No matter the size or industry of your business, effective digital marketing is a must. There are over 4.54 billion active internet users across the globe. That’s more than half of the world population! Usage is even more prevalent in developed countries.
According to Pew Research’s latest data, over 90 percent of adults in America use the internet. Your customers are online, and so should your marketing efforts. This is especially important during the current pandemic, as people mostly consume media and advertising online instead of traditional methods, like billboards and signs.
The slight issue with digital marketing, however, is that it’s dictated by trends. What might be an effective method to your audience today, may be considered outdated by next year. Now that 2020 is coming to a close, it’s time to look forward and get to know 2021’s trends and stay ahead of the curve.
Dedication to Privacy Protection Still Stands
With large companies like Zoom and Nintendo falling victim to data breach attacks this year, it’s no surprise that people are holding onto their internet data with a tight grip. Over 88 percent of millennials are concerned about their online privacy. If you want to gain your customers’ trust to buy your products or simply sign up for your newsletter, you need to show that you’re dedicated to protecting the data you mine from them.
Apart from creating and publishing a privacy policy, you should give your customers control over the data they give you. Your personalization efforts may suffer from this, but it provides assurance to customers that they’re not sharing data they’re not comfortable providing. You should also consult with cybersecurity firms to improve the encryption of your business website. This way, it’ll be harder for attackers to intercept consumer and business data from you.
Capitalize on Online Communities
Message boards and forums may seem archaic, but they’re still very popular methods of communication. This is especially true for enthusiasts of certain niches, like cars, watches and computers.
If you sell products that cater to niches with vocal and active communities, you should definitely get in on the action. Popular mediums for this include Facebook Groups, Reddit, and Quora. Apart from promoting your products, offer expert advice and answer user questions as well. This way, you build trust with the community members.
Utilize YouTube
YouTube advertising is a lot like traditional pay-per-click advertising. You create content and target a certain group of people to send it to. It’s a bonus if your videos go viral. However, the content creation is much more complex. You have to create videos that are both entertaining and informational to your audience.
You also have to consider their phase in the buyer’s journey. Work with an established production company for online videos to conceptualize and create engaging content your audience is sure to love.
Digital marketing may be the norm for businesses, but it’s still difficult to get right because of the trends you have to follow. The right choice for advertising channels could mean profits. Here are ones you should definitely consider in the coming year. With killer YouTube ads, an authoritative voice in online forums, and an effective data privacy plan, you’re sure to retain and gain more customers in 2021.
