To surf, you need to have good balance and know how to swim, but the most important thing is to catch the right wave, at the right time, and in the right way. This analogy applies well to organizations that must discern a trend from an ephemeral current in order to “surf” on it and attach an innovative and effective strategy to it. In 2023, what are the waves that will make your organization stand out?
Trend 1 – Human Brands And Whose "Boots Follow Your Chops!" »
Health
While it may be tempting to steer clear of the topic of the pandemic, it’s impossible to ignore the profound impact it has had on our lives. From how we interact with others to how we engage with our environment, COVID-19 has fundamentally altered our connection to the world around us. Despite its challenges, however, we can also view this as an opportunity to pause and reflect on how we can adapt and grow in the face of adversity.
Values
The impact of technology has been significant in shaping our societal norms, values, and consumption patterns. As a result, consumers now have a revised understanding of what is essential and what they anticipate from organizations. Building and maintaining trust now requires businesses to prioritize meeting these expectations with a commitment to transparency at every level.
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Consumers prioritize brands that embody a sense of humanity and relatability in today’s market. One effective way to achieve this is through the use of storytelling. You can establish a deeper connection and build trust with your customers by crafting a compelling narrative that resonates with your audience. This approach can ultimately lead to increased loyalty and long-term success for your organization.
Share stories related to your brand and you will attract more of a sense of belonging towards it. You can also show your involvement in the community by joining a cause or speaking out on certain issues such as equity, diversity and inclusion in society and within your organization.
Trend 2 – Sustainable, Social And Inclusive Marketing
Organizations must adopt a sustainable business model that benefits the planet, the economy, and society at large. While this concept may not be novel, it’s vital for meeting market and regulatory requirements. Furthermore, integrating sustainable practices will align your values with your target audience’s values, ultimately gaining their backing.
Organizational And Charity Work
During economic uncertainty, brands may have more pressing organizational concerns to focus on. However, studies have shown that consumers, particularly Gen Z, remain highly invested in global and economic events. Almost 70% of Quebecers expect brands to impact society positively. Therefore, sustainability in your planning must meet customer expectations and be crucial to the product due to upcoming changes in the legal framework of ESG (Environment, Social, and Governance) reports in the next few years.
More Diverse People and Products
In addition, the past few years have been marked by the rise in sensitivity to equity, diversity and inclusion. As the consumer population becomes more diverse – people living with a disability, sexual orientation, ethnic diversity for example – it is imperative that brands reflect (and practice in their daily lives!) these values. At the communication level, this involves, among other things, the adoption of inclusive and epicene writing. Quebec is also at the forefront in this practice across the Francophonie with the official commitment of the Office de la langue franchise and several universities and scientific research institutes which have implemented their own inclusive writing guide. . This is for example the case of the National Institute for Scientific Research, a component of the University of Quebec.
Trend 3 – Influencer Marketing, From Transaction To Collaboration
In 2023, almost all Quebec organizations are present on social media. As Internet users seek to connect with brands in an authentic way, influencer marketing remains to this day one of the most effective methods for achieving marketing objectives. From now on, it is no longer a question of having a transactional and ad hoc relationship with influencers, but rather of participating and supporting their content creation process.
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In this way, content creators fully embody their role as trusted ambassadors between the brand and their followers by offering innovative products, services and campaigns that are likely to appeal and to meet (or even better exceed) their expectations.
Collaborator
Also, in the future we will see more collaboration between brands and Nano-influencers who have between 1,000 and 10,000 followers. Their profile reflects their approachable nature that consumers can more easily relate to. Including them in an influencing strategy can yield better results and make it all the more fruitful and successful.
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In particular, it provides better engagement and more optimal customer conversion. Given the breadth of their audiences, Nano-influencers can offer more in-depth responses to comments to engage in more open, honest, and authentic conversations with their community. They are perceived by their audience as “trusted friends. »
Trend 4 – Short Videos Are Popular!
For several years, it has been said that video content is the ultimate format to generate engagement, but in 2023 it is a must. Marketers today use short videos to create engagement with their targets, especially in vertical format. This trend stems in particular from the following observation: the attention span of content consumers is now only eight seconds! If your video hasn’t captured their interest in that amount of time, all the following minutes will be wasted… In short, those eight seconds are key in your storyboard!
Content consumption today is mostly on mobile, on break, at work, on public transport, jumping from one video to another and only focusing on dynamic, fast-paced and under-the-radar content. -title. Opting for short video will allow brands to stand out among the millions of videos that can be watched by social media users. And finally, the use of short video saves time, production and resources. It is therefore a perfect solution to edit content more quickly and learn to synthesize information as much as possible.
Trend 5 – Live Shopping, Or The Successor To Teleshopping
Propelled by the confinements during the pandemic, the consumption of live videos commonly called lives has exploded on all platforms and thereby responds to a real and recurring social need: to come together to share a moment. Today, some brands have understood that live is engaging and adapted to new habits, especially those of generation Z. Among the live content being increasingly exploited, we can count the purchase live (live shopping) or social commerce. This is also one of the new features that Tikor recently launched in the United States. It is for example a video of a creator. Of live connected content to describe and try a product. During the broadcast, the audience is called upon to ask questions and buy the product directly on the platform. Being a format appreciated by Internet users for its authenticity, it is a powerful conversion tool. According to an analysis by McKinsey, live shopping generates a conversion rate 10 times higher than traditional channels. This new online shopping trend allows customers to feel connected to brands and companies, and to receive live advice from experts.
Trend 6 – Artificial Intelligence, More Accessible And Useful
When we talked about artificial intelligence (AI) in recent years, we could have the impression that it was still science fiction! However, AI is now beginning to influence our daily lives, especially content generated by algorithms, such as ChapGPT. These artificial intelligence interfaces can produce content of remarkable relevance and fluidity. They can create advertising campaigns, write content and job offers, or even solve complex equations. We have officially entered the era of computer-aided creativity.
Up to you!
As a marketer, you don’t have it easy. Marketing is constantly evolving. You must constantly learn to master new technologies and communication platforms, understand the needs of your audiences, monitor your competition, and much more… to lead your projects to success.
The good news is that you’ve made it this far and therefore want to stay informed about the latest trends in your field, in order to optimize your strategies. You are on the good road! For example, you can subscribe to our newsletter to receive our new articles, attend conferences, train, listen to podcasts, and you will stay up to date, even at the forefront, of the latest marketing practices.