The year 2020 taught us that nothing stays the same. That’s why it’s essential to stay abreast of digital trends that affect how your customers interact with your products and services. One way your brand can stand out in the ever-changing marketing landscape is with consistent, high-quality content. Content can take many forms, such as videos, emails, PDF downloads, blog posts, and webinars. Regardless of the type of content you produce, the goal is to attract customers by establishing authority and building trust.
To achieve this, you need to focus on the benefits of the product you offer and demonstrate how it is the best solution for your leads. According to Contentful, leaders across all industries plan to spend 25% more on digital marketing in 2021. With more consumers spending time online and more companies increasing their investments in inbound marketing, you need to know the latest trends and proven strategies to capitalize on your digital marketing efforts. Before we dive into the 2021 digital marketing trends, let’s examine why inbound marketing remains the most cost-effective strategy for businesses.
Five Inbound Marketing Trends For 2021
ChatBots Are Better Than Lead Collection Forms
Lead collection forms require the user to leave their data in exchange for quality content or a solution to their problem. Often users may be unwilling to leave their contact information for downloading, for example, a pdf or a series of training videos. An alternative is to use targeted messages with chatbots. Chatbots can nurture leads in the decision and consideration stage by giving them the freedom to book appointments or get instant answers to their frequently asked questions. ManyChat uses a lead’s Facebook profile information to send personalized automated messages.
Through a series of short questions, visitors can decide whether they want to book an appointment or speak directly to your sales team. You can even direct leads to your website content, all under the guise of interactive conversations instead of the form. Another way to get a lead’s contact information is with interactive quizzes. Many brands use quizzes to help leads diagnose their problems before prescribing a sales solution. Quizzes work because a) they are fun, give leads time to think about themselves and their challenges, and b) in the five minutes a lead engages with a quiz, the lead is also emotionally engaged. At the end of the quiz, he will be ready to leave you his email to get the results.
Virtual Events And Communities
We’re all suffering from Zoom fatigue after the endless online meetings and webinars of 2020, but some experts insist there will still be a place for virtual events even after states reopen for phase 3 and beyond. The virtual events and online communities offer the public a way to connect and learn more about your brand from anywhere. Leads and customers can save time and money on travel while still having access to community member information. Running an online event or webinar allows you to gain leads during the registration process. You can also interact with many leads at the same time.
In 2020, 45% of organizations said they invest more in streaming technology for events than the previous year. Some platforms even allow you to embed supporting content and PDFs directly into your presentation. Virtual event recordings can also be reused for on-demand replays on your blog or website.
Starting an active online community increases brand engagement by turning customers into brand ambassadors. Interaction with other customers creates a sense of community, affinity, and belonging.
Live And Video Streaming
Facebook has seen a spike in messaging and live streaming in 2020. Experienced brands have followed suit by ramping up their live streaming video content. Today 81% of marketing teams use video content to attract and engage leads. One study found that 75% of people prefer to watch a short video to learn more about a brand’s products or services instead of reading the text. If you think live streaming only works for consumer products or services, think again.
Here are four ways you can use live streaming for your brand:
- Guide a new customer through any process: Present a quick start guide for your software platform or introduce a new product. You will receive feedback and questions in real-time.
- Answer your customers’ frequently asked questions: Please select a list of 10 frequently asked questions from customers and leads and answer each question with a different live stream so that leads can find it on social media. This is a great place to start if you have no idea what to talk about life on FB or LinkedIn.
- Digital Event Streaming: Use Live Streaming to broadcast your events and share new business initiatives.
- Interview Industry Leaders: Talk to an influencer your customers follow on LinkedIn and ask interesting questions for your target audience and the new audience following the influencer.
If you are still not convinced that you want to invest in video content, remember that videos also help with SEO. Adding a video to your blog post generates organic traffic from SERPs up to 157% and can double visitors’ time on your website pages.
Conversational Marketing And ChatBots
Using chatbots improves the customer experience on your site and social media platforms by reducing visitors’ time to get responses. A critical factor affecting the likelihood of closing a deal is the response time to a lead request. When you shop for a service, and one company responds in five minutes while another takes a day to respond, the obvious choice is the company that responds urgently.
Messaging open rates are 85%, significantly higher than the average email open rate of 20%. To grab customers’ attention bombarded with online messages, sending a text message with Sakari or ManyChat will have a better chance of being seen. You can use text notifications for appointment reminders or special offers.
Machine Learning
Machine learning helps you to create more personalized and relevant experiences for your large-scale customers. SaaS and technology companies using AI technology have improved revenue streams and increased sales efficiency while reducing costs. HubSpot CRM allows you to customize your website pages based on a contact’s site behavior and location.
