Wouldn’t it be nice if you could predict the coming trends and hop on board before the masses caught wind? While we're not claiming to have a crystal ball tucked behind our laptops, we do carry a secret weapon in helping us decipher upcoming trends–years of compounding expertise.
And although no one can be spot on 100 percent of the time, we pride ourselves on being able to unearth future marketing trends prior to the surge. Not only this, we carefully dissect the data, locate the best solution, and package it up for our clients to apply to their marketing plans. Below we’ll discuss four B2B marketing trends that we see booming in 2023.
1. Brace Your Budgets, the Cost of Paid Ads Are Skyrocketing
No matter who you advertise with (Meta, Google, Amazon, or TikTok), everyone is increasing their cost to host ads on their platforms. The reasons vary from changes to ad targeting/privacy policies to capitalizing on high demand. And the increase in cost is quite sizable. Here are some year-over-year price fluctuations for the major players:
|
Year-over-year (YOY) Paid Ad increases |
|
|
Company |
YOY% increase |
|
Meta |
61% |
|
TikTok |
185% |
|
|
75% |
|
Amazon |
14% |
Solution: The need for a holistic approach to digital advertising is needed more than ever. Having a proper mix of marketing initiatives that pointed toward organic search as well as a paid strategy is necessary. There are few industries where a paid-only structure is feasible.
2. Google Is Losing to TikTok...and This Will Continue
Other social media outlets have been attempting to keep up with TikTok’s increasing popularity but are laughably behind as the fastest-growing social media app is only creating more distance from the top spot. And now Google is even on the brink of being beaten out as the preferred search engine, which they have long dominated.
The tech giant reached into its own database to uncover that a vast majority of Gen Zers (40 percent) prefer to search TikTok and Instagram rather than Google.
Solution: Understanding who your customers are and how they digest content is more important than ever in an increasingly fragmented media landscape. This is only further proof that even mountains like Google can be removed from their longstanding positions. Change is good. Be adaptable and embrace the change to win.
3. The Cost of Great Employees Is and Will Remain Expensive
With a record high of job openings across industries, companies are being forced to raise wages in order to attract and retain their talent in all sectors. For example, John Greene, chief financial officer of Discover Financial Services, said earlier this year that the company expects “some degree of salary wage pressure in 2022 and possibly into 2023 as we take steps to remain competitive.”
The result is businesses passing those extra labor costs onto customers through higher prices. This leads to not only a war for talent but a war for consumer spending to combat inflation, recession, and rising material prices.
Solution: Understanding the value of an agency versus the cost of an employee is paramount. Beyond talent, digital marketing agencies can provide expertise and the consultative support you may need to take to achieve your goals. Look for one that is niched down and focuses on your specific industry and align their success to your success so you are both striving for the same goal.
4. Content Is Still King
Content consumption is at an all-time high, and it's only getting higher. New technologies are helping consumers fill their insatiable appetites with content that is both entertaining and brings them value. Shoppable Content is becoming more and more mainstream, and there is an influencer with a following for almost everything. AI-driven content is becoming smarter, led by companies like Unbounce and their suite of almost terrifying technology.
Solution: Want to be a thought leader? Publish and share your own research and develop case studies that are as entertaining as they are informative.
Stay Ahead of the Trends Curve
Keeping abreast of the latest and upcoming trends in marketing is a great way to reach your customers first, ahead of your competitors. However, just because new trends emerge doesn’t mean you have to throw out the baby with the bath water. If you’ve found a winning recipe for your brand, there’s no reason to drastically make shifts. We’re here to remind you: Stay open-minded in an ever-changing landscape.
We can help meet you where you are currently in your journey and give you the tools to achieve long-term growth that's sustainable.
