2020 saw many changes in digital behavior that we need to consider and determine how it may shape your 2021 marketing plan and investments. As we review what changed and what worked best, consider the following ideas as you market this year.
1) We saw a lot of live streaming on social media channels like Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Always consider your target market when determining which channel you should use and how best to connect. When possible, add or consider Influencer content as part of your marketing mix as you expand in this medium. Remember you are trying to expand your market with people who are similar to your best customers. If you are a shopping site, remember to check out Amazon Live which allows purchasers to buy during a broadcast.
2) Cause marketing skyrocketed as brands tried to tie themselves into communities where their customers lived by promoting a cause and tying it to a purchase. This goodwill marketing is on the rise and can accomplish raising your brand as a giver and not a taker, while offering your customers a good feeling for buying more to support your local business. If you did not tie yourself into a cause, look for one you can support that matches your target market’s ideals.
3) Users had a lot of time on their hands so they expanded User Generated Content (UGC) like crazy during their Stay At Home. Look for your mentions and content that reflected your brand. The smartest marketers were listening and also tapped into the opportunity to query their target market by asking their opinions with surveys. This provides so much valuable marketing research into where your brand or company should be heading and what matters most to your consumers or members. There is still time to get this information as UGC is expanding in 2021.
4) Sustainability became critical for many shoppers in 2020 and those consumers are looking for companies that help them feel good when they purchase by letting them feel they are contributing to a better planet. Regardless of your politics, anytime you can show that your product or service offers sustainable solutions, you add value to your company and organization. If you can get the support of causes that add credibility to your claims, make sure you add those to your messaging.
5) If Diversity is part of your organization or product advantage, there has never been a better time to add that to your story and to use your brand might to encourage more of it. 41% of shoppers shop for brands that reflect their own diversity and show people like them interacting with the product or offering financial support.
6) Voice and Visual Search is on the rise and that means you need to consider if your website is set up to support those platforms. With one in four families in America owning a Smart Speaker like Alexa, Echo and more, your website needs to be Search Engine Optimized with site mapping and images with Alt-Text so that the automated search can find a connection with the words the users use and your products or services.
7) Content consumption is changing and in 2020 we saw more people consuming their own preferential content using podcasts and newsletters. That offers you a great opportunity to increase your connection with your newsletters going directly into your contacts’ inbox but also means you will see more competition there. So sharpen up your subject lines and content and consider adding a podcast with information you have put together that you know your target is interested in learning more about. If you need an email marketing template-based subscription in order to ensure your newsletter complies with CAN-SPAM and is modified to look great on a laptop, PC, smartphone and other tools, try a user-friendly Constant Contact trial here and contact us for more tips to help you get started. For more information with statistics on Digital Marketing Trends, review the full article from Social Media Marketing Today here.
Join my next webinar to learn more about marketing your business in America 2.0. If you need help creating a better marketing plan, contact us or call Tailor-Made Advertising at 310-791-6300. Get my monthly newsletter for small businesses here.
Liz Harsch is the owner of Tailor-Made Advertising in Torrance, CA. Her firm provides marketing, training and consulting to identify marketing and media alternatives for business owners. As an experienced Marketing Director, Media Planner and Trainer, Liz has counseled and trained small business owners for Constant Contact, SCORE, SBDC, SBA, Cities and MWD and County outreach partners, APICS plus many Chambers of Commerce for over 20 years. She can be reached at her Torrance, CA office at 310-791-6300 or by email at liz@adteamla.com. You can also see her upcoming training workshops calendar at http://bit.ly/workshopscal .
