FEATURED ARTICLE — April 9th, 2021

What’s Hot in Digital Marketing this Year

By Dan Smink

At the start of 2021, 4.66 billion or almost 60% of people in the world were internet users according to DataReportal. In 2020 alone, 319 million new users went online for the first time. Given the current world state for 12 months now, these numbers are not surprising. 

But internet use did not just increase, the way people use the web has also changed because of recent events. 

Since we are in the business of digital marketing, it’s important to evaluate these changes while identifying how they will affect the industry. The digital marketing landscape is volatile and adaptive. Staying ahead of the curve is one surefire way to success. 

So, here are the project digital marketing trends for 2021:

In the Moment

With the global pandemic still raging on in many parts of the globe, the sense of communal experience that has been brewing since the dawn of the internet has been intensified. 

Now, we see the rise of live streams and web events. Although these have always existed, they have now become the norm when it comes to gathering people together. 

Facebook has reported a 50% spike in live viewings during the pandemic. Instagram has seen an even higher increase, up to 70%. CNBC reports that Tik Tok also experienced a drastic uptick in its userbase since 2020. 

All these point to the growing trend of live streaming. Even grandparents were encouraged to learn to use video calls as the safest way of interacting with younger, more active family members. 

Of course, this trend is now being leveraged by marketers. Online concerts, branded content from influencers, web-exclusive events, and other similar strategies will continue to flood cyberspace throughout this year, and maybe even... Read More