14 Digital Marketing Trends that will Dominate in 2021

Digital Marketing is the most dynamic and prosperous domain for students who seek a lucrative career. Today, I will be sharing with you some of the latest Digital Marketing Trends this particular industry looks forward to in the year ahead. As you go through my article, you will get to know about the most significant trends in internet marketing. But, this is not just my viewpoint since I have researched the essentiality of different updates based on the popularity of each one.

Latest Digital Marketing Trends in 2021

Now let’s drill down into the core of Digital Marketing Trends and key tactics that will take the ace position this year.

1. Content Marketing Trends

For the last three years, content marketing is continuously ruling the planet of digital marketing. Thus, the focus should be on the development of an integrated content marketing strategy.

After researching with HubSpot, I came across the fact that almost more than 40% of businesses are now following a strategic approach. Hence, this is a trend that we can continue to expect in the coming days as well. Not only this, but the coming days also shows that there will be a greater focus on the measurement of content marketing ROI since the competition will increase within content marketing.

2. Big Data

The marketing apps of Big Data comprises of market and customer understanding and predictive analytics.

Data Velocity, Data Volume, and Data Variety- The 3Vs of Big Data explain why it is selected as a key trend by those who have experienced the rise in real-time data, volume and data formats in their individual businesses and want to achieve the value to enhance sales via email marketing and personalization of sites by using predictive analytics. As a part of machine learning, Big Data is used to analyze the propensity to convert various customer behavior and characteristics.

3. Marketing Automation (CRM, web personalization & behavioral email marketing)

Similar to content marketing, marketing automation has been ruling the roost of being in the top three positions for the last few years. As per my personal experience, many businesses still have the scope for the improvement of their automation.

4. Mobile Marketing

Although mobile marketing remained in the top three for the past three years since most of the brands have adopted mobile responsive sites and email templates, there are fewer opportunities for growth in this particular segment. It has been found that retail conversion rates are comparatively lower on smartphones.

When it comes to search marketing, mobile plays a significant role as Google dynamically follows its mantra of mobile-first. But I think this mantra is somewhat deceptive since there are still users who access through desktop, tabs, and laptops. There is always a risk with mobile-responsive designs as conversion may fall on higher resolution screens if mobile optimized.

Nowadays, companies are preferring adaptive mobile design approaches which come with the feature of serving more contextual, relevant content, and CTAs for users and decreasing load times.

5. Social Media Marketing (social customer care & social CRM)

Our research on social media statistics showed steady growth in the overall usage of social media, but with the lesser popularity of certain social networks in specific countries. For instance, the use of Facebook and Twitter is declining in many western countries; Instagram, Pinterest, and Snapchat, on the other hand, are still showing steady progress in usage.

Social Media Marketing trends depend upon the efforts of the social networks to monetize. For example, both Instagram and Facebook, specifically make changes so that business promotion pages now need to ‘pay to play’ in order to get the desired reach and create an impact. Both these networks have been continuously innovating in their remarketing and targeting options.

6. Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) / Enhancing Website Experiences

I personally experimented with this technique last year. Compared to previous years, it is higher in demand but I wonder whether most of the brands are still missing out on a more data-driven way to enhance leads and sales from their respective sites.

7. IoT (internet of things marketing applications)

For the last 2-3 years, the Internet of things is one of the most essential technology applications used in marketing, but it is mostly used by retailers and device makers. Hence, it occupies a higher rank in these areas.

It is expected that by 2020, there will be more devices than people. It is estimated that soon around 75 billion connected devices will be on the planet. The effects are vast and far-ranging. Soon this data sharing will transform our way of life.

8. Search Engine Optimization

With Google’s latest announcements about AMP and mobile index, the techniques of mobile marketing SEO will be predominantly essential in 2017. After doing thorough research, I found that since September 2016 when Google chose AMPs out beyond Google News, there’s an enormous increase in AMP smartphone traffic. AMPs are usually focused on publishers, but I think businesses with an active blog should also consider AMPs for better results.

9. Wearables

One of the smartest consumer consumable commodities (e.g. Activity trackers, apple watch, augmented reality)

10. Paid Search Marketing

Google AdWords- the most significant form of Pay Per Click where Google has been implementing its ‘Mobile First’ strategy through these features.

11. Online PR

Although online PR is greatly connected with SEO, Content Marketing, and Social Media. it doesn’t get a good rating since others are essential.

12. Communities

These are vertical communities or branded niche.

13. Display Ads

This covers ad networks, banners or publishers, social media including programmatic and retargeting.

14. Partnerships Covering Co-Marketing and Affiliate

This is a neglected aspect of the sphere of digital marketing.