Marketing Trends for 2023 Part 2

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Last week, we discussed four noticeable trends in marketing. Those trends included:

• Leveraging social media as a customer service tool
• The rise of influencer marketing
• Search Engine Optimization and its evolving complexity
• Utilizing SEO on mobile devices as more consumers rely on mobile devices to search for information and make purchases

Today, we will discuss two more noticeable trends in marketing. It’s not always easy to stay ahead of all the changes in the marketing world. However, if you’re going to be successful at it, it’s vital to be informed and consider updating your marketing strategy to remain relevant to your audience. 

Short-Form Video-Based Content

Let’s take a look at a segment of our customers. Gen Z (those born between 1997 and 2013) make up 72 million people in America. The oldest will be turning 26 this year. Not only are they entering the workforce at high numbers yearly and will continue to for the next decade, but they are also becoming (if not already) a big part of the consumer pool. The preferences of Gen Z differ from previous generations.

One considerable change taking place in marketing due to preference changes is centered around video-based content. Roughly 80 million people in America use a short-form video hosting app called TikTok, and 60% of those users are part of Gen Z. The remaining 40% are overwhelmingly Millennials (those born between 1981 and 1996). Roughly half of Gen Z claims to use TikTok and Instagram as search engines over Google, and that makes this trend something significant to consider when building or adjusting your marketing strategy. 

Are you utilizing these platforms today to engage the Gen Z and Millennial generations? Here are a few examples of how Salesforce and Hubspot are using these platforms. While browsing various videos on the platforms, I noticed both Salesforce and Hubspot are sharing information about their product, upcoming events, and adding a bit of humor. 

I understand that change can be challenging. Especially when specific processes and procedures have been in place and have worked for a long time. As customer preferences change, strategies will need to adapt to deliver content the way consumers prefer. When you have a generation of people that prefer short-form content delivered via social media like TikTok and Instagram and even search for answers on those platforms, that is something to pay attention to. 

User-Generated Content

The next trend that is vital to be aware of is user-generated content. This goes hand-in-hand with video-based content. User-generated content is created by consumers rather than the brand itself. User-generated content is on the rise. In fact, consumers are 2.4 times more likely to trust user-generated content over content created by a brand because user-generated content is truly authentic. 

As I thought about this, I realized it’s true in my own life. Let me provide a few examples. I learned about a pre-made coffee from watching a TikTok months ago and have been buying it from the store regularly. Over half of the recipes I use when cooking come from TikTok and Instagram. I chose my next vacation spot as a result of the TikToks I watched and the honest reviews from the creators. I didn’t realize how much of an influence these platforms have had on my decision-making until I wrote this. 

Imagine the influence your marketing team could have if they tapped into the potential these social media platforms hold. You could start by incentivizing video-based content reviews of your products and services on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram from your users. This doesn’t have to include monetary incentives. For example, you can offer your users a chance to meet with executives or someone on a specific team to learn more about your company and provide feedback or get free marketing or sales advice from executives and top performers. 

Recap & What’s Next

There is more going on in the marketing world than what was mentioned in this post and Part 1. If you want to stay up-to-date with top industry news and marketing trends, check out the top 10 marketing blogs. Set aside 30 minutes every week to browse some of the recent blog posts so you are on track with what’s going on in marketing and can change your strategy to help you stay ahead of the industry competition. 

Next week we will discuss the hottest tech trends for 2023 defined by tech industry experts. It’s exciting, and I can’t wait to share them with you! 

Thank you for spending your time reading this post. Don’t forget to comment below. Here are a few questions for you to consider:

• Is your marketing team using video-based content? 
• If so, what impacts have you seen so far? 
• If not, what changes are you thinking about making to your marketing strategy after reading this? 
• What else would you want to know about before making these changes?