Digital marketing is becoming a more and more dynamic field, and staying up to date often determines your success. We’ll help you be well-informed about what’s coming in 2023. We asked six MONSOON experts to share their predictions and marketing trends in 2023. From the rise of artificial intelligence, through the continued emphasis on customer experience and video formats, to legal restrictions.
Here are the top marketing trends to watch out for in 2023
Video Content, Broad Targeting & UX
In my opinion, Social Media Advertising will follow three trends.
Broad Targeting and allowing the algorithm to choose the most suitable audience
Broad targeting is becoming increasingly popular, as more and more interests and targeting options are being phased out. In my opinion, this trend will continue to gain momentum in the coming year. By 2023, we will likely have even fewer targeting options to choose from and less control over the specific audience we want to reach. In light of this, it’s becoming increasingly important to trust the algorithm and give it more leeway to choose the most suitable audience for your campaign. This might include providing broader guidance, such as specifying geographic location rather than specific interests or demographics.
Content will become even more important than now
As the audience becomes broader, the importance of tailored content will only continue to increase. We’re already seeing a shift towards video content, as opposed to static images, and this trend is likely to accelerate in the coming years. The key is to focus on creating dynamic video content that speaks directly to your target audience. While it’s true that video is becoming an increasingly important aspect of content marketing, static content still has its place. Mixing up your campaigns with a combination of videos and static images can go a long way to improving your results.
UX & UI
In addition to social media, making it simple and straightforward for users to purchase products or services will be crucial for businesses. The customer journey should be seamless, easy to understand, and user-friendly. People get frustrated when they can’t find what they’re looking for on a website. So, it’s becoming more and more important to focus on the user experience (UX) of the website, especially on the landing pages of campaigns.
Natalia Więch
Senior Social Media Specialist
Top 3 Practices For Creating Video Ads On Social Media In 2023
I totally agree with Natalia in terms of the increased importance of video content. It’s clear that videos are becoming more prevalent, particularly on social media platforms.
TikTok, for instance, has been the most downloaded app in 2021 and in the third quarter of 2022. This is a clear indication that people are becoming increasingly comfortable with consuming short videos on their mobile devices, rather than just watching longer videos or images. Social media platforms like Instagram are placing an increasing emphasis on features like IG Reels, and YouTube has recently launched YT Shorts. As a result, we’ll need to adapt our advertising formats to align with this trend.
The videos need to be short (15 seconds max) and tailored to different stages of the sales funnel:
Brand Awareness:
They should be on par with TV ads in terms of production value and budget. They should evoke the emotions associated with the brand, or convey a key company message or mission.
Traffic and conversion:
These videos should focus more on showcasing the product or service, rather than emphasizing emotional or company-related messaging. Think product demos or testimonials.
Text overlays are crucial while creating video content:
When it comes to promoting a product or service, all the important details should be included in the video itself via overlay text. After all, most people will watch the video rather than read the ad text. However, it’s still important to provide detailed and descriptive ad copy for those who are truly interested in the product and want to know everything about it. They are willing to take the time to dig deeper and will appreciate the extra information.
Marco Sbalchiero
Paid Social Specialist
What About Organic Social Media Content?
Video is powerful, but how do you create one that doesn’t feel like an ad? Let’s talk about creating organic social media content.
On TikTok, one word will continue to rule them all: TRENDS.
In 2022, there was a noticeable shift in the TikTok community’s behavior, with users becoming more open to showing their authentic selves and less reliant on filters (could this be attributed to the BeReal? Possibly).
Social media users will seek out ways to enhance their personal life.
They will focus on well-being and fulfillment, particularly areas such as self-care, success, and aligning with personal values. With issues like economic uncertainty, health concerns, and environmental challenges, TikTok is poised to become a go-to destination for individuals looking for inspiration and guidance. In 2023, TikTok will give its users the tools they need to reevaluate their priorities and discover new pathways to happiness, success, and good health.
The videos need to be short (15 seconds max) and tailored to different stages of the sales funnel:
‘Show, don’t tell’ – by sharing personal, authentic stories with your community, you’ll make a bigger impact than simply trying to sell them something.
People come to social media to get a sense of the real deal. Don’t be afraid to let them see the true you.
Speak the universal language of memes. Memes are a great way to connect with your audience and build trust. Plus, they’re a fun way to showcase the personality of your life or business.
Ask your community about anything. Want to know what your followers are really into? Just ask! People love to share their thoughts and opinions, so don’t be shy about conducting surveys or polls on the apps.
Try to tap into the “bestie behavior” trend. This can involve filming yourself shopping, eating, and testing out new products with your friends. It’s a great way to show off your personality and build a community of loyal followers.
Check syncing audio to transitions or adding text overlays to your videos. And if you’re feeling adventurous, why not give ASMR (autonomous sensory meridian response) videos a shot? They’re a unique and growing trend on the platform.
Finally, consider experimenting with green screens or voice effects to make your videos stand out. And if you’re promoting a product, don’t be afraid to give product demos through “get ready/unready with me” videos.
Milena Łuba
Junior Social Media Specialist
Artificial Intelligence, Google Analytics 4 & Changes In Targeting
I agree with the predictions mentioned above, and I’d like to share my views on marketing trends for 2023 regarding Google Ads, legal restrictions, or tapping into AI solutions.
We may have more trouble keeping track of things because of stricter rules for protecting people’s privacy and stricter enforcement of laws.
As the digital landscape evolves, we can expect to see an explosion of new, automated campaign types across the major advertising platforms. This will only serve to underscore the paramount importance of high-quality content and the need for ongoing, rigorous testing of ads.
It’s becoming increasingly clear that interest-based targeting is losing its precision. Advertisers will have to think outside the box and come up with new ways to zero in on their target audience.
We’re seeing a trend towards more and more restrictions on the external signals (like pixel data) that can be sent to advertising networks. As a result, advertisers will have to get creative and explore new internal targeting options (such as targeting based on Facebook behavior) and innovative internal formats – think, for example, allowing users to complete their purchase directly within the Facebook platform. It’s all about adapting to the changing times and finding new ways to connect with consumers.
We’re observing a proliferation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools and technologies at our disposal. This is great news for online advertising, as companies will be able to conduct more ambitious and creative tests with greater ease and at a lower cost. Expect to see a higher ratio of new copies and graphics being tested, as well as a shift towards more efficient, data-driven optimization processes.
As the use of AI-powered text creation solutions becomes more widespread, we’re likely to see a surge in the number of companies publishing lengthy articles on their blogs, with the aim of boosting their search engine rankings. But the downside is that it could lead to a less-than-stellar user experience. After all, who wants to scroll through a never-ending article when all they’re looking for is a quick answer to their question? It’s more important than ever to remember the old adage “less is more” and focus on crafting high-quality, user-friendly content that is easy to digest and understand. This means keeping things concise, using appropriate formatting, and drawing from reputable sources.
Google is experimenting with a more conversational approach to search results (chatGPT-like), which will make it harder for website owners to generate organic traffic. This trend of providing quick answers, which has been growing in recent years with featured snippets, knowledge graphs, etc., will accelerate in 2023.
Meta, TikTok, and Google will start incorporating their own AI-driven tools to support the ad creation process.
The marketing game is changing, and power players like Google and Meta Ads will no longer hold all the cards. While they’ll still be major advertising platforms, companies are starting to spread their media budgets across a wider range of channels, diversifying their advertising strategy. It’s a smart move, as it allows them to reach new audiences.
Twitter’s advertising significance diminishes as TikTok’s grows. Companies focus on where the audience is, and TikTok emerges as the new “it” platform for advertisers. Twitter needs to elevate its game to stay relevant.
Looks like come mid-year, companies are in for an awakening as they discover their trusty old Google Analytics setup has been given the boot and it’s time to migrate to GA4. Unfortunately, this transition comes with a bit of a catch: a lot of valuable data will be lost in the process. As a result, companies can expect to see a dip in performance for a few months as they work to collect, analyze, and make sense of the new data. But here’s the silver lining: this presents a huge opportunity for companies that are prepared for the switch.
The first wave of AR advertising formats & campaigns is coming, with a new AR headset from Apple. This is the future of advertising, exciting to see what new technology will bring. Keep an eye out for it.
The costs of running a business online will grow. Change to server-side tracking and GA4 (with a maximum of 14 months of data retention) will force business owners to invest in new, pricy solutions (additional servers or historical data export, storage, and visualization). On the one hand costs for those who decide to do this will grow, but they will also gain another competitive advantage over competitors who don’t implement them (and will work on lower-quality data limited only to the last 14 months). This will also negatively affect business margins which may result in higher prices or less attractive offers (e.g. free shipping options). Some businesses will also decide to terminate their internal e-commerce solutions and move to Amazon and similar platforms (hence also the importance of Amazon Ads will grow).
Looks like companies are starting to wise up to the difficulties of properly attributing conversions, and as a result, many are turning their attention to a more long-term approach to online marketing. This means a greater emphasis on in-depth research, multi-stage funnel campaigns, automation, a more holistic approach, and a focus on branding. Instead of fixating on quick-hit metrics like ROAS, companies will start focusing on more global KPIs like ROI, as they look to gain a deeper understanding of their customers and the impact of their marketing efforts.
Maciej Baraniak
CEO
Automation, Bidding Strategies & AI
I believe that artificial intelligence and automation will bring new opportunities to the table. I also agree with Maciej about the increasing costs of running a digital business, but there’s more to it. Here are my predictions:
As artificial intelligence continues to advance, we’re seeing an increasing amount of automation in the advertising world. Take Google Ads, for instance, it’s already heavily reliant on automated bidding strategies, with the Performance Max campaigns replacing all Google Shopping ads as a prime example. And it looks like this trend is only going to continue, as manual bidding becomes less and less of a viable option for all types of campaigns. It’s a sign of the times, as companies look to streamline their advertising efforts and get the most bang for their buck.
One aspect of advertising that stay relatively untouched by automation is ad copy creation. But it looks like that’s all about to change. Google’s already got some automation in place for generating text assets, and with tools like OpenAI, it’s now possible to whip up a full range of headlines and descriptions in a matter of seconds. Of course, the quality of these assets still leaves something to be desired and requires a human touch to finesse. But make no mistake, the writing is on the wall. AI-generated text may be a bit of a “dumb” technology for now, but that’s only temporary.
With an increasing focus on content quality and the need for more robust web analytics, the overall cost of digital marketing is set to rise. But, as internet users, this might not be such a bad thing. After all, higher standards and better tracking mean more relevant and enjoyable ads, and who knows, we might even get another catchy Katy Perry song about ordering curry out of it. So, while it may mean a bit of a financial strain on businesses, it could also lead to a better online experience for all of us.
As automation takes center stage, there’s going to be a bigger focus on the quality of content used in ads. Expect to see higher standards for images and an increase in the use of dynamic, short-form video content. Just take a look at Spotify, they’re a prime example of a company that’s mastered the art of using high-quality content for both digital and offline marketing. However, for the time being, crafting visually striking assets for campaigns is still very much a human endeavor. But, it’s only a matter of time before technology catches up.
Jakub Pobiega
Senior Growth Marketer
E-mail Marketing, Videos & User-Generated Content
I would like to share my marketing predictions for 2023 in terms of e-mail marketing, video marketing, and user-generated content.
E-mail Marketing:
Email marketing is here to stay and will continue to be a top-performing digital marketing strategy in 2023. With the vast majority of people having an email address, emails can be tailored and customized to cater to the specific needs and preferences of both the sender and the recipient, making it a highly versatile and effective marketing tool. One of email marketing’s key strengths is its versatility. Each email can be customized to suit the needs of you and your customers, and the results can be easily tracked and analyzed, making it easy to measure the success of your campaigns. As the cost of acquiring new customers continues to rise, email marketing is an excellent way to nurture relationships with existing customers and increase their lifetime value.
Videos:
I agree that using video will continue to grow this year. Both B2C and B2B marketers have discovered that brevity is the soul of wit when it comes to videos, as short-form videos are more effective than their long-form counterparts in communicating information about a product, brand, or service. This is because short-form videos are less resource-intensive to create, and they align better with the shorter attention spans of online audiences. Platforms like TikTok, Reels, and Snapchat have seen a surge in popularity and marketing interest thanks to their ability to deliver engaging and bite-sized content that resonates with viewers.
User-Generated Content:
To successfully connect with Gen Z, brands can tap into the power of user-generated content (UGC) – including product reviews, testimonials, photos, and videos created by customers. This can help establish trust and credibility among younger audiences, as they value the endorsement of their peers. The creative economy, which is built on the use of content created by individuals, is a massive force in the digital landscape and is estimated to be valued at around $104 billion. By seamlessly incorporating UGC into their marketing strategies, brands can better connect with Gen Z and boost sales.
Stanislav Grondzevsky
Paid Social Specialist
