2023 is shaping up to be a year to fine-tune and refine our digital marketing strategies. From a macro perspective—before getting down to the micro level—the previous few years have been plagued by global challenges in the form of geopolitical tensions, a global pandemic, and significant economic instability.
Given this scenario, in 2023 more than ever, businesses that want to grow (and survive) must get serious about their business strategies. Short-termism and what we at PS call "sticky plaster tactics"—solving today's problems haphazardly without keeping an eye on tomorrow and without understanding how these tactics will affect the overall strategy—are pointless. Slowing down, bringing the team together, having difficult conversations, aligning around goals, and outlining a flexible but stable roadmap is what 2023 is asking of us.
Below, we summarize the top 10 digital marketing trends expected in the markets in 2023:
Own your data | Privacy
Last year, we wrote about "The Future of Privacy" and the major changes the digital world was about to undergo in terms of data collection. Data remains the most valuable asset for all businesses; however, the practices for collecting it have changed.
In a survey conducted by Google with more than 7,000 European users, it was discovered that the best-performing ads are those from brands that respect their users' privacy. This is because when a brand's audience feels they lack control over their data and privacy, they are more skeptical about interacting with digital marketing strategies.
A good tactic for collecting zero-party data is to use forms embedded on your business's website.
Gen Z & UGC (User-Generated Content) | Demographics
Generation Z, those born in the late 1990s and early 2000s, is a demographic cohort that follows the millennial generation and precedes Generation Alpha. Gen Z is the first digitally native generation to have grown up in a world dominated by technology. Therefore, their behaviors and decision-making processes differ significantly from those of their predecessors. Currently representing 40% of the world's consumers, brands that want to connect with this generation must understand their values, attitudes, and behaviors, which are much more focused on social impact, justice, equality, diversity, and the sustainability of the planet.
Furthermore, this generation is very aware of the Creator Economy, or content creation economy, so it will be much more profitable for brands to promote User-Generated Content initiatives through influencers and voices that provide discourse and social credibility.
More inclusive creatives | Content
In line with Generation Z and its strong values of inclusivity and diversity, brands will need to echo these values in their visual identity to stay ahead of the curve. A shift toward representations of minority groups in paid media creatives and more socially responsible content will be an exercise we'll see in 2023. Obviously, these creatives are expected to reflect the brand's internal value to avoid falling into "greenwashing," "pinkwashing," or "rainwashing" initiatives, where brands whitewash their image to jump on the trend without actually supporting the cause.
Videos, videos, and more videos | Content
Once again, video remains the most popular format for brand storytelling. New for 2023 are increasingly shorter videos on channels like YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, and TikTok, as their ability to entertain and go viral at a very low cost makes them highly profitable content. Another new development is the traction that live streaming is gaining among brands. This type of live video, much more spontaneous than an audiovisual production, fosters trust in the brand-customer relationship. Finally, ephemeral or temporary content provides added value and generates greater engagement between the brand and the customer, who must be attentive and engaged with the brand to consume it.
The boom in machine translation in multilingual content marketing | Content
In an increasingly global market, brand content is targeted at multicultural audiences. Machine translation tools are emerging to facilitate this translation task, especially for video content.
Return to in-person events | Channel
Although the digital channel is capable of creating and maintaining stable relationships with its users, brands are aware of the impact that face-to-face communication has on generating brand awareness. After the pandemic and virtual fatigue, audiences are receptive to reconnecting physically with brands and their communities. Re-incorporating in-person events into marketing strategies and supporting them through digital channels will be a trend in 2023.
Social Media Reaffirms Itself as a Customer Service Tool | Channel
A 2022 Hubspot survey on consumer trends found that 201% of Gen Zers and 25% of millennials interviewed had contacted a brand via DM in the past three months. Customers want to have the most direct communication possible with brands and find social media channels a quick and easy way to connect. With this growing trend, businesses must establish customer service protocols so that, through these channels, the need for immediate responses from customers and potential customers can be resolved.
Influencer and Micro-Influencer Marketing Continues to Grow | Channel & Content
According to a Hubspot survey, 891% of marketers who in 2022 chose to communicate their brand message through influencers will maintain or increase their investment in 2023. Additionally, 171% plan to invest in this tactic for the first time this year.
There's no doubt that when a brand collaborates with influencers and opinion leaders in its industry, it not only significantly increases brand awareness but also gains followers among the influencer's own audience.
Brands will increasingly invest in micro-influencers, as their levels of engagement with their communities are higher (their audiences consider them approachable) than those of major celebrities.
Native Ads integrated into digital channels | Channel
More and more users are using tools to limit ads on their social media profiles. Therefore, brands must look for new ways to reach their audiences. Native ads are a good option, as they adapt to the medium in which they appear and generate trust in the brand among the target audience.
An eye on the basics, another eye on the metaverse | Strategy
2023 is shaping up to be a year of a return to stability, a return to the basics of every business and brand (refining buyer personas, refining brand pillars and messages, and benchmarking competitors). However, this more conservative strategy must be balanced throughout the year with the ultimate trend: the metaverse. Although the metaverse is still a very nascent technology, and brands that have begun creating experiences in this channel, such as Starbucks or Nike, do not yet have a clear return on investment, starting to experiment in the metaverse on a personal level will be a good practice to implement.
And that's our summary of our industry's trends for 2023. Staying up-to-date and always open to change is the winning attitude to ensure your business never falls behind in digital marketing. As we emphasized at the beginning, all these ideas must be put into perspective, and rather than trying to implement them all at once, we encourage you to pause, take stock, and develop a more sustainable medium-long-term strategy for your business.
