As we move toward recovering from the pandemic, we’re seeing businesses opening again, business hiring again and marketing teams pivoting to adapt to the ever-changing needs of their customers. With a fresh mindset carrying us through the first fifty days of the 2021, let’s dive into some trends to keep an eye out for—and consider hopping on—this year.
Increasing marketing spend
Recent CMO Council research indicated that two-thirds of marketers are planning to increase their marketing spend this year. The only caveat is that they need to prioritize cross-functional alignment to really make these changes work. Agility is crucial right now, but make sure your teams are moving in sync. Regardless, upping investment into your marketing team isn’t a bad idea right now.
Brand accountability
2020 was a landmark year for the public holding brands accountable for their actions, marketing and political leanings. We discussed this a few months back, but it’s worth bringing up again: what you say and what you do need to align in 2021. Uniformity with brand messaging is imperative, now more than ever. Pay attention to what your audience is talking about. How do they feel about what’s going on in the world? Come from a place of empathy and, most importantly: be genuine.
Redefining the influencer
Over the last year, TikTok has become an extremely powerful cross-generational marketing tool. With 69% of its 1 billion users representing the 13-24-year-old segment, there is insane potential with the app. There are rumors from some social media experts on the platform speculating Instagram will relinquish rule of the “Influencer Kingdom” to TikTok in coming years. Who’s to say? It’s highly unlikely that Instagram will go away, but the way influencers present themselves on the two platforms are vastly different. See what fits your brand best, but remember, due to the nature of the TikTok algorithm, anyone (or any brand) can go viral at any time…and that’s its power. Long story short: don’t miss the TikTok train.
Chit Chat
In our report, How COVID is Changing the Channels of Engagement, we touched on the rise of chat boxes. With exponential growth over the last five years, it doesn’t look like this trend is slowing down. Due to the spike in popularity, emphasis on developing the conversational capabilities of these AI assistants has spiked as well. If you’ve been teetering on whether or not you should implement them, rest assured they’re becoming more and more accepted by customers and now is the time lay the groundwork for them. Make friends with AI and you will have a mutually beneficial relationship.
Remote Events
It goes without saying that the idea of large conferences right now sounds outlandish to folks in most parts of the world. But that doesn’t mean you need to put a halt to events altogether. Webinars have always been relevant, but brands like Workcast saw an 87% increase in webinar attendance last year. This trend is anticipated to carry over into this year and rightfully so: not only are virtual events pandemic-friendly, but digital, discounted (or free) events also make information more accessible regardless of geographic or socioeconomic factors, allowing brands to reach larger audiences at a much lower cost. Pandemic aside, digital events are likely here to stay.
The road to recovery is long, but things are looking up for marketers in 2021. With a new approach, fresh perspectives and the space to be creative with content, we have much to look forward to as the year goes on.
Guest Author: Kate Stephani
This article first appeared in www.cmocouncil.org Seeking to build and grow your brand using the force of consumer insight, strategic foresight, creative disruption and technology prowess? Talk to us at +971 50 6254340 or engage@groupisd.com or visit www.groupisd.com/story
