It goes without saying that marketing in 2020 has been entirely different from what we could have predicted this time last year. The COVID-19 pandemic has made countless businesses understand the vital importance of communication, as well as drastically change the way in which we interact with audiences and each other.
With a vaccine now on the horizon for the UK public, 2021 is a looking a lot brighter for us all, but that doesn’t mean that marketing will return to its previous state. The pandemic has irreversibly changed the way that companies not only market their business, but operate entirely; therefore, marketing in 2021 will need to adapt to fit this new normal.
So, what are we predicting for 2021?
E-commerce meets social
Whilst e-commerce integrations for social media is not an entirely new thing, lockdowns and the subsequent closing of shops have meant that retailers have had to look into innovative new ways to sell their goods. Alongside an e-commerce website, 2020 has seen many retailers take to social and utilise them as e-commerce platforms in their own right.
We don’t expect this to change any time soon. 2021 will see more and more retailers adopting this way of selling products and we expect social platforms to invest heavily in the progression of their e-commerce abilities.
The continued rise of influencers
The use of influencers to promote products has been on the rise for a number of years now, but this has risen significantly in light of lockdown and the emergence of Tik Tok as a powerhouse in the social media world (in spite of its battle to continue operating in the US).
In a period when many of us were unable to communicate in person, Tik Tok became a highly effective way for people engage with others. In March alone the app was downloaded a record-breaking 115 million times. Now many brands are utilising the platform and its most popular ‘Tik Tokers’ to promote their products. As the world begins to return to some sort of normalcy, we expect the use of influencers on platforms such as Tik Tok to continue expanding rapidly through 2021.
A focus on privacy
More people are becoming aware and increasingly concerned by how their data is being used by companies. Documentaries such as Netflix’s Social Dilemma has shed light on how we are all tracked online, how businesses are taking advantage of our likes and dislikes and ultimately how this is impacting the way in which we live.
2021 therefore, will likely see social media platforms vie for the trust of its users and instil a sense of reassurance that their data is safe, and isn’t being used for anything untoward. In our opinion, this will be an uphill battle for social media platforms; we don’t expect users to be that easily convinced as they become more and more data savvy. But, on the other hand, we also don’t expect this to have a significant impact on the use of these platforms either.
What do you think the marketing world will see in 2021? Will you be investing in different activity next year?
If you are looking for 2021 marketing support, get in touch with the Entyce team to discuss your business and find out how we can help you get noticed online.