As we wave goodbye to summer and hello to pumpkin spice everything, our team is hard at work on our client’s digital ad strategies for 2021. Though it’s true the continued crisis does disrupt the traditional planning process in that we can be less predictive, getting positioned for success whilst remaining hopelessly optimistic is a great launching pad. All the research is indicating that consumers will be looking for a deeper, more meaningful experience from brands in 2021, with that in mind we’d like to share some digital trends we feel will help us fit this new world we find ourselves living in.
Instant Messaging Apps
Experts predict that with the shift to keep information private, messaging apps will overtake social media in terms of popularity. As digital marketers we need to create a conversation with one person rather than a shout out to a crowd and messaging apps allow us to do this. WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and Slack all offer personalized contact with your audience. Each app has its own unique way to communicate, some allow you to directly connect with your audience while they’re shopping, think Shopify’s integration with Messenger, while others help you build hyperlocal communities. What is certain is that those in e-commerce will stand to benefit greatly from this approach.
Live Video
Standard video is already one of the most important advertising basics but Facebook Live and Instagram Live keep people watching three times longer than standard video. With continued social distancing well into 2021, digital events are likely to grow in popularity and it’s worth considering live video as a means to reach consumers. Some examples include, product launches, behind-the-scenes tours, ‘how-to’s’, interview and Q&A’ footage. Obviously you will want to push this ’event’ and focused ads on the platform will help you do this.
User-Generated Content
If 2020 has taught us anything, it is that users are becoming more and more skeptical about what they see in their feeds and we’d do well to bear this in mind when creating content. 2021 is the year to lean into stories focused on the customer, show that you are as honest as your customers say you are.
Interactive Content
Some believe that social media is losing its mojo and that it needs to evolve and provide a better customer experience. Marketers would do well to consider this in 2021, luckily there are more opportunities than ever to spice up ads and delight audiences. Making your ads more interactive could include, gamification, quizzes, surveys, polls, calculators, contests, 360 degree video, elements of AR and even shoppable posts/video. Facebook and Instagram allow you to buy directly from your ad without leaving the post, even video can feature a pop up buy now button. It’s time to bring in the interactive fun!
Streaming TV
Streaming TV falls right in the middle of TV and digital media and it’s not surprising to learn that content designed for social media works well on Hulu. Similar to Business Managers in social media, Hulu offers a self-service ad platform that businesses of any size can start using to set up campaigns (although not widely available just yet, it will be in 2021). “You choose your budget, structure your campaign, stop and start whenever you choose”. Hulu also has the added benefit of scoring high on ratings and trustworthiness. Also worth noting that if you are looking to repurpose social assets on Hulu, stay away from testimonial or influencer type assets and tap more into high-quality creatives.
Hopefully, these tips get you thinking about what you can include in your strategy for 2021. As always with digital, don’t put all your eggs in one basket, use a small amount of budget to experiment, testing new tools and techniques and when you find something that works, scale up!
If you need help building your strategy for 2021 email us at info@springhilldigital.com