Top 5 Trends to Improve Your Marketing

Wondering which marketing trends are most effective? Discover a list of what’s trending now to help your marketing team find the plan that works best for your brand.

Buckle up because 2023 is in full swing!

With businesses continuing to determine what's the new post pandemic normal, geopolitical tensions on the rise and egg prices skyrocketing every week, it’s safe to say to say that 2023 is proving to be a rollercoaster.

But despite this economic tornado, marketing teams must make the appropriate adjustments to keep up with the current zeitgeist to help their businesses grow and connect with their audiences. So, what trends should your company be implementing this year? I’ve got your round up coming up.

1. Find Your Human Side

More and more customers want to feel connected to the companies they do business with. Let’s be transparent here, being too corporate for the sake of pooling in more leads, comes across as cold and sterile and last time I checked those aren’t characteristics that are going to pull at the heart strings of your targeted clients. Customers want to interact with brands they can root for and who ultimately feel human.

Companies have been transforming their values as effective talking points in their communication. Topics like sustainability and inclusivity, while effective business strategies, can also be great messages to share with customers adding a level of relatability and connection. Not only that, according to a deeper market dive on HubSpot, humanizing a brand had a 41% ROI and a 48% customer retention. Finding innovative and lighthearted ways to share your company’s human side adds a level of intimacy to your strategy that invites your customers into the world of your business.

2. Influencer vs. Creator Marketing

Influencers aren’t going anywhere, and neither is influencer marketing. Sure, a decade ago influencing customer opinions were left to A-list celebrities dancing in Pepsi commercials, (I still remember the Britney Spears one to this day).

Now, anyone with a phone and a decent following can be an influencer making them a lucrative opportunity for marketers. But not all influencers and digital creators, (or content creators) are created equally. The main difference lies in their respective titles. Influencers are social media personalities who influence their following while content creators, well, create content. In addition, each one produces different results. On the one hand influencers can improve brand awareness and influence customer opinions on a product. While a digital creator may be utilized to showcase your brand in their unique style. Determining which is better for your strategy is important for optimizing results.

3. SEO is Still Going Strong

While, utilizing content marketing tools like blogs are certainly not new or revolutionary, they're still effective! In fact, 29% of marketers say they employ a website to attract and convert leads. When it comes to ROI, leveraging SEO has a 42% effectiveness.

The truth is, most people utilizes some form of search engine to find what they’re looking for and if your company doesn’t appear in those results, it’s like you never existed. That’s why SEO matters. It’s the tool that keeps on giving and generates the most organic traffic.

4. Authentically Generation Z

Sorry millennials but there’s a new kid taking over. Yes, the new fan favorite being whispered about at marketing round tables are, you guessed it, Generation Z. Unlike their predecessors, Gen Z is the first generation to have grown up entirely on the internet. The platforms they most interact with are ones that are highly visual, dynamic, and ever changing. They show up where it matters to them and prioritize relevance and authenticity. They’re also incredibly loyal. In fact, a report by the IBM Institute for Business Value and the National Retail Federation revealed, 66% of Gen Z stick to buying from a favorite brand for a long time. But marketers tread lightly with this group. Don’t try to force Gen Z into the world of your business but rather meet them in theirs. Understand their unmet needs and prioritize authenticity to gain their trust and turn them into loyal customers.

5. Video is King

When it comes to content that gives you the biggest bang for your buck it's video leading the pack. Adding video content to your plan improves SEO, builds customer trust and is an opportunity to clearly communicate with your audience. In fact, according to an analysis done by Personify, 80% of customers want to see more video from businesses. In addition with the rapid popularity of TikTok, came a craving for more snack-able short form video. Other media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and YouTube have adapted this video model too, but that doesn't mean your CEO needs to go dance on TikTok. Creating content that is relevant to your audience on the platforms your audience naturally interacts with is the best way of utilizing this trend.

Conclusion: Shifting for Growth

Sure customer habits are changing but marketers you should too. Finding new ways to invite customers in will be key to a successful marketing plan. While traditional methods like SEO will still be effective players this year, incorporating ways to attract Gen Z, adding video or influencers into your tool kit can prove to be great opportunities for growth.