Every cloud has a silver lining as the old saying goes and 2020/2021 epitomizes this. With the onset of the pandemic in 2020, Digital marketing became more important than ever before. Whilst we all endured the tedium of lockdowns and restrictions, on the positive flipside, social media use skyrocketed, more people turned to eCommerce for shopping and businesses had to go digital.

During an incredibly tough period, a digital boom occurred across the world and new trends emerged as digital became the norm for all. Let’s explore the 5 things that you should be doing with your business to keep up with the Digital Revolution in the new year.

1. Artificial Intelligence is the Bee's Knees!

Mention A.I. and immediately thoughts of robots taking over the world, Terminator and cyborg humans spring to mind. However, in the business world Artificial Intelligence (AI) is now an even bigger driving force in the world of digital marketing.

AI has been implemented by businesses in areas like product recommendations, basic communication, email personalization, content creation, and e-commerce transactions. In the small business sector, A.I. websites engage and personalise responses to prospective customers, meaning that even while you sleep your A.I. Business website is generating leads for you. 

The big multinational companies like Amazon and friends have been using A.I. technology for a long time, but now A.I. websites are affordable to small and medium sized businesses as well. Investing in A.I. website tech has been shown to increase sales by 19%.

As 2021 draws to a close, the prominence of A.I. technology for Small to Medium Size Businesses (SME's) is seeing accelerated growth in revenue and cost savings in the sector. Enterprise level tech that the Big Companies have is now available for all businesses whatever your size. 

2. Chatbot Solutions

Chatbots are also seeing a big increase in use in 2021. They were already quite common across numerous company websites, but 2020 saw a boom. In 2020, they powered more than 80% of customer service, and that number is sure to rise by the end of 2021. Whilst many may prefer the personable touch of speaking to a real person, chat bots earn money for your business in times when you are too busy to handle leads and like A.I. websites, while you are sleeping. 

Clever chatbot software responds to customer questions and also can take their contact details, so you can wake up in the morning to newly generated business leads. The fact that chatbots offer real-time interaction with customers and can be used to address issues and answer queries round-the-clock is very appealing to small, medium and large businesses. For a small business, it is like having an extra member of staff without the cost of paying another salary. 

An increasing number of brands are now also offering their services via chatbots e.g. Lyft, a rideshare brand, allows its customers to request rides via chat across platforms like Slack and Facebook Messenger. 

Just think what chatbot software could do for your business in terms of saving you time and generating you leads and sales! It is the perfect digital solution to grow your business. 

3. Live Streaming is the New Rock 'n Roll for Businesses

Live streaming has come into its own during Covid-19 pandemic. More and more companies have turned to live streaming for conducting workshops and other forms of promotion. Suddenly pretty much everyone everywhere is live streaming across the world from celebrities to DJs to influencers to Digital Marketing gurus. In 2020, there was a significant surge in the percentage of people viewing live videos across all major platforms like Instagram and Facebook. 

The E-commerce giants like Amazon have also gotten in on the act too with Amazon Live which allows influencers to promote their favourite products and services. The beauty of live streaming is that it helps to connect brands with their loyal customer base and it establishes trust and authority because companies can showcase their know-how. 

Putting a friendly face to a brand in a live-stream is a great way to engage new followers that in turn become buying customers. If you haven’t tried live streaming yet, it is an excellent way to engage your target audiences. 

Get on and get live! 

4. Inclusivity Matters In the 21st Century

Equality and diversity issues and showing your customer base that you care are of vital importance during these times. It was the caring and socially aware brands that grew the most during these pandemic times. 

2020 saw the 'Black Lives Matter' movement come to the fore again, and globally, with issues such as diversity and inclusivity at the forefront of the public’s consciousness. Also, we saw the anti-racism movement grow massively in the world of sport, in particular football, with professional athletes worldwide taking the knee to show solidarity with the cause. 

It is important to be authentic and empathetic with inclusivity matters because if prospects think that your brand is just jumping on the bandwagon, then it could have the opposite effect. So choose your campaigns carefully and sensitively and it is best to avoid contentious political issues. Show that you care and it goes a long way with many customers in these times. 

Many brands have welcomed the inclusivity discussions and made efforts to show that they were inclusive and appreciative of diversity. In return many of these companies have been rewarded with positive feedback from customers and an increase in revenue. The likelihood is that in 2022, more and more brands will openly showcase their cultural values in digital marketing to capture this wave of interest in equality and diversity. 

How can you bring inclusivity into your business and brand and promote it on social media platforms? Think about issues that you are particularly passionate about, but as I said before be authentic and do your research first!

5. Newsletters and Podcasts Galore!

2020 also saw the popularity of newsletters and podcasts boom into a wider sphere of audiences. For businesses, podcasts and newsletters are the perfect way to keep their brand at the forefront of customers’ minds. 

Both podcasts and newsletters are a fabulous way for your audiences to consume your content and build brand awareness and loyalty. The secret is to provide valuable content which provides solutions to customer problems and to understand what your clients are interested in. 

Podcasts in particular, experienced a significant spike in popularity, as people can consume them on-the-go. Newsletters saw an 14% increase in 2020 and around 55% of Americans were listening to podcasts in 2020. What’s more is that the popularity of podcasts has also led to increased spending on them by advertisers. That means that podcasts are here to stay as long as audiences tune in. 

If you want to engage your audiences, start planning a monthly or weekly newsletter sharing exciting and useful information for your prospects. Also, it is worth investing in some broadcasting equipment to start putting out your own podcasts. It is a superb way to engage the public and drive leads and sales in your business. At Blam we are getting an increasing number of SMES hiring us to write their company newsletters each month. 

Listen to the Get Ahead in Business Podcast on Spotify Too.

Automatic For the People

The key takeaway is automation. Marketing automation helps you do things better, smarter and faster, so you get some time back. Small business owners are busy doing everything themselves and marketing can often seem too far out of reach because of the time pressures of other tasks. The simple solution is to leverage the power of automated marketing using A.I. websites and chat bots. Plus it is worth showcasing the caring and socially aware side of your brand with inclusivity themes in your promotions and social media. But always remember to keep it real and genuine because the modern day consumer can smell insincerity a mile away!

Blam is all about making it easy for SME owners to understand the power of digital marketing and we help countless businesses harness the power of A.I. websites and digital. We have even developed our own chat bot system for clients. 

Last but not least, get your content out there with a company newsletter, podcasts and live streaming! In 2022 get on it with the digital methods that are building businesses into thriving ventures! 

If you're considering any of these strategies but need advice on how to execute effectively, get in touch here