Digital marketing trends for 2021

2020 was a year most of us will be glad to see the back of, with the global pandemic having a huge impact on businesses and day to day life across the world. Last year was also a time the digital marketing industry saw a rise in different trends, as we adapted to the new way of reaching consumers in their home.

So what might this year have in store for digital marketing? Let’s take a look at some of the trend predictions for 2021.

Video will accelerate

From TikTok challenges to YouTube fitness routines, video kept many of us entertained as we stayed at home during the pandemic in 2020. 

In 2021, it is predicted that this will skyrocket even further, with Cisco predicting that more than 80% of online traffic will be driven by video. Brands should tap into the online video trend in 2021 in order to reach consumers through the channels they are most active and engaged in. 

According to Wordstream, 64% of consumers claim to have made a purchase directly after watching a branded social video, so 2021 really is the time to discover the power of video.

Mobile apps will drive growth

With ongoing lockdowns and restrictions, shopping as we knew it may not return for some time. 

As we adapted to our highstreets closing, mobile use soared in 2020, as did mobile app usage. For this reason, it is predicted that 2021 will see apps driving business growth. When a user downloads a brand’s app, it creates an affinity and ongoing relationship with the brand. In fact, according to Criteo, app users spend three times more than other customers.

In 2021, brands should consider mobile apps as a strategy to drive growth and build customer loyalty and relationships.

Sustainability will be an important message

January is a time that inspires many people to go vegan for the month long challenge of ‘Veganuary’. However, this year, it’s not just the month of January that we can expect to see an interest in more sustainable and responsible messages and trends. 

2021 expects to see an increasing responsibility on brands to be more sustainable by considering their impact on the environment and looking for ways to improve. In fact, 81% of consumers strongly feel companies should help improve the environment.

Digital marketing channels should be used by brands to communicate their sustainable message to consumers, allowing them to remain transparent about what their brand is doing to make a positive impact on the world.

Events will remain virtual

2020 saw the rise of virtual events, from live cooking and cocktail making events to virtual networking. Although the switch to virtual was initially due to the pandemic, 2021 may see this trend here to stay. 

Going virtual means events are open to a wider audience, without the need for travel or accommodation, virtual events are much more accessible. Costs to host an event are also significantly less for brands, without the need to hire a venue or purchase additional equipment.

Hosting an event is a great way to build audience engagement and loyalty, and so in 2021, brands should take advantage and get creative with the virtual events on offer.

Whilst these trends may not be anything new, there is a clear focus on engaging your audience and building strong relationships. Alongside this, a rising interest in sustainability means not only will brands have to adapt to remain innovative with their digital marketing campaigns, but they will also have to be more transparent and responsible than ever before.