Marketing Trends in 2021
- Social media
- Google listings
- Voice searches
- Content marketing or user-generated content (UGC)
Social Media:
Every business should consider allocating more budgets or funds to increase social media marketing resources, especially in 2021. During the second quarter of 2020, in the total US (United States) marketing budgets, social media budgets accounted for more than 25% (approx.). With this statistical data, we can predict that social media marketing is the top marketing trend in 2021.
During the emergency of covid-19, most marketers targeted social media as it was the only way to mass-communicate with their customers. Most individuals spend their time online on social media regularly. A person might not be available over a telephone call, but he can be found online. Customers research products and services of a business online, where can an ordinary person research something other than social media?
Google Listings:
Local listings contribute much to a business, and Google Listings cannot be ignored. Regardless of how big a business is, it makes a difference. Validate your local listings by verifying them with various search engines.
Especially in a B2C business model, Google listings help businesses by fetching local customers. Have you ever noticed? Google shows your business working hours, working days in a week, address, contact information, and reviews. It is accepted that Google listings influence a business.
Voice Search:
Most of us have remembered saying “Ok Google” or ” Hey Siri”. Yes, it is a voice search. Let us list out some familiar voice searches.
All these voice assistants are developed with artificial intelligence to respond to user’s questions that user ask. Voice search will maximize the importance of artificial intelligence, marketers, and big firms to involve artificial intelligence (AI). With AI and machine learning a business can compute and investigate a massive amount of data for practical insight.
It is evident from surveys that more than a billion voice searches are happening each month, no modern business overlooks voice search. It is a tool for both customers and companies, it is a tool for customers as they use it for searching a business, and it is a tool for businesses as they use it for marketing their products and services. Ignoring voice search is nothing but ignoring a new source of revenue.
Content marketing or user-generated content (UGC):
Whenever social media platforms or websites contain interactive elements like video link, voice link, purchase link or buy button, viewers or visitors show interest in poking it. They may not purchase it, but an effort is made to inquire about the product or business.
UGC is an abbreviation of user-generated content for short. The name itself describes that the content is generated from the user; it is like a user promoting the product rather than a business promoting it. Let us take a look at the types of UGC.
- Social media content
- Reviews and testimonials
- Blog posts
- Video content
- Q&A forums
Social Media Content: Any content that is posted on social media is called social media content. It is in the hands of users to promote a product or business. The social media platform is typical for marketers as users are left free to express their opinion on a product or company which can work on either side of a business.
Reviews and Testimonials: Reviews and testimonials are crucial for any business to turn review readers into potential customers. It works on brand reputation as well.
Blog Post: The primary intent of blog posts is to inform readers or website visitors about a product or a business. That helps a business to reach their distant customers. Only literate customers can be contacted with blog posts ( a person who cannot read and write cannot be targeted through blog posts).
Video Content: Video content is a popular way of connecting people with businesses. Since videos are in a visual format, even an illiterate customer can learn about the product by producing an informative video and posting it on social media (this also includes live streaming on social media platforms).
Q&A Forums: Question and answer forums are where a customer can ask his or her questions online but the answer necessarily may not come directly from a business or company that is accountable. Any random person can answer your questions.
But if a business uses these forums for marketing its business, it can target all its haters and competitors. Q&A forums serve as a chance for companies to answer all the false accusations imposed on them.
