Tag Archive for: 2021 digital marketing trends

How to Make Your Brand’s Videos Stand Out in 2021

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In 2021, video continues to be a powerful tool to connect and engage with customers. This has also caused a surge in video content being shared online. Meaning it’s more difficult to ensure your brand’s are not only reaching your audience but also getting them to engage as well.

With that, here are 4 tips for making your brand’s videos stand out in 2021.

1. Go Vertical for Story-Friendly Content

Vertical content is eye-catching, engaging and relevant. And with Stories on Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook, as well as Instagram Reels and Tik Tok growing in popularity, it has become the preferred dimension for video. If you haven’t begun optimizing your videos for these platforms, it’s time to start. Stories, Reels and Tik Tok will only continue to grow in value as marketing channels for brands. As they allow you to easily reach a greater audience as well as increase engagement with them.

2. Center Your Content for the Platform

While vertical video is now the preferred dimension, it’s still important you’re optimizing your content for each platform. So while vertical works best for Stories, YouTube still favors long-form, landscape videos. When we talk about optimizing content per platform, we mean in terms of sizing, type of content and audience. Always consider the demographics of the audience on each platform you’re sharing to. As users on Facebook engage much differently than those on YouTube or Instagram.

3. A/B Test

If you run video ads it’s essential to vary and compare versions to help determine what performs best among your audience. If you have long-form videos maybe try running a shortened version, switching up sizing, colors, text, etc. When A/B testing it’s important to remember to only change one factor at a time so you can be sure what’s driving changes and results.

4. Save the Best for First

Lastly, when it comes to creating marketing videos, you don’t want to take too long to get your main message across. You want to include the most enticing image, clip, discount or promo code upfront. This is to both keep the users’ engaged and in case they do click away, they still get the main point of the content and may come back to it later.

Final Thoughts

Consumer habits will continue to evolve as more brands move their offerings online and 2021 brings more changes in general. It’s essential for us marketers to consistently keep up with the trends and make adjustments to our strategies and tactics appropriately. And while digital marketing trends change rapidly, the popularity and value of video isn’t going anywhere.

More from Onimod Global

Onimod Global releases the latest digital marketing news and essential marketing tips every Tuesday and Thursday! To catch up on the top digital marketing news and trends, click here. To find out more about who we are and what we do, click here.

B2B Marketing Trends to Keep in Mind in 2021

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The B2B marketing landscape has shifted significantly over the past year. The pandemic has caused certain tactics to accelerate and move to the forefront. To stay relevant and competitive, B2B marketers have to embrace these newest industry trends. 

With that being said, here are the top 5 B2B marketing trends to keep in mind as we make our way through the rest of 2021. 

1. The Acceleration of Digital 

While in-person events are starting to happen a little more frequently, virtual events are still here to stay. Virtual events, videos and digital marketing channels to connect more with their customers. B2B marketers must continue to embrace a digital-first focus to stay relevant and competitive among their audience. It is important to note that you don’t want your entire strategy to be fully digital, but it should play a large role for the time being. 

2. Content Marketing 

Going hand-in-hand with digital acceleration is the increasing importance of content marketing. Prospects and customers are consuming more digital content than ever, with video as the top type. In fact, Statista found that last year, 27.2% of users watched more than 10 hours of online video on a weekly basis. Webinars and podcasts also played a significant role in content consumption last year. With the average amount of time spent listening to podcasts rose to over 6 hours, according to Edison Research and Triton Digital. 

In general, any type of interactive content can help your brand stand out and allow your audience to immerse themselves in your brand. Consider creating infographics, quizzes, surveys and virtual or augmented reality. 

It’s important to not forget the importance of traditional content as well, such as blogs and emails. Written content remains one of the best ways to position yourself as a thought leader in your industry. This is also a great way to help increase your SEO and overall online presence. 

3. AI-Powered Marketing and Marketing Automation

AI, machine learning and marketing automation tools will continue to be extremely valuable for B2B marketers. These tools aid in targeting, segmentation, personalization, lead scoring, predictive analytics and content generation. According to Statista, the global AI software market will see about 54% growth year after year. It’s predicted that more and more organizations will come to utilize AI and automation to assist in their marketing efforts. 

4. Customer-Centric Marketing Builds and Customer Relationships 

Last year forced many marketers to shift their main goal from generating leads to providing customers with helpful information and solutions. Empathy had to become a big driver in outreach efforts and the customer experience approach. Customer retention, keeping customers engaged and building a deep relationship with them also took priority over gaining new prospects. This was accomplished through personalization and relevant content that helped show that marketers understood their customers, their pain points and the situations they’re experiencing. 

5. Account-Based Marketing

The last trend involves narrowing marketing and sales efforts from an entire industry to only a few key accounts. This allows for stronger personalization and event individualization in those marketing efforts, which ultimately help drive more conversions. Success in account-based marketing requires alignment, integration and committed effort to be there for their customers through difficult times and provide answers and solutions tailored for them. 

Final Thoughts

Agility when it comes to strategies and tactics is essential when it comes to success in any area of marketing. It’s important to frequently check and analyze results to see what can be improved, what’s working and what should be dropped. This is A/B testing is so critical in showing what content audiences best respond to, what channels are preferred and what info piques their interest. 

More from Onimod Global 

Looking for an agency to completely transform your B2B strategy and skyrocket your lead generation? Reach out to us here!

Onimod Global releases the latest digital marketing news and essential marketing tips every Tuesday and Thursday! To catch up on the top digital marketing news and trends, click here. To find out more about who we are and what we do, click here.

Spring 2021 Social Media Marketing Trends

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Social media platforms introduce new features and change their algorithms frequently throughout the year. As marketers, we have to keep up with the trends and continuously update our strategies to ensure they stay effective. 

As we make our way into the spring and summer season, here are 5 trends to watch out for and to take into consideration as you evaluate your strategies. 

1. Live Streams Stay Prominent 

As we’re all aware, last year forced many businesses to turn to online meetings, conferences, etc. Naturally, there was a large uptick in the use of live streaming features on social media as well. While the situation continues to evolve throughout 2021, people have gotten used to interacting with their favorite celebrities, influencers and brands without even having to leave their houses. According to a recent report from Sprout Social, 40% of consumers want to actually see more live video from brands. Which is why live streaming will continue to stay prominent and should be a part of your overall social media marketing strategy this spring. 

2. Augmented Reality Growing in Popularity

Augmented reality experiences are inherently interactive and highly effective for engagement on social media. Brands have started adopting this trend by creating AR filters to promote new products or encourage followers to interact. This keeps audience members engaged and entertained and could even help you attract new customers. As the Sprout Social Report also found that this is a content type that helps a brand’s social presence stand out. 

3. Stories Remain a Key Content Type 

500 million users interact with Instagram Stories daily. Stories have been a dominant form of content for some time now, but they’re definitely not going away anytime soon. In fact, this type of content may even start to outperform standard feed posts. A SocialInsider study found that images in Stories have a 5.65% higher tap-forward rate than videos. This is why it’s encouraged for brands to take a more organized approach and regularly plan stories into their content calendars. 

4. Social Commerce Continues to Grow

Social media platforms are constantly adapting and upgrading features to enhance their user experience. Recently we’ve seen a growing number of tools to support quick and easy shopping right from the platform. For example, Instagram now allows you to add product tags and enable easy checkout without ever leaving the app. And on Facebook you can set up a Shop that allows users to browse and make purchases right from the platform. 

If you have yet to capitalize on these tools, now is definitely the time. Why? 54% of social media users research products on social media and social media referrals can influence the purchase decision of 71% of users. You could be losing out on a whole range of prospective customers if you haven’t set up social media storefronts. 

5. The Importance of Inclusivity, Authenticity and Transparency 

Consumers are putting more pressure on brands than ever to make a meaningful effort to be inclusive, authentic and transparent in both their business operations and marketing. Audiences are aware that when it comes to making purchases, they have plenty of options. So they want to put their money behind companies that show investment in the communities and issues they are also passionate about. 

Brands can no longer stay silent and passive on issues that are important to their target audiences. However, audiences are also increasingly aware of performative activism that looks more like a marketing play rather than meaningful initiatives. If you are joining in on a conversation, it’s essential that your content is well-informed, relevant, meaningful and has actionable initiatives behind it. 

Similarly, consumers want brands to be completely authentic and transparent about their products and operation. A great way to do this is through social media. When mistakes are made and your audience is upset, social media is a great way to apologize, answer questions and connect with them. 

Final Thoughts

Anticipating the latest social media trends is essential to building a stronger presence, making connections with users and growing your brand. One way to ensure your stay on top of the trends is by working with professionals. At Onimod Global, we’re experts in Social Media Marketing and knowing how to connect our clients with their consumers in the places they’re engaging. If you’re interested in becoming a client and helping your brand reach its full potential, contact us today. 

Onimod Global releases the latest digital marketing news and essential marketing tips every Tuesday and Thursday! To catch up on the top digital marketing news and trends, click here. To find out more about who we are and what we do, click here.

The Clubhouse App: What Marketers Need to Know

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Clubhouse has been steadily gaining traction since it first launched in 2020. This app has an entirely different concept than any other social media platform, creating a brand new opportunity for marketers. Here’s what businesses need to know about Clubhouse and some ways it may be relevant for you and your customers. 

What is Clubhouse? 

Clubhouse is a free, voice-based social media app. Users can listen in to conversations, interviews and discussion between people on various topics. It has been described as listening to a live podcast with an added layer of exclusivity. Currently, Clubhouse is invite-only. Meaning not everyone can download it off the app store. 

For those that have been invited to join, you first select topics off of interest, like tech, books, business, health, etc. The more information you give the app about your interests, the more conversation rooms and individuals the app will recommend you to follow or join. The rooms resemble a conference room where some are talking and others are just listening in. Once the conversation is over, the room closes and disappears. 

How can you use Clubhouse for your business? 

The biggest benefit from Clubhouse is the ability to connect with prominent business leaders, entrepreneurs, others in your industry and potential customers. You can also position yourself as a thought leader in your industry. As more people join the app, it can have a large payoff to have spent time positioning yourself as an expert and start gaining followers early. 

The voice-note aspect of Clubhouse also allows a new way to humanize your business to others. It can help make interactions feel more personal, allowing you to convey more emotion and have real conversations with other users. 

There is also a new development of an influencer program. This program will only be open to 40 top users on Clubhouse and will allow business to tap into those with a large number of followers. 

How can you get an invite? 

To join, an existing Clubhouse user has to send an entire from their app, giving you access to set up the account. When you’re invited you’ll get a link through a text message. Users can’t invite anyone, though. They only get two available invitations at first. 

Final Thoughts 

As Clubhouse continues to scale, the number of audio creators is growing. Their impact on the broader influencer economy is just beginning. Some members of the pilot program have begun contemplating brand deals and cross-platform promotion. Others have begun to form creator collectives, like those started by prominent users on TikTok. Overall, this could be a good future opportunity for many businesses.

More from Onimod Global

Onimod Global releases the latest digital marketing news and essential marketing tips every Tuesday and Thursday! To catch up on the top digital marketing news and trends, click here. To find out more about who we are and what we do, click here.