As we gaze upon the horizon of 2023, the new year is poised to be a transformative period in marketing technology. Despite the sunset of traditional 3rd party cookies, personalized web experiences and advertisements will continue to gravitate to 1:1 as forward-thinking marketers constantly employ more innovative strategies. We’ll touch on that from a few different angles and talk about the topics that are surely on your mind. In this predictive analysis, we delve into the digital marketing trends that will define 2023, which are specifically predicated by the shifts in consumer behavior that have already begun to take place.
Artificial Intelligence:
AI will be the trendy word in 2023. In the digital marketing space, AI will play a huge role in personalization, predictive analytics, and data reports. The consumer side will be even more impactful. ChatGPT is here to stay, but it’s likely the only AI program you know by name. The new year will be the advent of text software competitors and entirely different programs. ChatGPT is largely funded by Microsoft, which means we can expect new products from competing tech companies to fill a similar space. We see you, Apple and Google.
But what about other AI programs? Expect innovations in process automations across various operational functions. This means existing software platforms your business uses will develop new products to integrate into your subscription or sell as an upcharge. We will also see innovations to digital assistants and daily planners, maps and other mobile apps, smart home technologies, and yes, art. AI art will inevitably come with new moral questions, scandals, lawsuits, and union involvement.
Augmented Reality Marketing:
We don’t recognize most of the ads we see. We don’t even recognize product placement in many of our favorite TV shows and movies. Augmented reality will provide a new space for sponsorship where, at least for a time, ads will be more recognizable then on other mediums. Brands will also use AR to create immersive and interactive campaigns. Consumers can expect advances in the opportunity to experience products in their own spaces before making purchase decisions, which enhances the online shopping experience. AR marketing will not only captivate audiences, but also set new standards for engagement and brand interaction.
Google Analytics:
Google is sunsetting the beloved Universal Analytics on July 1 of this year. With that will come the new era of GA4, or Google Analytics 4, which will have fewer reports all while being sold as more innovative and customizable. One reason for the change is undoubtedly due to CCPA regulations and increased stress on consumer privacy.
The right time to install GA4 was on or before July 1 of 2022. In order to have year-over-year data for your business’s most efficient revenue engine, that was the deadline for a manual GA4 install. Google has been nagging us for many months now to perform this install, and it’s because most consumers of the product inevitably have not. I predict Google will force an automatic transition to GA4 because of how significant the product is to their ad network and their overall business revenue. Furthermore, I don’t expect this automatic migration to go smoothly. The majority of analytics installs that I have performed have been customized to the business to some extent. Google cannot possibly account for that with their cookie-cutter solution, which means glitches galore. Ecommerce, events, and conversions, along with other data, will be lost. To avoid catastrophic data loss and empty spaces on your marketing reports, be sure to get a manual install completed sooner rather than later.
Conversational Marketing and Chatbots:
Conversational marketing will flourish in 2023, as capabilities expand and personal information can be collected to improve remarketing efforts. Brands will increasingly rely on chatbots to cut costs on customer service, improve operational efficiency, and engage with customers in real-time. Not only will AI-driven chatbots provide instant responses, addressed queries, and guided users through their customer journeys, but they will collect data that is not necessary for account creation, but is advantageous in reaching customers. The conversational approach not only enhances customer service but also creates seamless and interactive brand experiences. Chatbots, with their ability to deliver personalized and immediate assistance, will play a crucial role in building stronger customer relationships.
Video Content Dominance:
Businesses are finally catching on to the fact that YouTube is the second most popular search engine behind Google. As such, video content will increase its stronghold as a preferred format in 2023, with short-form videos, live streams, and interactive content capturing audience attention. This is aided by the popularity of Instagram and TikTok, and brands will increasingly repurpose content from one platform over on another. 2023 is the year that the high expense of creating video content no longer matters, as brands will invest heavily in creating compelling video narratives that resonate with consumers. The power of video to evoke emotions and convey brand messages in a dynamic way will continue to make it a central element in digital marketing strategies.
Privacy-First Marketing:
Privacy concerns will shape digital marketing strategies throughout 2023, beyond that of just the impact to digital analytics. This will prompt brands to adopt privacy-first approaches. Amidst growing regulations and heightened consumer awareness, brands are to prioritize transparent data practices and implement consent-driven marketing strategies. Yes, this means businesses will get sneakier in having consumers willfully provide data, too. For the most part though, building trust through ethical data handling will now become integral to successful marketing campaigns.
Social Commerce Evolution:
Instagram did a soft launch into social commerce in 2022. In 2023, we will see it launch to meteoric success on TikTok, improve on Insta, and develop on other platforms as well, taking advantage of the visual nature of some platforms. Social commerce will go through an evolution in 2023, blurring the lines between social media and online shopping. Social platforms can integrate seamless shopping features, allowing users to make purchases directly within their favorite apps. Brands will continue to leverage influencers to varying success, but user-generated content will take a big leap in driving social commerce, creating a more interactive and shoppable online experience.
Purpose-Driven Marketing:
Purpose-driven marketing is about to gain prominence in 2023, with consumers increasingly seeking brands that align with their values. Brands that authentically champion social and environmental causes resonate with conscientious consumers. Purpose-driven campaigns will not only create positive brand associations but also contribute to broader societal goals.
Micro-Moment Marketing:
Brands that can strategically seize micro-moments throughout 2023 are the ones that recognize the significance of meeting user needs in real-time. Tailored content addressing immediate consumer queries, solving problems, or providing information will not only become crucial, but will be the reason a brand wins or loses. Brands that effectively capture these micro-moments create impactful connections with their audience, fostering engagement in fleeting moments of attention.
Conclusion:
Looking forward into 2023, as is seemingly the case for every new year, we are primed for some major advances in marketing technology. These soon-to-be digital marketing trends reflect a landscape marked by innovation, adaptation, and a deep understanding of evolving consumer expectations. From the continued influence of AI-driven personalization to the dynamic evolution of conversational marketing and the resilience of chatbots, brands that embraced these trends will find success in navigating the ever-changing digital terrain. If you’re looking to get a head start on these trends, let’s discuss your options.