Did you know the growth rate of the digital marketing industry will be 13.9% by 2026? By 2026, the market is projected to reach $786.2 Billion.
This highlights the importance of adapting your strategies to new developments, especially if you want to capitalize on the growth of 2023.
If you are a newbie or a seasoned digital marketer, read on to learn how to stay ahead of your game.
Follow the industry leaders and influencers.
Influencers or industry leaders in digital marketing have become thought leaders and gained a following for their expertise and valuable insights.
Start by conducting some research to identify those you should follow. Search for people with a history of accurately predicting trends and providing valuable insight. Search for keywords relevant to your industry using social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
It’s crucial to keep up with influencers across all platforms. This includes their blogs, social media, and podcasts. You will get a more rounded perspective of their perspectives and insights. Use tools like Feedly and Flipboard to create a personalized news feed with content from your favorite bloggers.
Commenting on their content or participating in their communities online is another excellent way to interact with influencers. You can stay on the radar of influential people in your field by adding value to conversations.
Tools like Hootsuite and Buzzsumo help you identify influencers, track their content, and determine what they’re up to. Hootsuite lets you monitor social media conversations and track hashtags or keywords, and Buzzsumo gives insight into the content trending within your industry.
Pro tip: Looking for influencers to start with? Here are a few of our favorites.
Neil Patel is known for his expertise in SEO and content marketing
Gary Vaynerchuk is known for his expertise in social media marketing
Rand Fishkin founded Moz and recognized authority in SEO and content marketing.
Attend digital marketing conferences.
Attending industry conferences is a great way to learn new skills, discover new marketing strategies, and connect with other professionals.
The conferences and events expose the latest marketing tools, technologies, and strategies. Learn about the latest trends in digital marketing and gain practical experience.
Research conferences relevant to your niche, and select those that match your goals and interests.
Plan your schedule once you have chosen your conference to maximize your time. Attend workshops and breakout sessions for a deeper understanding of specific topics. Take advantage of the networking opportunities to create relationships and share ideas with other attendees.
Pro-tip: Some popular digital marketing conferences include:
Social Media Marketing World
Content Marketing World
MozCon
Collaboration with other brands and professionals
You can learn from the experiences of other professionals in your field and gain new insights into marketing tactics and strategies.
Keep these tips in mind when collaborating:
Find potential collaborators who share your marketing objectives and target audience. Find businesses and people who share your values and complement your brand.
Create a mutually beneficial partnership. You could co-create content, promote each other’s services or products, or collaborate on a marketing campaign.
Successful collaborations are built on building relationships. Spend time getting to know your collaborators, their businesses, and their goals. Communicate clearly and establish common goals by working together.
Connect with collaborators using social media, share content, and promote joint projects.
Measure the results of your campaign. Use to track key metrics, such as website traffic, social media engagement, and sales.
The #LikeAGirl campaign partnership between Always and Girls on the Run is an excellent example of successful digital marketing.
In 2019, the famous feminine hygiene brand teamed up with Girls on The Run to support the National Access and Inclusion Initiative. The brand’s image has been boosted by the donation of over $750,000 in the past two years.
Join Industry Organizations and Groups
You can benefit from joining industry groups and organizations.
Access to industry-specific information and resources such as primary research, reports, and other materials can help you keep up with the latest trends.
You will also be able to build relationships and network with professionals in your industry. It benefits entrepreneurs and freelancers with few opportunities to network with other field professionals.
To find the proper organization
Find out about industry associations and choose those aligned with your goals.
Participate in events and committees to build relationships and get exposure for your work.
Help out at events or initiatives to build up your skills.
Pro tip: Examples of industry groups and organizations include:
American Marketing Association
Interactive Advertising Bureau
Content Marketing Institute
Try out new marketing technologies and techniques
You can reach a wider audience and engage your customers in new ways by experimenting with new marketing technologies and techniques.
When identifying new tools and techniques at your disposal, selecting those aligned with your brand’s goals and your audience is essential.
For example, if you want to reach Gen Z, you could test out video formats in growing social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram Reels.
You can do this by testing new tactics at a small scale to see if they work before expanding. This can be done by A/B testing on your website, running a small campaign on a different platform, or testing a brand-new content format.
Digital marketers can experiment with new technologies and marketing techniques, such as AI tools, ChatGPT, and virtual and augmented realities.
Be prepared to change your strategy if a new technology or marketing trend stays the same.
Only some experiments are going to be a success. It is essential to learn from failures and adapt your strategy accordingly.
The conclusion of the article is:
In 2023, you should be on the lookout for new trends, such as AI, machine learning, social media, the rise in ‘creator economies’, and a focus on the personalized experiences of customers.
You can make sure that your brand is successful in the digital world by keeping up to date with the latest trends. Let’s embrace the future and get to work!