What Will Online Marketing Look Like in 2021? Part 2

I go over 2021 online marketing trends in part 1 of this article.  Here are several others to consider as you go forward this year. 

Interactive Content

There’s no doubt that there’s still room for static content, meaning content that your followers read, watch, or listen to on their own. That said, one of the biggest content trends for 2021 is the rise of interactive content as a way of engaging customers and providing value at the same time.

Interactive content, and we’re seeing more and more businesses use this in their membership programs and online courses, can take many formats, including:

• Calculators
• Quizzes
• Questionnaires
• Games
• Polls
• Interactive Videos

The reason for the rise is two-fold. First, interactive content is fun for your followers and can make them feel more engaged with your company and brand. Second, the data you collect – whether it’s in the form of quiz responses or information entered in a calculator – will help you gather valuable information about your audience. You can use the information you collect to become laser-focused in your marketing in ways you couldn’t before.  This can lead to increases in customer acquisition and, of course, customer retention.

List Segmentation 

Another key element of customer retention is list segmentation. As marketing budgets grow tight, you must do everything to make every penny spent to get results.  It is far more cost-effective to segment your list than it is to send the same emails to everyone.  Not everyone wants or needs the same thing.  Sending the same things to everyone won’t get you a high conversion rate.

Segmentation can be done using any factors you choose, including:

• Previous purchases
• Product preferences
• Location
• Industry
• Any demographic you can collect

You have the option of segmenting your list based on the data you’ve collected from subscribers or by asking them to self-segment.  You can send out a survey or email enabling them to opt into information they want and even give them the ability to opt-out of getting information from you they don’t need.

Either way, the result is better targeting and a higher return on your investment. 

Automated Bidding for Google Ads

In-house automation isn’t the only way to streamline your marketing in 2021. While automated bidding for Google Ads isn’t new – it was first introduced four years ago – it has been greatly improved in the past year.

The benefits of automated bidding are clear. By taking advantage of automation and letting it handle bidding adjustments, you can dedicate your valuable time to improving your Pay Per Click (PPC) ads and increasing your marketing ROI.

Optimizing for Voice Search

Voice search is now a thing.  Don’t ignore it.  Voice search optimization is no longer an option. 40% of all internet users in the United States have used voice search and those numbers are going. If you’re ignoring voice search in your optimization efforts, you’re making a mistake.

You can optimize for voice search by making the content on your website conversational and accessible. Keep in mind that conversational still needs to apply to your audience. If you own a B2B tech company, your audience’s conversation may include jargon.

Instead of focusing on short keywords, try building your content around common questions and responses. Using questions in your blog headings and other content – and having a robust FAQ on your website – will make it easy for potential customers to find you using voice search. 

Non-Linear Buying Journeys

The rise of digital has undoubtedly shaken up traditional marketing. When you consider the many ways that a potential customer can learn about a company or product, it’s hardly surprising that you can’t count on a linear buying journey to be the result.

How to respond? The trend is toward an omni-channel marketing strategy that includes:

• Website content
• Social media
• Advertising
• Mobile apps
• Chatbots

Your goal should be to provide any customer or potential customer with a seamless experience across channels. Customers should get the same tone and information on Facebook that they do from a chatbot on your website, your mobile app, or your landing page.

Overall, agility is going to be the name of the game in digital marketing in 2021. We can’t know yet what the new year will hold, but businesses that remain flexible and adaptable have the best chance of continued growth and success.

Hope this helps.