In just the last two years, we’ve seen a lot of changes. The way we work, shop, travel, learn, and even the way we eat has changed in some way. This also means that the way we buy—and decide what to buy—has changed. Looking forward and examining emerging trends can help digital marketers and businesses connect with customers better. We’ve updated this blog post to provide the top digital marketing trends you need to know in 2023.
6 Digital Marketing Trends You Need to Know in 2023
1. Thorough Content Wins Organic Search
Technology moves fast, and Google is one of the fastest-developing companies in business. Google is constantly changing their search algorithm to give users even better results, and make sure they remain the top search engine in the world.
Most of Google’s changes are small. By themselves, these changes don’t make a huge impact. Over a few years, however, you’ve probably noticed your search results changing. For example, you probably noticed when Snippets first appeared to answer search queries directly. Or, maybe you noticed more video results appearing to answer your questions (more on this later).
The first results on a search engine results page (SERP) win the most clicks. This means more potential customers visiting your website, viewing your products, or getting in touch with you. These first few organic results—not associated with a search ad—are very valuable for digital marketers. That’s why it’s essential for digital marketers to check in their organic search strategy regularly. This is one of the most important marketing trends to note in 2023.
The recent introduction of MUM, the Multitask Unified Model, marked an increase in the Google search engine’s contextual understanding. While other updates, like BERT, allowed Google to understand language better, MUM was said to be “1,000 times more powerful than BERT.” This means, to occupy valuable spots at the top of a SERP and win the most organic traffic, it’s important to look at your content as a whole.
While SEO strategies are still important, MUM’s ongoing evolution means that the overall content and information contained on a page play a bigger role than particular keywords or individual strategies. Content that is thorough, well-researched, and presented in an organized manner will be most likely to win organic SERP spots in 2023.
2. Short Video is Growing Fast
Over the last two years, we all stayed inside a lot more, and watched a lot more videos. For some, this meant watching more TV, and for others, this meant engaging on video platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok. For many, it meant using more of both.
In just five short years after launch, TikTok reached one billion monthly active users globally. It was the most downloaded app in 2021. Noticing the trends towards short-form video, other platforms made more space for short videos. YouTube created YouTube Shorts, and Instagram developed Reels. This type of media is particularly popular among young adults (18-24) and also kids (under 18). If this is your primary audience, or an audience you’d like to engage with more, this is a digital marketing trend in 2023 you can’t afford to miss.
3. More Video Snippets
As previously mentioned, you’ve probably noticed your Google search results steadily changing over the last few years. A particular change is the growth of video snippets.
These snippets occupy an increasing number of top SERP spots. Sometimes this means a highlighted portion of just one video appears, sometimes two or three or more might appear. These video snippets are taking up the most valuable real estate on a SERP. This creates even more incentive to take a look at your video marketing strategy.
This marketing trend isn’t going away in 2023. As other video platforms continue to grow, Google will fight for their share of views, and this may mean prioritizing their own video platform (YouTube) in search results. Also, since many users prefer video results, an increasing number of results may contain video results to provide a better experience.
4. Using Pop-Ups Carefully
In a recent blog post, we talked about pop-ups; what marketers love about them and what users hate. Pop-ups are still in use for a variety of reasons, from limiting the use of tracking cookies to showcasing downloadable content and much more, but they have to be used carefully in 2023.
Google has stated that there’s no SEO penalty for using legally-required pop-ups, such as those that provide information about cookies or ask a user to verify their age. Also, pop-ups triggered by “exit intent” are not penalized. That means, the right pop-up at the right time can be a powerful tool to help users stay on your site. You might provide information about free downloadable content or a special discount.
If you’re using the same, annoying pop-up for every user that clicks on your page, you’re getting an SEO penalty. This is an important digital marketing trend to remember in 2023. If you haven’t taken a look at your pop-ups in a few years, now is the time.
5. Universal Analytics is Moving to GA4
Google’s suite of analytical tools is changing. This is a digital marketing trend in 2023 that most day-to-day users probably won’t notice, but digital marketers are definitely on top of it.
As of July 1, 2023, the current version of Google Analytics, Universal Analytics, will stop collecting data. Users will have to make the switch to Google Analytics 4 (GA4) in order to keep collecting information on web traffic, sessions, users’ movements through the site, and much more. If webmasters, business owners, or digital marketers don’t make the switch, they could risk losing their digital marketing data all together after a certain point.
6. Mobile is a Must
For several years, Google has made it clear that mobile-friendly websites are critical. We discussed Google’s Mobile-First Index several years ago, and highlighted the importance of using a website that works and looks great on a mobile device. Though the official roll-out of the Mobile-First Index was delayed, it’s now official. Businesses that didn’t make mobile browsing a priority get SEO penalties. This makes sense, since mobile searches on Google eclipsed desktop searches several years ago.
Though the usage varies somewhat, mobile searches are continuing to rise. The emergence of 5G made mobile browsing faster and easier than ever. This includes activities like social media use, video browsing, and entertainment, as well as e-commerce, and, especially, local searches.
With an estimated 60% of all Google searches coming from a mobile device, 80% of all social media use happening on a mobile device, and about 58% of all ecommerce visits coming from a mobile device, the evidence is pretty clear. If your website doesn’t look appealing or isn’t working properly on a mobile device, a lot of your marketing efforts will be wasted. Users aren’t going to stay on the page or take any additional actions if they can’t use your site from their device.
Making a mobile-friendly site doesn’t have to be complicated. With a few mobile-friendly tips, or an upgrade to a responsive site, you can give your site a refresh and get on top of this marketing trend in 2023.
If you’re interested in preparing a future-forward marketing strategy this year, contact us. Our marketing experts will streamline your strategy and set you up for success.