The new year is here, which means it’s time to start planning for any shifts in digital marketing. While some things tend to carry over from year to year, there are always new trends or older ones advancing in popularity.

Let's explore some of the upcoming trends and market predicitons for this year. 

1. Meta/The Metaverse

Meta. It’s all the rage. When Facebook shifted to Meta, they were betting on the idea that the Metaverse would rise up. And, as far fetched as that may have once seemed, it turns out they were right. The Metaverse has become one of the most influential components in digital marketing in the last few years, and it will only continue to expand in 2023.

The Metaverse refers to various immersive virtual experiences that people can undergo. Huge companies are focusing on entering the Metaverse and creating these experiences for their audience. Already tackling the Metaverse experience: Nike, Coca-Cola, Walmart, Microsoft, Disney, and more. 

However, while these massive companies are honing in on how to utilize the Metaverse and create an immersive brand experience, it’s still relatively experimental. You probably won’t be able to jump into the Metaverse yet. 

Still, keep an eye on the trend and pay attention so that when the timing is right, you’ll be ready to tap in and stay ahead of the curve. 

2. Tik Tok is Trending Up

In 2022, Tik Tok became one of the fastest-growing social media platforms, and it likely comes as no shock that it won't be slowing down any time soon (so long as the US government doesn't put a stop to it). 

2023 will be marked by a need for businesses across the globe to tap into TikTok and other short-form video as a portion of their digital marketing efforts. The platform is a remarkably fast-paced culture-shaper, far beyond what we've seen before. This means that excelling at leveraging it in your marketing strategy is tricky, but when it works, it really does work. 

The best way to make TikTok work for you is to familiarize yourself with what's happening on it. Stay tapped into video concepts and audios that are trending on both TikTok and Reels this year, and avoid jumping in on trends if you're already late to the game as it can have an adverse effect on your brand perception.

Business owners and marketing leads, hire that Gen-Z kid to handle your socials, and trust them when they tell you that an absolutely nonsensical trend or soundbyte is exactly what you need to stay trending. 

3. Micro-Influencers

Influencers are the most important thing to hit the market since television introduced the visual commercial itself. This is because consumers are TIRED of advertisements, they’re tired of celebrities telling them to buy something, and they’re tired of everything seeming like an inauthentic ploy to get them to purchase.

The rise of influencers feeds on the basic need for genuine connection, and the idea that people are much more likely to listen to someone they trust than they are to listen to a paid-for advertisement featuring their favorite celebrity. 

The great news about influencer marketing is that it truly comes in all shapes and sizes. Influencers run the gamut from ten million followers to 1,000 followers, and they fill just about every niche you can think of. As smaller brands are tapping into influencer marketing, we are seeing a trend of micro-influencers (between 1,000 and 100,000 followers) taking center stage and securing more brand deals than ever before. 

It's a win-win for organizations who opt to work with an influencer that fits their industry niche, as well. They tend to be easier for companies to work with because they have fewer requirements, cost less, and consumers often trust them than larger influencers who more frequently post sponsored content that they often express less excitement toward. Larger influencers run the risk of being seen as inauthentic and more of a paid advertisement than anything else. 

So, take the time to learn how to use micro-influencers in your digital marketing strategy. Find opportunities or work with an agency that can connect you with the best influencers to fit your needs and reach your target audience. 

4. SMS Messaging

SMS messaging is quickly becoming a key piece of marketing communications, gaining traction on email marketing. It offers a way for businesses to instantly reach their audience with specials, sales, events, and information through text messages that go straight to their phone as push notifications.

It’s a more direct form of marketing than email marketing because it is guaranteed to reach your audience automatically, and, when done well, can lead to a higher open rate, better click through rates, and an impressive increase in sales. 

A skilled marketing partner like Speak with a proven track record of utilizing SMS messaging for their partners can help you tap into this trend to showcase your business and generate new leads (without bombarding them or leaving them feeling annoyed).

With the right SMS strategy, you can flawlessly reach people, get them excited to purchase, and keep them interested and actively engaged in your business.

5. Short, Impactful Messaging

Across all marketing channels, we're seeing that long, drawn-out messaging is on the way out, while short, bold, and to-the-point messaging is on the rise. 

This can be directly correlated with the rise of short-span videos and the decrease in people’s attention spans. If your messaging is extensive and drawn-out, you may want to consider a redo. Give marketing copy a billboard test. Is your main message short and sweet enough that someone could digest your point as they drove past it on a billboard? 

Figure out your business priorities and craft a message that packs a punch. Create short content and short videos that share your message in a clear and powerful way.

6. LinkedIn

While LinkedIn has been around for years, it has recently seen incredible growth that has positioned it to become a top platform in 2023 and beyond. Many businesses won’t see this one coming, which gives you the opportunity to take advantage of this blooming platform at the beginning of its growth.

Doing so now will enable you to build your company on LinkedIn, optimize your profile, and gain a large audience, positioning your business as a thought leader in your industry. 

7. Employee Marketing

Employee marketing is becoming more and more common, and has become a key place that potential consumers look when considering whether to align themselves with a business or not. As we've entered into a workers' market, people are more invested in the people behind a company name. 

When employees represent and speak well of the company they work for, it shows others that there is something special and uniquely valuable about the organization.

that you’re doing something right. It means that you have a worthwhile company with great workplace culture. It means you value others and create an exceptional environment.

Explore ideas for marketing with your employees. Encourage them to share their days in the office, or the pieces of your company culture and your products/services that they especially enjoy. See if they'll use their personal platforms to share about your company, your products, and your values in order to bring in organic interest. 

Partner with an agency that will keep your marketing exciting and personalized to your organization in 2023. 

Speak has a team of experts and dedicated brand strategists who are excited to help you grow this year. We're constantly engaging in new marketing trends and strategies so we can tap them to help our clients increase their visibility, leads, and conversions. Want to work together in 2023? 

Let's talk