From the moment they entered the public eye, it has been abundantly evident to all that social media and online communication platforms will fundamentally alter the way we promote our businesses to consumers. We can confidently state that these expectations were fulfilled given that the average user uses a variety of devices to access the internet for six hours and fifty-eight minutes per day, almost all of which occurs during waking hours.
However, nobody could have predicted the rate at which the most significant disruptive digital trends would continue to emerge or the surprising paths that these advancements would take.
At year’s conclusion, we were left wondering, quite rightly, what the future held for digital technology and marketing tactics in 2023. Alright, let’s attempt to ascertain.
Increasing the ongoing connectivity
It is evident that most of the time that people are awake, they are utilising the internet in one way or another. Customers now assume that their requests, views, and complaints can be delivered at any time, around-the-clock, and that they will receive responses as soon as possible. This basic reality, however, drastically alters customer expectations. These things are now feasible because of advancements in AI, machine learning, and the Internet of Things, which greatly increases communication. As a result of all these concepts, chatbots are developing the ability to manage increasingly complicated customer engagements.
Virtual and augmented reality are starting to exist.
The potential for augmented and virtual reality to enhance the shopping experience is enormous, as it can make it more immersive, enjoyable, captivating, and educational. Furthermore, in circumstances where physical retail spaces are unavailable, these tools offer the closest approach to authentic in-person transactions. The global pandemic we’ve been dealing with over the past few years has shown that these kinds of solutions are practically required, and a particular AR-powered game in which you have to catch little pocket monsters has demonstrated that this can be implemented on a larger scale. It is possible that all these blocks will come together in the upcoming year.
SEO is changing currently
One of the key tenets of the digital marketing industry has always been and will continue to be search engine optimisation. As long as people continue to use search engines as a means of transportation, that is. The tech and communication industries are undergoing seismic upheavals, which will unavoidably cause their areas of focus to alter. As a result, over time, a seasoned social media agency will need to start paying far less attention to content-based SEO alone and instead focus on a larger range of factors including voice search, technical SEO, and local SEO. These Alexa-enabled gadgets and smart speakers all require a working environment.
Customization of the client encounter
Whether it be traditional or digital marketing, one of the most important aspects is personalisation. In hard data, 66% of customers anticipate businesses to comprehend their particular needs and provide personalised information, and 90% of marketers assert that personalisation increases their businesses’ profitability. Furthermore, with the availability of tools like augmented reality, machine learning, and artificial intelligence, there will only be more opportunities in the future to identify customers’ wants and preferences—even those they may not be aware of—and meet those requirements with tailored offers.
Coordinated advertising and promotion
Consistency is the foundation of strong brands. Customers are now highly skilled at identifying even the smallest differences, which they interpret as an indication of a reputable business. Closer channel integration, which keeps all advertising platforms and messaging more concentrated on the same guiding principles, is the answer to these issues. It is encouraging to know that modern technology is becoming increasingly capable of meeting these expectations. Furthermore, we are witnessing an increase of IMC tools that can be fully customised to help specific companies address these problems as effectively as possible.
The increase in anonymized data
Our society has recently grown increasingly concerned with issues related to consenting to data sharing and online privacy. We could also add, if we have a valid justification. But third-party data gathering companies and big data are vital to the current state of digital marketing. If all these things disappear, how are we going to feed the global marketing machine? A more proactive strategy to gathering zero-party data is the solution. As a result, anticipate seeing all brands rely significantly more on polls, focus groups, surveys, quizzes, and any other activity that allows them to learn more about their customers.
Holographic commercials
Yes, we are aware that this sounds incredibly bizarre and Blade Runner-like, but people have always done a fantastic job at copying the best science fiction works. The holographic commercials are no different, and we won’t have to wait for a dystopian 2049 to begin noticing them. In actuality, since 2017, well-known tech companies like Samsung and Intel have been showcasing fully functional holographic technology. However, this technology will also need to mature into the mainstream, much like any other that is going through growing pains and being a little ahead of its time. We won’t have to wait long for it to occur, though.
Here they are, then: the top seven most exciting new technological trends and how they will impact the field of digital marketing in 2023 and beyond. As we can see, this industry is booming and become a lot more thrilling, though a little too crazy and unexpected. On the one hand, that will be a real challenge for analysts and commentators attempting to project the future direction of marketing. Conversely, this creative turmoil will yield a plethora of innovative marketing ideas that will be advantageous to everyone participants in the process.
