Gen Z, TikTok, and AI are not just the future, they’re the present, and brands need to pay attention in 2023. When it comes to developing a successful digital marketing strategy, it’s time to stop thinking about the future and start proactively adopting new technologies with the top digital marketing trends of 2023 in mind.

Ready to get stuck in? This is a must-do if you want to succeed in the digital marketing game this year.

To make things a little simpler, we’ve broken down the top digital marketing trends you need to know about in 2023.

1. Social Impact Strategy Front and Centre: Brands taking a stand on their values ​​is nothing new. But putting influencer strategies at the forefront of digital marketing strategies reflects a shift in how brands are structuring themselves in response to global events.

We are not just talking about responding to disasters or socio-political events. Consumers want brands that are truly active and heartfelt; they are focused on the values ​​and ethics they represent.

Incorporating social causes into a brand’s overall mission is not a digital marketing “trend” per se, but a natural consequence of value-driven brands in today’s world. Your social content, images, and email subject lines – all these should inform and feed into your social influencer strategy.

2. Youth-Oriented Marketing: Gen Z is more than just “next generation” consumers. They are the current generation with $143 billion in spending power and will make up more than 40% of American consumers by 2021.

In addition to their massive consumer influence, Gen Z is redefining the way we view and interact with brands, primarily through youth-driven platforms like TikTok. When looking at traditional marketing tactics, they choose to connect only with brands that truly appeal to their interests and communication styles. Gen Z expects companies to be honest, transparent, pragmatic and authentic. Research shows that the younger generation finds the bright colours of the dean design brand more motivating.

A growing trend among younger generations is that they don’t like the feeling of being sold a product, they want it to be more experiential or imaginative. They like short video content with compelling visuals, so if you want to attract this market, it’s best to use softer video campaigns that match their values. Build your brand identity around their tastes. For example, research shows that in an often frightening world, Gen Zers find hope, motivation and unity in bright colours.
Apps for Generation Z
~ Connecting with the younger generations means a huge amount of buying power for Andrew Jr. on Dribbble
~ Chipotle is one of many brands adapting to TikTok, embracing Chipotle’s youth-focused trend through TikTok

It’s not just about slapping some bright doodles on your marketing materials and calling it “Ignite.” Creating a brand identity that truly resonates with younger generations isn’t just a 2023 trend, it’s the beginning of how all brands will position themselves, from a bright and colourful aesthetic that appeals most to Gen Z tastes, to a commitment to mission. it means the most and personality.

3. Authentic, humanized branded content: It’s not just Gen Z who is looking for a deeper connection with brands. With the recent events in the world, almost everyone is looking for relief in their daily lives, including how to stay with their brands.

Creating digital content that offers an authentic, human personality filled with humour, vulnerability, honesty and everything we look for in our relationships is one of the best ways to build brand loyalty in 2023. An effective way to create these links is to use a personality or mascot in digital marketing, whether we are talking about videos, emails or app design.

Of course, personas need to be relevant and authentic to your overall brand. A fun and friendly face that resonates with your target customers is a great way to build loyalty through digital marketing.

Ultimately, we’re moving beyond curated social feeds to create a place that’s more realistic, gritty, and homey. Consumers need to be reminded that the people behind the brand are experiencing the same world as them. Before they buy your brand or service, they want to align with your brand image on a more personal and meaningful level. This time, the public’s desire for realism overtook ambition.

4. Audio-first marketing: It’s hard to overstate TikTok’s impact on the digital marketing landscape. But one of the more recent effects it has brought to the scene is the rise of audio-first content. This especially stems from TikTok’s positioning as not only a social video platform but also a variety of audio-based social platforms. 90% of users agree that voice is an important part of the platform experience and are eight times more likely to remember brand content when a unique voice is used. As a digital marketing strategy, audio first powers the wealth of ads you see online, including guides, product highlights and trailers, behind-the-scenes footage and more. Publications like The Washington Post have turned to digital marketing to capture audience attention. Washington Post video via TikTok

Additionally, an impressive 81% of podcast listeners take action after hearing an audio ad on their favourite show. This “action” could be following up on what they’ve heard through online research, liking a brand on social media, and/or discussing what they’ve heard with others. Allowing podcast hosts to record their ads can make the content feel very real to listeners. That’s because content that plays audio first helps ensure the authenticity of ads. Whether it’s a podcast or TikTok, hearing the comforting tone and voice of your audience’s favourite influencer as they describe your product means your audience will believe it and trust you as a brand. So ditch the rigid, word-for-word script adopted by radio advertisers and let your brand partners play.

5. Symphony commercials are popular: In 2019, British startup AI Music launched their first symphony ad, which means they’re using “morphing” technology that allows users to remix songs using artificial intelligence. In other words, the technology automatically adjusts the background music in a digital ad to match what the user is currently listening to.

It might sound like a fad, but Dunkin’ Donuts is already using this technology in 2021, and the results are pretty monumental. They saw a 238% increase in engagement compared to non-tailored ads in other campaigns.

The beauty of symphonic advertising is that you, as a brand, don’t just choose one piece to accompany something that all users will experience. Instead, you can tailor it to match exactly what the user wants to hear when their ad plays. Surprisingly, this trend is the VIP section of digital marketing. Since using music in ads has been proven to increase recall and purchase intent, the only thing better than finding the perfect song for your ad is having your ad pick a song that resonates perfectly with your listener.

So once you forget all that confusing name and futuristic technology, one thing remains true: it works. Studies have shown that audio-only content has a stronger emotional impact on listeners than video, causing changes in heart rate and body temperature.

Users expect an immersive experience from the content they encounter because it helps them develop empathy and find connection and inspiration in the content they immerse themselves in. Symphonic ads feel immersive because they fit seamlessly into what listeners are already engaged in without pulling them out of the experience like a traditional ad break. So the easier it is for brands to incorporate this feeling into their digital marketing, the easier it will be for them to reach their target audience.

6. Marketing of AV products: When it comes to consumer immersion in advertising, exploring audiovisual (AV) technology with a digital marketing strategy is becoming a key feature. In a sea of ​​static images on the web, a brand’s multisensory visualizations create a more memorable and immersive experience for users. As a brand, you can enjoy being noticed and build brand loyalty with consumers who look forward to your content.

Coach and Tom Wesselman

So how do you incorporate AV technology into your digital marketing content? As technologies known to be more sophisticated become more accessible, so do consumer expectations. As a result, brands are increasingly using key products or limited edition collaborations.

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This means creating comprehensive, complex and interactive mini-sites where users can have fun. These often include gamification, which means that designers reward users when they navigate the site and reach a certain goal or CTA. Moving into 2023, static digital marketing is no longer enough.

Brands can also use AV technology on a smaller scale. Think of social media filters where users can interact with your products while browsing, like trying on lipstick to see how it looks. Or you can follow in Meta’s footsteps, go bigger and stronger and create an entire universe of brands for your users.

7. Realistic influencer marketing: Influencer marketing may not be new. But the way brands are investing in and partnering with influencers to reach their target audience is changing. We expect traditional influencers to change by 2023. TikTok (yes, it’s back!) has changed the way social media users view each other, giving anyone a platform to gain massive followings (read: influence) without requiring a curated Instagram feed. Or continue to create long-form content as you do on YouTube.

Now they’re bypassing well-paid celebrity and high-profile influencer ads in favour of a more legitimate and trusted source: each other. Brands across all industries can partner with micro-influencers to promote their products or services on TikTok via Cat Fastoldt

Consequently, we expect the number of expensive celebrities to decrease and the number of TikTok micro-influencers to rise in the rankings by 2023. Brands are learning that even users with the smallest number of followers can have the biggest impact. As long as their content is perfectly aligned with your brand, their followers will trust their content and take action.

The future is fast, real-time content, and brands that work with certain types of influencers will be able to benefit from engaged audiences who trust the people they follow on social media more than brands or even their friends. Finding and connecting with the right influencers for your brand is still a big step in digital marketing in 2023. But even more important is the content you help create: from TikTok dances to online shopping videos to TikTok takeovers, there are many ways brands can harness the power of micro-influencers to help them gain traction.

Conclusion: So there you have it. With these seven trends, you can be well-prepared for successful digital marketing in 2023. Update your strategy and implement these ideas and you are sure to increase your sales, brand loyalty and digital following.

These big new trends like AV, AI and immersive experiences are not going away. So if you get ahead of these technological advances next year, you’ll be ahead in 2024 and every year after that. Just make sure that every digital marketing campaign you adapt for 2023 is authentic, engaging and resonates with your audience. They embrace the future and so should you.