I think we can all happily say goodbye to 2020, however it’s clear that the rollercoaster ride we have been on for the last 9 months has no signs of letting us get off yet.

The impact felt on every business, good or bad, over the last 9 months looks set to continue well into 2021. While nothing can fully prepare use for what comes next, we have to be ready to change and adapt our way of thinking for the new year. Along with my own insight, I have spoken to co-workers and friends in the industry to see what we think the trends are that will get us through the next phase of this period.

SOCIAL IS GOING TO RIVAL AMAZON

One thing we all agreed on is that Facebook wants the profits that amazon is currently enjoying. While we are all used to seeing ads in our social feeds, and buying phone chargers through Instagram, what we are not used to is shopping catalogues of products from multiple stores in one place. Facebook Marketplace has given a lot of power to individuals to buy and sell their own products, hell I even sold a TV bench less than a week ago! Although the same company, Instagram, is giving all the power to retailers. Instead of being re-directed to websites, users can save card and delivery info directly into Instagram and check-out without ever leaving the app. 

Sure, the uptake of this feature has been slow but make no mistake, once a billion users learn this behaviour, e-commerce will never be the same.

BRANDS NEED TO BE INFORMED

While I have mixed feelings on the execution of this, there is no denying that consumer exceptions of brands has changed over the last year. 

For a while we went through a phase of what I like to call ‘we are just like you’ marketing, of brands acting ‘cool’ or ‘sassy’ to appease customers. Thankfully we have come out on the other side of this trend, with customers ready to challenge claims made about a product. Consumers have woken up to misleading claims of products being ethical or sustainable and want to know how and why this product is better than the rest. 

If you are manufacturing your product ethically, you need to show how, you need to shout about manufacturing process, fair wage, and ethics standards. It may seem strange to give out company info like this so freely, but the ones that do are already reaping the rewards.

EVENTS ARE VIRTUAL, THERE IS NO GOING BACK

When we entered the pandemic we all thought digital events would be a short term solution to get the word out about new products. It has become clear that not only are digital events here to stay, but consumers prefer it. 

Going all digital means fans of a brand can experience launches together. This year global brand leaders such as Apple & Playstation saw their engagement skyrocket. Both created digital campaigns that have been watched by tens of millions of people live and helped propel both companies to release new products that sold faster than any in their history. When you compare this to traditional trade shows, such as CES and E3, the level of excitement and consumer enthusiasm is unmatched. 

In 2021, I predict not only will all trade shows be cancelled, not only because of health reasons but because it’s so much more accessible to just do everything digitally. In fact, not only will they be cancelled, I believe they will be gone for good. In its place brands of all sizes will think digital events first.

THE SOCIAL CULLING

I know, not sure what to expect after reading that headline, but let me explain it. 

No, I’m not saying Brands should get rid of their social pages (I mean I would be out of a job if that happened!) I’m saying that brands will stop opening business accounts on every social media platform available. Don’t get me wrong, reaching new people is important, but focusing on what you do well is going to reap better rewards. It’s incredibly tricky to stay relevant on social media if you are constantly chasing every trend. Look at what works for you.

If you have twitter and 1 person likes a tweet a month, get rid of it. Focus on Instagram or Pinterests. Look at what works for you and pour your effort into making your brand a staple on that platform. It doesn’t mean twitter is gone forever, but like all things, decluttering and looking at what works for you is important. 

We have already seen this trend begin in 2020 and we fully expect it will continue through 2021.

AR

Now, this one may be a bit of a stretch for 2021, in fact I think this is something we won’t see fully embraced until the later half of this decade. 

Facebook owns Oculus and is really starting to ramp up patents for the AR future it predicts. We think it is only a matter of time before AR expands out of the gaming space and becomes a staple in digital marketings future.

While it may be a while away, it is always good to look ahead and see how you can get into an emerging space.

If you own a brand and haven’t created a plan to build your business online through strategic marketing campaigns, and sophisticated e-commerce distribution, get in touch with a member of the team today.

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