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As we enter a new decade, we live in a time when technology marketing is moving at a rapid pace and consumer behaviors and choices are hard to forecast. Businesses can no longer stick their heads in the sand and hope that the same old methods of marketing will work in the future also. After all, to remain viable and competitive in today’s online landscape, you ought to adapt to the speedily budding digital marketing trends in the USA.

What worked in the last decade may not work the same way in 2021. In 2020, as a result of the pandemic, people have spent a lot more time on social media, eCommerce sales went all-time high, and online business, as well as video conferencing, became the norm. This change in the lifestyle has resulted in a major shift in the way brands hook up with their consumers. Today you can build a brand with your social media presence and boost visibility and organic traffic through SEO.

Check Out the Latest Digital Marketing Trends In The USA!

As we enter a fresh decade and technology continues to grow swiftly, it’s time to look ahead to what we can expect from 2021. We hereby take the opportunity to share the upcoming digital marketing trends in the USA in 2021. Scroll now!

1. Artificial Intelligence 

 In the future, Artificial intelligence will be at the heart of the global business. Artificial intelligence uses consumer data from blog posts and social media platforms to analyze consumer search patterns, helping businesses to understand consumer behavior. It is the backbone behind many services today. Today AI is already implemented in various areas such as content creation, email personalization, eCommerce transactions, and product recommendations. AI helps businesses to get an edge over their competitors. Businesses adopting AI are able to accelerate business growth, by cutting staffing costs.

For example, today Uber and Microsoft are using K5 robots to guard large outdoor areas and parking lots. The robots are qualified enough to read license plates and report any suspicious activities. These robots are available at a rent for about $7 an hour, which is less expensive than recruiting a human security guard.

2. Chatbots 

In 2021, chatbots will continue to be an important part of digital marketing trends in the USA. This technology uses instant messaging to chat with your customers or website visitors in real-time. Today most of the customers prefer interacting with these virtual assistants as they are responsive 24/7, recall your entire buying history, and above all never lose patience. These chatbots offer outstanding customer services by automating repetitive tasks and meeting customers’ expectations. 

The use of chatbots is today one of the most favorite digital marketing trends in the USA and many of the brands like The Wall Street Journal, Whole Foods Market, and Pizza Hut are already using chatbots.

3. Programmatic Advertising 

Programmatic advertising is used to automate advertisement buying to target more specific audiences. Real-time bidding is also a programmatic advertising buying. It results in higher conversions and hence lower customer acquisition costs. Today programmatic advertising is changing the face of digital marketing trends in the USA. Businesses are using hundreds of targeting signals to individualize the advertisement and target customers according to their lifestyle or spending habits.

4. Conversational Marketing 

Conversational marketing facilitates real-time one-to-one connections between businesses and their customers. This allows brands to meet customers on their terms, best suited to the customer. This form of marketing is today available across various channels and allows business to communicate the way its consumer prefers to communicate. Conversational marketing enhances the consumer experience through a feedback-driven model.

5. Social Messaging Apps 

With the increasing popularity of social messaging apps, it has become the foremost marketing trend amongst the various digital marketing trends in the USA. Today Facebook Messenger has 1.3 billion monthly users, exchanging 10 billion messages every month. WhatsApp has 1.6 billion active users, exchanging about 55 billion messages every day.

Hence, marketing a company’s products and services on these social messaging apps makes complete sense. Moreover, these messaging apps allow personalization and value addition to the user experience, facilitating direct interaction with the customer and consumer. 

6. Personalization 

Personalized marketing is one of the most sought-after digital marketing trends in the USA. According to consumer surveys done by various marketing agencies, 65% of the consumers get annoyed with generic advertising, and 80% look for personalized experiences.  Companies like Netflix, Amazon, Starbucks, etc. are widely using personalization today.

7. Influencer Marketing 

Influencer marketing uses famous celebrities, Instagram, or YouTube personalities with huge niche followings, to strengthen the brand message to a larger market. According to a consumer survey report, 63% of consumers trust influencers’ opinions, and 58% of customers have bought products following an influencer’s recommendation, in the past six months. 

8. Video Marketing 

Video marketing is the most important digital marketing trend in the USA. According to a survey, about 52% of consumers find product videos more compelling in online purchase decisions. Apart from YouTube, there are plenty of ways to engage customers with video marketing, like a video post or live broadcast on social media.

9. Visual Search 

In this world of digital marketing, Visual Search has taken the user experience to a totally new level. It enables one to search for anything from a phone simply by snapping or uploading an image, to conduct a search and get more specific results.

It helps in discovering similar images, price comparisons, shopping results, etc. For example, Pinterest Lens or Google Lens allows users to take a picture of an item to find out where to buy it online or search for similar products. 

10. Micro-Moments 

In 2021 the marketers need to juggle around with the linear marketing channel that follows a set path: awareness, consideration, and decision. The marketer needs to be where consumers are probing for the information at the moment. Micro-moments work on a simple principle of human behavior and that is if a person thinks or talks about something, he/she wants to learn more, see more and buy more of it.

11. Voice Search & Smart Speakers 

The increasing use of voice search has compelled companies to rethink their digital marketing trends in the USA. Voice assistants like Alexa, Google, and Siri help to deliver value-based content effectively to the customers and are gaining popularity day by day. The skills of these voice assistants help them to react very explicitly to user commands and queries.

Many brands including Nestle, Domino’s, etc have already included voice search in their digital marketing strategies. In 2021, we will see more businesses optimizing voice search to spread brand awareness and using smart speakers for driving sales.

12. Content Marketing 

About 88% of content marketers confirm that creating content increases the trust and credibility of their business. According to research conducted by the content marketing institute, content marketing overheads 62% less than outbound marketing and generates leads 3 times and the conversion rate is 6 times higher when compared to other traditional methods of marketing. 

13. Interactive Content 

2021 may see a shift from traditional text-based content to engaging dynamic content like 360-degree videos, quizzes, and polls or augmented reality ads. It makes the customer feel more connected to the brand and more involved in the buying process. 

14. Social Media Stories

The social media stories like Facebook and Instagram stories, Reels (YouTube stories) work on a simple principle of FOMO (fear of missing out). These stories fade away after a set period of time. These social media stories increase traffic to your web page and ensure constant engagement with the followers.

15. Browser Push Notifications

To engage users on multiple channels, browser push notifications are playing a major role. The push notifications are set off by the behavior of the potential customer who has shown interest but failed to convert. 

16. SEO A/B Split Testing 

The SEO A/B split testing presents a methodical approach to testing and analysis. By using A/B split-testing, one can easily spot the form that is driving the results you need for your business. It provides insight into the variables that are driving the results. 

17. Progressive Web Apps (PWAs)

Web Apps are websites working like mobile apps. PWAs offer functionalities of a mobile app, including push notifications, working offline, etc., without being limited to one platform i.e. Android or iOS. As the mobile revolution continues its pace, PWAs are becoming even more widespread.

18. Social Commerce & Shoppable Posts 

E-commerce brands create and post interactive ads on social media platforms, thus allowing users to click and shop with ease. Hence, brands are using e-commerce and social media both together to maximize sales opportunities. It makes it easier for the brands to reach prospective new customers.

For example, Instagram checkout helps users to complete purchases from within Instagram. This reduces the risk that customers will abandon the purchase, because of switching of the apps.    

19. Omnichannel Marketing 

Omnichannel marketing is marketing across multiple platforms such as apps, social media, blogs, and email. In this way, brands unite with prospects on additional touchpoints. It presents an enhanced user experience and solid brand message, driving people to action. Getting inside the head of the potential customer’s buying behavior is the key to an effective omnichannel approach.

20. Predictive & Augmented Analytics 

Predictive analytics uses data mining, predictive modeling, and machine learning to identify consumer behavioral patterns. It helps in predicting the future behavior of customers based on previous habits. It is one of the widely used digital marketing trends in the USA. 

For instance, Amazon Assistant allows users to give consent on various product recommendations from Amazon, beyond its official website and make personalized offers to customers while browsing. Augmented analytics uses Natural Language Processing (NLP) and machine learning for user data preparation. 

21. Blockchain Technology

Blockchain technology is making waves in the digital marketing trends in the USA. In a blockchain, the recorded data are managed by a cluster of computers, and each block is bound to the other using a chain. A blockchain eliminates the intermediaries, increases transparency, and builds trust, offering benefits to the brand.

22. 5G Technology

5G or fifth generation of mobile technology is the most significant digital marketing trend in the USA in 2021. 5G indicates a new era of digital communications and its impact will be very soon felt all around the globe. It will completely transform our access to online content.

Conclusion

As per research conducted by McKinsey & Company, post-COVID more people intend to online shopping. About 77% of Americans have tried out new brands and websites to shop. The emerging digital marketing trends in the USA have shifted the consumers from an age of passive consumers towards the age of active consumers.

In 2021, digital marketers are co-creating brands. Customer preferences are being heard. Organizations are fostering relationships with their customers. Digital marketers are creating value and adapting to the shift in consumer behaviors. Keep looking ahead and strive to embrace new digital marketing strategies and technologies to gain a competitive edge over your competitors.

 

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