2023 Marketing Trends - Here's What You Need to Know

While nobody can 100% predict what the future of marketing will be like, we can confidently say that consumers crave relationships, authenticity, and confidence that they can put their trust and faith in the companies they invest in.

This article will cover four of the most influential marketing trends businesses are expected to see over the next 12 months.

The Power of Influencer Marketing

While “influencer marketing” officially made its debut in the?1930s, it didn’t begin its traction toward fame until social media became widely popular in the early 2010s. Today,?93%of marketers use influencer marketing in their campaigns to elevate brand awareness, drive conversions, build trust and authority, etc. It should be no surprise that influencer marketing, specifically those that promote long-term relationships, has become an essential marketing component for brands to place in their advertisement and marketing reserve. Over the next 12 months, the popularity of “brand ambassadors” is only expected to grow.?

Customers are highly discouraged from supporting businesses that inundate them with various advertisements. In fact, only?38%?of consumers reported trusting brand-produced content. Using an influencer or brand ambassador allows brands to skirt around that by sharing the products or services across the personal channels and platforms of trusted influencers who have a large following, which further amplifies the brand’s reach to drive revenue and increase engagement while building trust amongst the ambassador’s audience over time.

If you’re interested in dipping your toes in the world of influencer marketing, here are a few things to look for:

• Look at the engagement rate of the person you’re interested in.
• Pay attention to their relevance in society and your product/service.
• Do the values they hold align with your vision?
• Does the individual come off as authentic?
• Are they reliable?

Something else to consider is whether or not you'd like to build your own thought leadership team within your organization or as an individual building your career. This way, you control the overall process and have ownership of or direct communication with the audience you build.

The Future Involves Conversational Marketing:

Do you prefer genuine and authentic conversations or conversations that are clearly scripted? Like yourself, those you’re interested in attracting don’t want basic robotic answers that take a significant amount of time to receive and don’t necessarily answer the questions or concerns they may have. Today’s consumers crave personalization, human-centered interactions, and immediate responses, so instead of directing your clients to lead capture forms, embrace the 21st century’s digital marketing trend that utilizes AI and real-time communication at all hours of the day. Ditch the formal communication styles and instead provide well-researched and thought-out targeted messaging.

Here are some things to keep in mind when you’re developing your targeted messaging:

• Create your Target Market Segmentation.
• Be relevant to the customer you’re speaking to.
• Form the wording so that it nurtures a?relationship.
• Direct the person to take further action (CTA).

Encourage User Participation through Interactive Content:?

Two-thirds?of marketers agree that they have increased engagement since implementing interactive content in their marketing strategy. As consumers continue to demand interaction and engagement, static content continues to become less prevalent according to marketing trends. (Although static content still has its place in much smaller quantities, there’s no need to ditch it entirely.)

Developing interactive content allows your audience to immerse themselves in your brand and what you offer, further leveraging your company’s marketing funnel metrics. Interactive content can take the form in:

• Interactive Infographics
• Case Studies
• Landing Pages
• Quizzes
• Presentations
• Maps
• Videos
• Games
• Calculators
• Assessments, etc.

Many forms of interactive content also allow companies to easily capture data from those interacting, which can further help you formulate your future marketing strategy.?

Place Emphasis on Consumer Privacy:

Unfortunately, 2021 saw a?15.1%?increase in cyberattacks, costing U.S. businesses $6.9B+. With cybercriminals continually becoming more refined and advanced, security executives expect continued growth over the next two years, with malware and phishing being the most common reason behind the attacks. However,?studies?show only 50% of businesses have a cybersecurity plan in place, with a third of that percentage behind on their updates.

Consumers are increasingly asking for peace of mind about their information when purchasing products or services, and employees want to know that their valuable records will be safe. If businesses want to remain in good standing with consumers and the employees they hire, owners and those in charge must invest, create, and update their cybersecurity policies for the 2023 business year to avoid costly data leaks and identity theft. So, if you wish to continue to generate quality leads, prove your credibility, and advance in a tumultuous time, pull together your team and start seeing how you can improve and enhance your privacy software.?

We’d love to hear your thoughts on these marketing trends. What will you be implementing? Do you have any advice you’d like to share?

If you’re unsure which direction you’d like to take your business on LinkedIn, schedule a 15-minute meeting with our team of experts to discuss your marketing needs.

Kim Peterson Stone is a three-time business founder, keynote speaker, and leading?LinkedIn strategist?that has amassed a global following of over 225,000 on LinkedIn. Not only has she authored hundreds of articles on LinkedIn and become a verified thought leader, but she has helped her clients do the same.

Her B2B digital marketing agency,?Linkability, Inc., has?helped many clients from Intrapreneurs and Entrepreneurs to Fortune 500 companies?work smarter on LinkedIn by leveraging the art of surviving disruption. With her intimate knowledge of thought leadership, entrepreneurship, and global business communications, Kim uses creative and purpose-driven solutions to?develop a strong brand presence, generate targeted leads, and maximize online visibility for their clients.?

Kim has changed the lives of many, not by selling products but by?solving?problems, and she can teach you to do the same.