Post-Pandemic Digital Marketing
In a post-pandemic world, it’s very hard to determine what we should expect next. We know that the marketing world will shift and advance as it always does… thanks to infusions of new tech and human innovation. What we still aren’t quite prepared for, however, is the speed at which the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated some of those changes—particularly in respect to digital marketing.
The speed at which life continues to migrate online is quite impressive. The pandemic has us connecting socially, working, and playing on our smart devices around the clock. Most businesses are migrating en masse to the “cloud” as the IT industry’s infrastructure experiences exponential growth. It makes sense, then, that marketers are trying to meet people where they are: on the Internet. Below are four ways in which the future of digital marketing is pushing forward despite any obstacles ahead. And, for what it’s worth, we expect these trends to persevere well past the pandemic.
#1: Personalization
The numbers are indisputable: personalized contact by a brand performs far better than generic outreach. A study from Marketo shows that triggered emails (communications triggered by a consumer’s activity) perform up to three times better than generic blast emails (all consumers receiving the same messaging at the same time).
Customers like being tailored to, and they like being shown what they’re already interested in—as opposed to getting random messages. Artificial intelligence (AI) is being used by savvy marketers to obtain user data and apply it to emails, internet searches, social media, ads, and much more.
#2: Chatbots
Have you visited a website with a chatbot at work lately? Have a look at these statistics:
Chatbots are powering an estimated 85 percent of online customer service today.
80 percent of businesses want to put chatbots to work this year.
63 percent of people would like the option of a chatbot to talk to a business or a brand.
People want chatbots—and they’re using them too. User surveys show customers like having the opportunity for a quick response and don’t mind using a bot to escalate an issue to a human service agent. As a hot new digital marketing trend, chatbots do not aim to replace people. In other words, they are streamlining workflows so that people can do their jobs more efficiently.
#3: Influencer Marketing
Influencer marketing has been in the marketing game for the last several years. This year, however, it is now a nearly $10B business.
Fashion & Beauty and Travel & Lifestyle are the two verticals in which influencers are used quite regularly. And these folks don’t just represent brands anymore. Many have become some of your favorite celebrities—such as makeup guru James Charles, who just scored his own show on YouTube.
#4: Great Content
Finally, great content has always been a smart—and relatively affordable—investment, but it matters now more than ever.
Think about how much you are exposed to online: the number of articles, advertisements, and brands can number in the thousands in just a single day of scrolling. How can one business break through the noise? Our answer: By offering consistent, solid, helpful information. People don’t want to be sold to . . . they want to learn! That is why these solid, clear content marketing beats paid search in effectiveness by a 3:1 margin.
Digital Marketing Doesn’t Count Unless It’s Done Well
Pandemic or no pandemic, clients won’t stick with a brand if they are misled. Personalization must push preferences effectively, chatbots need to come up with efficient answers, influencers must exude sincerity, and digital content marketing need not be boring. Find a marketing partner that understands the paramount importance of authenticity; then, these digital marketing trends will work for you. The Forum is a digital marketing agency based in San Diego that is ready to meet all of your post-pandemic needs. Contact us today and find out how we can help.
