Like many other industries and consumer behaviors, the digital marketing landscape has evolved immensely over the last 12 months. This evolution will only continue as new trends emerge and marketers learn, or re-learn rather, to target their audiences where they are most. In an industry that is now primarily digital, it’s important to know and understand which aspects of the space will have the greatest impact on your marketing initiatives. So, what’s going to be big for digital in 2021? Let’s dive right into it!
Esports
With a projected revenue of over $1 billion in 2021, there’s no doubt that esports will be a key player in the industry this year. Part of the success of esports can be attributed to its global scale. Esports is a growing global revenue stream in which the Asian-Pacific, North American and European markets are currently the top players in the space, with Latin America not too far behind. With talk of esports going mobile, this will break down location and entry barriers even further thus growing the number of gamers and their fans. Not only that, but advertisers around the world will quite literally be able to reach their audience at their fingertips.
Web Design
Up next is web design! One could argue that this aspect of the digital world is one of the most crucial because it can make or break your online presence. This year, we’ll see a shift to include more realism in web design combining digital with everyday life. In addition to this, the technique of neomorphism – turning flat icons into realistic 3D objects – will help to tell a better story that users can relate with. Abstract art composition design (try saying that three times fast!) will also replace photography for applicable businesses. Last but certainly not least, we can expect to see more scrolling transformations to keep the user engaged as they scroll through a page. This includes the incorporation of comfortable colors, which are welcoming and invite users to remain on the site for a longer duration. It will be important to provide users with a “break” from their Zoom and screen fatigue that was brought about by working from home.
One aspect of website and web designs in particular that will experience some change is the copy – the words on the page that do all of the talking for a brand. In 2021, we can expect web developers to replace long-form copy with more engaging questionnaires and conversational forms. Product sites, for example, are already using multiple choice quizzes that hone in on visitors’ preferences to subtly align them with products in place of simply providing a product description for the user to read. Examples of this include “What’s your personality type?” and “What meal plan is right for you?”.
eCommerce
In today’s world, there truly is no escaping eCommerce. It’s transformed Instagram, Facebook, and has finally made its way to TikTok. In 2020, eCommerce and digital marketing made a nearly seamless integration – one that will only continue in 2021 and the years to come. As you market to your consumers, or your client’s customers, it will be important to focus on marketplaces like Walmart and Amazon rather than eCommerce stores as they provide a more convenient shopping experience. But, how will you direct the audience to shop your brand over another? If you thought “shoppable ads” — you’re correct! Placing eye-catching, shoppable ad content like video ads on social media will grab your audience’s attention where they’re spending most of their time.
So, now you know! These are the trends in the digital space that our team will be keeping a close eye on this year. While we can predict trends, we can never know for certain what could happen in a year – after experiencing 2020 – that could shift consumer behaviors. What we do know is that leaning into these changes and being able to adapt quickly will only be beneficial to your business.
About the Author:
Mike Vaughan is a Creative Technical Director at OH Partners and oversees all things digital including website and application design and development, email marketing strategy and VR/AR solutions. With over 20 years in the industry, Mike is a strong supporter of accessible, digestible and beautiful user experiences.
