Digital marketing evolves at a nonstop pace, remaking itself to meet ever-evolving consumer needs and demands. Consumers want to find good information easily, to be part of communities, and to feel safe entrusting companies with their data.

In short, they want everything, everywhere, all the time. To keep pace, digital marketers must meet them everywhere. How? By remaining at the digital marketing vanguard. Let’s check out some digital marketing trends to watch in 2023.

 

Privacy Reigns

While expecting a 24/7 user experience, which requires access to their data, consumers also demand more privacy safeguards. Five U.S. states have enacted digital privacy laws regarding access to personal information. More states are expected to pass similar legislation. In addition, the European Union passed the Digital Services Act and the Digital Markets Act in 2022 to protect consumer data while establishing a “level playing field” for online businesses.

Meanwhile, Google settled a huge location-tracking lawsuit for $392 million, saying it will make disclosures clearer in 2023. The company also announced that it will delay removing third-party tracking cookies from its Chrome browser until 2024 as it tests ways to improve privacy while meeting business needs. Firefox and Safari already block them. As a result, savvy digital marketers will spend 2023 testing new technologies to meet these requirements.

 

The User Experience Counts

Consumers want everything in a brand experience: speed, convenience, consistency, and reliability, all delivered with a human touch. They’re even willing to cede some privacy for a great user experience. As PwC found, 63 percent of consumers said they would share more information if doing so made their experience feel seamless.

What constitutes a great user experience? Digital marketers find that consumers react positively to video, animation, and interactivity. “Scrollytelling,” a journalism technique that makes stories more engaging, can add dynamism to marketing content.

Consumers expect fewer pop-ups, more voice-activated options (particularly on mobile devices), and seamlessness across devices. Brands also benefit from increasingly accurate language translators that turn their content multilingual.

 

Personalized Marketing Opportunities Grow

According to Twilio, 49 percent of consumers say that a personalized shopping experience would lead them to become repeat buyers. And 75 percent are more likely to buy based on personalized recommendations.

Brands consistently refresh their personalized marketing strategies to target the right customers with the right message at the right time. AI and machine learning are improving data collection processes while also automating a more natural human touch. Marketing that feels personal works better.

 

Better Content Becomes Essential

Once again, Google is challenging digital marketers to challenge themselves. The company’s 2022 “helpful content update” targets sites that write content for SEO rather than for consumers. Google suggests that sites focus on “helpful content written by people, for people.”

This will send marketers back to the blog board in 2023 in search of smart, compelling, useful content that engages people beyond their search histories. This includes content that demonstrates first-hand product experience or expertise and an authoritative voice. 

 

Community Marketing Begins Supplanting Influencers

The influencer marketing economy topped $16 billion in 2022 and should continue to grow in the near-term. However, some forward-looking brands are peering past influencers toward community marketing strategies that appeal to younger audiences.

Community marketing proposes that brands connect with people rather than target them. One study found that Generation Z prefers community-centered social platforms such as Discord and Twitch rather than traditional social media. They gravitate to these spaces for their sense of belonging, connection, and perceived levels of privacy. As Rolling Stone proclaimed, the influencer economy might be dying, to be replaced by an economy in which brands invest in communities.

 

Conversational Marketing Accelerates

Person-centered marketing is possible in a bot world. Conversational marketing represents a fast-growing field that businesses employ to interact with consumers, solve their problems quickly, and improve engagement.

According to Drift, consumers say they use chatbots, a form of conversational marketing. to obtain information in an emergency, resolve a complaint, or get a detailed answer. When all else fails, they use chatbots to find an actual person. 

Conversational AI could be a $14 billion industry by 2025, according to Deloitte, and chatbot adoption is expected to double in the next few years. Digital marketers should explore the staggering potential of this expanding technology to reach more customers.

 

Focus Your Digital Marketing Efforts

Businesses shouldn’t feel compelled to pursue every trend. Even fitting one or two tactics into an overall marketing strategy can help build a loyal, satisfied customer base. Ultimately, digital marketing campaigns should tailor messages and experiences to individual customers. Prioritizing content, community, personalization, and privacy could have long-lasting benefits for any business.