What will the digital marketing landscape look like in 2023?

Short and sweet is here to stay. 90% of marketers already using short-form video content plan to increase or maintain their investment in 2023, reporting that short video content continues to be the most effective part of their content strategy with continued ROI.

Short-form video appeals greatly to the fast-paced attention spans of online audiences across a wide range of demographics. That’s why platforms like TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram Reels have experienced such rapid growth in popularity over recent years.

How you can make it work for you: Organisations across B2B and B2C should consider using short-form video to engage audiences but remember to keep the content native to the platform and your audience in mind. TikTok continues to be the platform of choice for younger audiences, with over 52% of users aged 18-24. However, YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels have broadened the audience demographics, making short-form video popular across most age groups.

We’ve used short-form video to support university clearing campaigns – see our examples from University of Salford and University of Huddersfield. 

If you can believe it, Meta – Facebook’s new parent brand – is already over a year old, and with the new rebrand came new conversation about Zuckerberg’s virtual reality space, the Metaverse.

In 2022, the conversation was dominated by the prospect of in-game advertising and promotional real estate within the virtual reality marketplace. However, the buzz has quickly started to fizzle out. Metaverse is still very much in its infancy, and most of your audience isn’t likely to invest in hundreds of pounds worth of headgear for very limited content.

How you can make it work for you: Be wary of fad trends that aren’t relevant to your audience. 2023 is all about returning to customer-focused, authentic communications, and it’s important to keep your target audience at the heart of your digital marketing strategy.

If your strategy still calls for immersive and interactive experiences, consider how you can make VR/AR experiences as accessible as possible. For example, a 360° video or virtual tour of your university campus can be viewed online for those unable to attend your open day event. Read about how we did this for the University of Lancaster here.

Navigating the world of data and privacy continues to bring new challenges to the marketing sphere. Last year, we wrote about the impact of Apple’s iOS14 update which gave users the choice of opting in or out of tracking within mobile apps like Facebook. This year, the uncertainty around GDPR and the possible changes being made by the Government means the future of UK privacy law remains unclear.

What is clear, however, is that data-driven strategies are key to make informed, effective decisions about your digital marketing. Data-driven marketing not only takes out the guesswork, but also allows you to personalise customer experiences through retargeting and segmentation. Research suggests that audiences are willing to share their data if it means receiving something in exchange – such as personalised recommendations or exclusive offers.

How you can make it work for you: Instead of making assumptions about your audience, use your existing data to better understand their needs and what they respond to. Make sure your privacy policy and cookie policy are up to date, and that they adequately cover you for the information you’re looking to collect.

Data-informed decisions can include a lot of trial and error and understanding what doesn’t work can still be incredibly valuable. Use A/B testing in your digital campaigns to see what sticks.

The social media platform has been steeped in scandal since Elon Musk completed his takeover in October, last year. Musk’s new ‘Twitter Blue’ allowed for users to purchase a ‘blue tick’ for their profile. The blue tick was originally introduced by Twitter to verify the identity of high-profile figures and company accounts, but Twitter Blue allows users to add a blue tick to their profile without any verification – just a subscription fee.

Musk also reversed the bans on controversial figures who had previously been removed from the platform for breaching community guidelines – prompting accusations of allowing hate speech to thrive on the platform. With fears over authenticity and negative PR, big brand advertisers, such as Audi, Pfizer – and even Apple for a brief stint – suspended advertising on the platform in response to Musk’s changes.

How you can make it work for you: Organisations should be wary of investing heavily in Twitter as part of their strategy. There currently isn’t widespread appetite for everyone to immediately pause their advertising, but you should be conscious of putting all your eggs in one nest. Be aware of any accounts that seem suspicious and double-check your handles before networking with other organisations.

Are you looking to enhance online experiences for your audiences this year? With our digital expertise and sector knowledge, we can help you rise to the challenge.

Get in touch and let’s explore how we can make it happen.