What Are the Trends for Digital Marketing in 2023?

As we bid farewell to 2022 and welcome 2023, one thing is certain: the digital world is only going to become more complex. To stay ahead of the curve, marketers need to be prepared for anything and everything. From the rise of AI to the growth of native advertising, here are seven digital marketing trends that you need to know about heading into 2023. 

7 Digital Marketing Trends for 2023 

1. AI Will Become an Invaluable Digital Content Tool 

The rise of AI has been quite revolutionary for the digital world in recent years. Rapid advancements in AI have enabled machines to understand complex patterns of human language, allowing them to generate wholly original content from even vague prompts (as anyone who has played with ChatGPT recently can attest). This allows for endless possibilities when it comes to marketing content, from rapidly creating optimized headlines or ad copy to generating entire blog posts.  

Of course, these advances haven’t come without skepticism. Some critics dismiss the technology’s potential or argue that AI-generated content will never match something created by a human. In most cases, these detractors are missing the larger point. Smart marketers can deploy AI platforms like Jasper.ai to streamline content creation and rapidly iterate to identify which variations of content perform best. Far from replacing creative marketers, AI will help them do their jobs better and more efficiently in 2023. 

2. Influencer Marketing Will Continue to Grow 

As digital marketing continues to expand, influencer marketing is an area poised for tremendous growth in 2023 and beyond. According to a recent HubSpot survey, 89% of marketers who already engage with influencers plan to increase or maintain those investments in the coming year, while another 17% plan to invest in influencer marketing for the first time.  

With effective strategies, businesses can leverage someone else's following to drive website visits, brand exposure, and even conversions. Plus, the cost of hiring an influencer often comes in much cheaper than traditional advertising methods, making it easy to see why it's becoming more and more popular with businesses big and small. Even if hiring a celebrity influencer with millions of followers isn't in the budget, you can still get a lot of traction by engaging with the right micro-influencers who can reach a smaller, but often more targeted audience.  

3. More Marketers Will Experiment with Native Advertising 

Native advertising is a form of paid digital marketing that involves creating content that blends in with the existing environment. They look like regular editorial or user content, but have been created specifically to promote a product, service, or brand. Because it's less intrusive than traditional banner ads, native advertising is more likely to be seen and remembered.  

Since native advertising doesn’t feel like a traditional ad and is customized to match search intent, customers are more likely to engage with content. Research has found that they achieve a much higher click-through-rate (CTR) than traditional banner ads, which is largely why this form of advertising is expected to grow by 13.9% in the coming year. While it can take a bit more work to create an effective native ad that resonates with audiences, they should be an integral part of your marketing strategy in 2023. 

4. Short-Form Video Content Will Continue to Dominate 

Short-form video content is becoming popular at an alarming rate. You'd be hard-pressed to find someone who hasn't already come across a funny TikTok, YouTube video, or Instagram series. The popularity of this type of bite-sized content is no surprise, as it's incredibly easy to digest while offering a wide variety of genres and topics that appeal to targeted audiences.  

Marketers will continue to reach their audiences using quick, creative videos that showcase products and services in unique ways. Short-form video content can also be used to tell stories and share experiences that build a connection between businesses and their audience. It's a great way to engage viewers and make an impact without having to create lengthy, expensive campaigns, which is probably why a recent report found that 63% of marketing professionals are prioritizing ad spending on short-form video platforms in 2023. 

5. Increased Emphasis on Data-Driven Marketing 

Data-driven marketing is no longer just a nice-to-have; it's an essential part of doing business in the digital age. By using data to make decisions, companies can implement more targeted and effective campaigns that have a higher chance of achieving the desired results. With access to data about target customers, their behavior, and buying patterns, marketers can create content specifically tailored to their needs.  

With the recent announcement that third-party cookies will be phased out, gathering good data is going to be even more important in 2023. Marketers must ensure that the data they collect is of high quality and can be used accurately to target their desired audience. This means investing in reliable sources of data collection and analysis so that campaigns are as effective as possible. By taking advantage of data and using it to create powerful campaigns, marketers can ensure maximum ROI and success in their campaigns.  

6. Continued Push for Seamless Software Integration Will Become More Important 

Integrating software is a great way for marketers to improve their efficiency, streamline their workflows, and deliver a better customer experience. By enabling marketing technology platforms to talk to each other, you can get the most out of your software investments and expand their reach in 2023. After all, technology should make our lives easier, not more complicated! 

Seamless software integrations allow marketers to easily gather data, track leads, create strategies, and automate processes across platforms so they can focus more energy on delivering great customer experiences that move the needle. Integrations can also make it easier to build an interconnected marketing ecosystem that spans multiple channels. If you’re deploying tools haphazardly and not setting up integrations that allow them to share information and features, you’ll end up with a patchy user experience that reflects poorly on the brand could cause you to miss out on valuable leads! With the right integrations in place, however, you can deliver an optimal customer experience and drive engagement in 2023. 

7. Branding Will Be the Engine of Ongoing Engagement 

Data driven marketing strategies and transactional messaging may help move leads through the funnel, but without a strong brand identity, it’s hard to attract them in the first place. Good branding helps you stand out from the crowd and form powerful relationships with customers based on trust and mutual respect. Today’s audiences want to engage with brands that are values-based, both in terms of sharing their values and delivering genuine value through great products, services, and content. 

Brand messaging is especially important during tough economic times because it allows you to remain top of mind with potential customers even when they’re not ready to make a buying decision. If you haven’t already put work into developing your brand message and identity, 2023 is the ideal time to focus on the foundation of your brand. Building a strong brand identity is also a long-term investment in content creation because getting your brand in order today will make it much easier to develop outstanding campaigns in the future! Resources like brand guidelines ensure that your marketing content will remain consistent across all channels and tell a coherent story to audiences. 

Get Ahead of the Curve in 2023! 

As we move into 2023, it's clear that digital marketing is only going to get more competitive. Marketers must be willing to embrace new trends and technologies such as AI, native ads, short-form video content, and seamless software integrations. These tactics will help you reach your target audience in a meaningful way while delivering an optimal customer experience and driving engagement with your brand. By leveraging these tools effectively, you can ensure success for your campaigns throughout the coming year. 

And if you need help putting those trends into practice, Roger West is here to help! We’re always on the lookout for new strategies and technologies that will get better results for our clients. Let’s talk!