2023 will be a year unlike any other, owing to disruptions caused by the pandemic, geopolitical unrest and economic instability. Businesses, however, cannot put off their 2023 planning while they wait and watch the next year unfold.
To help businesses find direction in times of uncertainty, Google released a report titled Top digital marketing trends and predictions for 2023 in which their executives offered marketing trends and forecasts for brands. Here’s a summary:
Build a brand’s digital trust
We asked 20,000 people about the consequences of good and bad privacy experiences and we were surprised to learn just how damaging a bad privacy experience online can be – it’s enough to make 43 per cent of them switch to another brand. With people managing more of their day-to-day lives online, online privacy has never been more important. Online experiences need to be delivered with the privacy people deserve by brands they can trust. Ensure you’re providing customers with everything they need to be — and feel — in control of their data – Matt Brittin, President of Europe, Middle East and Africa, Google.
Make media planning more inclusive
The advertising industry has put a lot of effort into inclusive representation in creative lately. This work now needs to extend to media planning: apart from seeing and hearing people like them, it is crucial to create an experience this in environments that are familiar to them. However, unconscious bias can get in the way of inclusive media planning. To engage and connect with diverse audiences, marketers need to address this bias and embrace the breadth of content their audiences consume – Nishma Robb, senior director of marketing, brand and reputation, Google UK.
Time to prioritise purpose-driven advertising
Consumers are prioritising sustainability and they want businesses to help them make sustainable choices easily. Additionally, they expect businesses to create a bigger impact on the society and align their promises with actions. We’re noticing brands shift their attention from purely reducing their own environmental effect to focusing on bigger causes. However, when tying advertising to an environmental or social goal, avoid ‘purpose-washing’. A brand’s campaign has to be backed with genuine action – Mailine Swildens, director of creative works in Europe, Middle East and Africa, Google.
It’s a Gen Z world; move in
Do not try to bring Gen Z audiences into your world; meet them in theirs. Understand their unmet need and embrace the diverse, visual worlds they inhabit. Gen Z is the first generation to have fully grown up with the internet. The most relevant platforms for them are dynamic, highly visual and meet their ever-changing needs in innovative ways – Julia Hoffmann, director of creative lab for Europe, Middle East and Africa, Google.
Keep it short
Learn from the creators leading the way. It’s important to leverage storytelling best practices to create highly engaging short-form video content. For example, videos should jump straight into the action. With only 10 to 60 seconds of available ad time, there’s no need to set up a premise or establish a storyline with lots of extra context – Dyana Najdi, managing director of video and display for Europe, Middle East and Africa, Google.
Make way for super apps
Super apps are multi-functional mobile applications with a range of different features wrapped into one, such as marketplaces, messaging, and payment services. Super apps take up less device storage than multiple separate ones and there’s no need for users to switch between apps. It is already popular in the fintech sector and provides a gateway to financial inclusion. Marketers can learn from how super apps are disrupting the mobile status quo — setting higher expectations for apps and mobile experiences as a whole. Rather than creating a super app, consider how you can make your app experience more convenient. Avoid creating a single-purpose app that people log into once and then delete – Pendo O’Donohoe, director of large customers for the Middle East and Africa, Google.
