The new year is finally upon us, and with resolutions and year-long goals come countless new trends and innovations. Join us while we explore some of the top digital marketing trends we’re excited for in 2023!

AR Experiences

Augmented Reality (AR) combines the real world with computer-generated content to create an interactive experience for users. This is no longer a futuristic dream - one third of Gen Z is expected to be shopping with AR by 2025.

When used in marketing, AR can allow customers to interact with products before they buy - for example, seeing how a new coffee table would look in their living room like IKEA Place or trying on different beauty products like Sephora’s Virtual Artist. 

Other brands have been digitalising their physical offering by creating virtual, interactive tours which allow users to explore a space, like StubHub’s app which allows users looking for Super Bowl tickets to view a 3D model of the stadium and the local area. Users can then use the AR to understand where their seats are, where they should park, and even the locations of pre-game events.

Use of Machine Translation in Multilingual Content Creation

Machine translation refers to the use of computer software to translate content into another language. Whilst English is the most popular language used on the internet, it’s only used by 26% of users. On top of that, 40% of consumers surveyed across 29 different languages say they won’t buy from websites which aren’t written in their own language. 

The need for multilingual content creation is clear, but the process can be laborious and expensive when using a human translator, especially for an entire website. This is where machine translation (MT) comes in. 

MT is ideal for structured, unambiguous, repetitive content such as instruction manuals, website footers and product descriptions. It can be very useful when needing to create a large volume of content with a quick turnaround, or content which is likely to have low-visibility on your website. MT can also be used in content which is regularly updated like feature and information updates.

Despite its uses, it’s best not to use MT for high-traffic branding on your front page or other high-visibility areas where your copywriting is creative and impactful. This is where you should use a human translator, who can correctly interpret and modify your copy into another language in a process called transcreation. For example, whilst in English, you might say “there’s no use crying over spilt milk”, in French, you would say “the carrots are cooked”. Both idioms mean that a situation cannot be changed, but a direct translation by MT from one language to the other would be incorrect and confusing. 

Short educational videos

People love to learn, and they love to share what they learn with friends. Short educational videos for use on platforms such as YouTube, TikTok and Instagram are a different way to engage your audience. By creating educational content which both fits your brand and is relevant to your target market, you can reach more and more consumers and become known as experts in your industry.
Examples of educational videos can include live streams, where you can share a new product or exciting industry news with your viewers, as well as ‘how-to’ videos, online courses, educational webinars and product demonstrations. UNBXD worked with Nike in the launch of their NTC+ app to create a successful social media marketing campaign which involved a short, stylish educational video taking viewers through a one minute workout.

User-generated content

Consumers are relying more and more on user-generated content (UGC) to help make their purchasing decisions. UGC refers to real content created by real customers as opposed to influencer marketing or other forms of paid advertising. Examples can include anything from photos and videos to reviews and testimonials, and help increase your brand’s authenticity more than a carefully curated feed of company-generated content ever could. 

The nurturing of user-generated content through hashtags like ASOS’ #AsSeenOnMe and Calvin Klein’s #MyCalvins allows an online community to develop, triggering a free stream of advertising for the companies from their customers. Another great example comes from the charity Cancer Research, who encouraged users to post selfies without makeup on, donate £5, then nominate others to do the same. The company raised over £6 million!

It’s also much more cost-effective than influencer marketing - just make sure you ask for permission to share user-generated content from your customers and give credit where it’s due.

Interactive website features

Interactive website features such as quizzes and calculators can help create a personalised experience for consumers which increases their engagement and thus conversion into actual sales. They’re also a great way of creating a lasting impression on customers, meaning they’re more likely to come back to your website or recommend it to others. 

Company ThirdLove created a virtual Fitting Room for users which involves a questionnaire about your style preferences, product habits and current fit. They then curate a personalised collection for you to access via email, with a 15% discount code to boot. These interactive features can work well in B2B sales as well - for example, HubSpot’s website grader allows users to view how their website performs against others and how they can improve their website. This is a memorable tool which helps to strengthen HubSpot’s brand awareness and cements them as an expert in their industry. 

Cookieless targeting

In 2020, Google announced that they will be phasing out third-party cookies. These cookies are commonly used in a marketing method called retargeting, which shows you adverts based on your previous internet behaviour. It focuses on bringing consumers back to a website they’ve already visited, as this visit shows they have an interest in the product or service being sold. 

Cookies are small pieces of code which collect information about you, your interests and your habits without needing to directly ask you for this information. Therefore, without cookies, companies must find new and creative ways to gain this information first-hand such as through surveys and questionnaires. The interactive website features listed in our previous point can also be used as a method of cookieless targeting. Companies can also use other data inputs such as location and weather to help create more targeted adverts.

UNBXD is a Creative Digital Agency which specialises in digital marketing to create exciting, innovative solutions for breakthrough brands. We are experts in supporting brands to outline clear objectives, develop strong communication strategies and create unique content which truly engages their audience. Come and see what we can do for you!