust tells them about it.
You want to use influencer marketing because:
- It increases your brand awareness;
- Build your confidence and authority;
- They reach your target group on your behalf;
- It stimulates leads;
- You generate leads with it;
- you come into contact with a broader market.
As a company, it is very important to first research the type of influencer that suits your target group. Are you choosing the wrong one? Then using an influencer is counterproductive. The influencer may be irrelevant to your target audience or even have a bad status and damage your brand.
User-generated content
In other words; content created by your customers. Are they satisfied? Then they might post a positive rating, review or even a social media message with your company name in it. The confidence of potential consumers grows thanks to this content. After all, real people recommend your product or service and take the trouble to post a message or review.
Thanks to the increasing number of users of social media, user generated content is becoming increasingly important. Think of Instagram or TikTok where many users show their outfit with the hashtag #OOTD (outfit of the day). Mentioning a brand is something that is not strange with these posts.
The younger generations such as Gen Z (1996 – 2010), in particular, but also the Millennials (1980 – 1995) are particularly sensitive to this content. This Businesswire research concludes that 70% of Gen Zers find it very useful to know what other customers think of a product or service before making a purchase – this is true for a whopping 78% of Millennials.
User experience
A clearly structured, fast and interactive website is necessary for a pleasant user experience for users. Think beyond the desktop version of your website. In fact, start with the mobile version! More people use the internet on their phone than on a desktop. An optimized mobile website is therefore extremely important for a strong user experience.
A positive experience with your website increases the chance of a conversion, which – after a positive experience – leads to loyalty to your brand.
Voice search, AR, VR and AI.
AI and AR are developing at a rapid pace and not without reason! Consumers are showing more and more interest in this interactivity – two-way traffic, as it were. After all, the era of broadcasting is over. With these new techniques, a user is helped faster, more personally and more efficiently.
There are many examples where a consumer is better served with AI or AR than with traditional marketing. For example, a clothing store that supports AR can have potential customers try on clothes online, or a Voice application can list all the specifications of a product. In short: AR, VR, AI and voice enter into real-time interactions with (potential) customers and become an important part of the marketing strategy – just look at the enormous effect that OpenAI's ChatGPT has brought with it. It is alive and will only become more so as technology really starts to develop.
But don't turn your back on Voice search. For example, information on your website can be framed in question-and-answer forms to answer users' questions based on their intent. Users who use voice search are helped faster and arrive on your website faster.
Brand identity
More than ever before, the reputation of your organization is directly linked to social responsibility. The reason? There has been a deluge of advertisements in recent years. At the same time, consumers are more critical. They are not easily fooled and regularly challenge companies.
It is therefore extra important for organizations to be honest, transparent and personal. The more sincere you are, the closer the bond with your target group and customers. Call it authenticity, call it trust building. Anyway; we are going to see this more and more in 2023.
Sustainability is a big part of this social responsibility. Don't just show that as a company you are working on making your products, services and business operations more sustainable, but try to be the frontrunner in this movement. Keep balance with your company's vision and mission, but don't forget that more than half of consumers take this into account when buying a product. In addition, 60% of customers are willing to pay more if you demonstrate corporate social responsibility.
In order not to lose customers who attach great importance to sustainability, it is wise to pay attention to the initiatives you are already undertaking. Think of promoting recyclable packaging, donations to charities, fair trade, etc.
Data-driven storytelling
.You have a problem and we have the solution'. It worked for a long time, but is now really a thing of the past. Storytelling – and preferably data driven – has the upper hand. Everyone wants to tell a good story, but the decisive factor comes from evidence, numbers and facts.
It is an art to bring relevant storytelling together with a data-driven substantiation. This way you tell a good story, but also prove what the customer benefits from it.
It can be smart to hire an agency to help you with your marketing activities. Social Brothers has a lot of experience with Online marketing, storytelling, design en Development – of course data driven.
Do you want advice about or help with your online marketing? Social Brothers will help you! Contact us via the module at the bottom of this page or visit our Contact page.
