8 Key Digital Marketing Trends for 2021

In the digital economy, it is critical to have an engaging digital presence.

Did you know, for instance, that 4.66 billion people around the world use the internet today?

That’s more than 60% of the global population!

So, do you have an effective digital marketing strategy to attract and engage prospects and customers?

In this blog post, we look at eight trends in digital marketing that will help inform your business strategy in 2021.

Let’s get started!

User Experience

It’s a best practice to build an engaging digital experience for your website visitors and customers.

In addition to this, Google is now factoring ‘UX signals’ into Search Engine Results Page (SERP) rankings.

This means that providing a great user experience is a key ranking criterion for search algorithms.

Therefore, you need to give equal attention to UX, as well as on-page and off-page SEO.

Make sure that your website:

• Loads Quickly: Optimize images and Javascript code
• Is Easy to Find and Use: Build user-friendly navigation and site structure
• Is Accessible Across Devices: Ensure device compatibility and remove bugs

Semantic Search

In 2021, SEO strategies will be shaped by semantic search.

It refers to how search engines use available data to decide context, intent, and meaning, in order to give you the most relevant search results possible.

Here’s how you can implement semantic search:

• Use content to answer questions
• Write in short sentences and bullet lists
• Build structured data for website crawlability
• Link your website to relevant content
• Develop content topic clusters

Search Intent

In 2019, Google launched the BERT update.

With this update, the search engine has a better understanding of the context in which users make search queries, in order to provide relevant search results.

In fact, search intent is redefining the marketing funnel.

Therefore, you need to:

• Research content needs based on user intent
• Categorize keywords and develop content based on search intent
• Create a FAQs page on your website

Long-Form Content

“Long-form content gets an average of 77.2% more links than short articles.”

As statistics show, blog posts that are 3000 words or more in length attract increased traffic.

This is because long-form content explores the topic in question, in detail.

In 2021, it will be key to ranking high on Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs).

Social Media

Did you know that for the first time, more than half of the global population is using social media?

In addition to this, a research survey shows that increased acquisition of new customers is the top goal for 73% of social media marketers in 2021.

Social media is a highly-valuable digital marketing channel.

For one, it helps you build brand loyalty by staying connected to customers.

Therefore, this is your opportunity to make the most of social listening and minimize customer churn on social media.

First-Party Data

Marketers have traditionally relied on cookies in order to build strong insights into data.

With the implementation of the European Union’s GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), conventional methods of quantifying campaign effectiveness are evolving.

In 2021, there will be renewed emphasis on privacy-first measurement, with marketers using techniques such as conversion modeling to measure the success of digital campaigns.

Measure campaign performance effectively, invest in first-party data, and customize digital advertising with Google Tag Manager.

Personalization

Research shows that 63% of consumers are ‘highly annoyed’ with generic advertising.

In addition to this, 80% say that they are more likely to do business with a company that provides a personalized experience.

Therefore, in 2021, you need to develop highly-personalized marketing campaigns.

This means personalizing content, products, services, and email marketing.

Predictive and Augmented Analytics

Did you know that 52% of executives say that data analytics helps them deliver a superior customer experience?

While predictive analytics helps you identify patterns and predict the future, augmented analytics allows you to automate data preparation and enable data sharing.

Marketers are using predictive and augmented analytics to minimize churn and build brand loyalty with advanced lead scoring, segmentation, as well as personalization.

And that’s a wrap on eight trends in digital marketing to help you drive business success in 2021.

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