Some fundamentals will always drive smart marketing — creativity, curiosity about customers, clear communication — but the ways in which businesses achieve their marketing goals are always evolving.
Here are four trends to watch in 2023:
Authenticity reigns: More than ever, consumers are holding companies accountable. In a recent study by Razorfish, 82% of respondents said the brands they buy stand for a greater mission and purpose. But brands will need show tangible results for their purpose-driven initiatives and get buy-in from their boards and C-suite, Razorfish CEO Josh Campo told Forbes.
TikTok juggernaut: There’s no slowdown in sight for the popularity of social media marketing, with TikTok in particular predicted to grow its dominance. The platform had 1.2 billion monthly active users in Q4 2021 and is expected to reach 1.8 billion by the end of 2022. According to the Digital Marketing Institute, TikTok is focusing on usability for businesses and improving targeting for advertising.
Wielding influence: Industry analysts predict influencer marketing will continue to move the needle for brands. A trend report by HubSpot found that 89% of marketers that engage with influencers will maintain or increase their spending in 2023, while 17% of marketers plan to invest in it for the first time this year. That doesn’t mean everyone is chasing celebrities: 56% of marketers that invest in this strategy are working with micro-influencers.
Video is king: When it comes to connectivity to audiences and gaining traction on social media, video has become unstoppable. Reflecting on the digital trends that are powering marketing, LocaliQ cites studies showing two staggering statistics: Video traffic accounted for 82% of all internet traffic in 2022, and 84% of consumers have been convinced to purchase a product after watching a video.