Every day at ThomasARTS, we make amazing things happen in digital marketing when we blend art + science — this has been our strategy for many years. However, no two years are the same in digital marketing where trends come and go at lightning speed — the market changes and new technologies emerge; consumer demands, preferences and sentiments change, and then change again. We are dedicated to remaining nimble even as the market shifts, which is the best way to provide the reliable services and expertise that our clients depend on.
2022 has seen continuing changes as consumers are responding to the third year of the pandemic — habits and behaviors are shifting into “new normal” patterns such as increased digital interactions and a desire to resume in-person meetings and events.
We checked in with some of our marketing experts to hear what they predict will be the top trends in digital marketing in 2023. Here are the trends our team has noticed as 2022 comes to an end and what it all means for the year ahead (and beyond!).
Digital Adoption Increasing
Our consumer markets are not just online more since quarantining in 2020, they are engaging with digital content more actively, says Michelle Miller (Group Strategy Director). This means clicking on ads, watching short-form video content and consuming streaming services at higher rates than previously.
Email adoption rates are higher than ever, especially in the senior market. This is great news for marketers who are able to craft engaging email content and use consumer trust to deliver exactly what users are hoping for.
Dustin Groves (Media Planner + Buyer) adds that streaming has finally surpassed cable TV in consumer consumption, and it will keep growing in 2023 across all age groups. Broadcast TV and radio continue to decline but will not be obsolete anytime soon.
Consumer Confidence Shifting
Low consumer confidence in the economy is affecting spending priorities, says Michelle, and of course this has an effect on the broader buying cycle. Some older consumers have been delaying retirement or going back to work after taking early retirement during the pandemic — another sign of desire to be connected to the workforce, while questions remain about the economic future.
In the senior market particularly, we are seeing a desire to go back to in-person events. It is our role to figure out where these worlds can blend to serve the most people in a service-oriented and holistic way. This is where consumer confidence can once again climb.
Increased Insurance Competition
Our panel noticed that consumers have been bombarded with messaging from competing insurance companies, especially in the Medicare Advantage market. Nearly half of Medicare-eligible seniors choose to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan right now, and that number is estimated to rise to 61% over the next 10 years.
The entire insurance market has been “hot” for several years, driven by consumers gripped by a pandemic and the implications for future health and stability. In the coming year or two, the whole insurance market could be poised for a stabilization rather than explosive growth. The challenge is how to best reach consumers through great marketing — while we are serving our clients.
Data, Data Everywhere!
Gathering consumer data is a huge industry, and TA is poised to take advantage of this treasure trove, thanks to our team of analysts, data engineers, and data scientists. How much data? A lot more than you might think. Each day, 5 billion web searches are made, 294 billion emails are sent and 4 petabytes of data (that’s 4,000 terabytes) is created on Facebook.
As we look to 2023 and beyond, it remains critical for marketers to continue to invest in managing customer data. Marketing needs scalable data solutions that deliver insights and activate data to improve customer experience outcomes.
How Can We Be Nimble in 2023?
With the increased Medicare Advantage marketing to seniors, it makes our role as marketers even more important. Cutting through clutter in messaging is how we can reach seniors effectively and with clarity.
Omnichannel marketing is key, says Michelle. This isn’t about dropping TV or direct mail campaigns — they still have very high consumer-action rates — but rather adding across the market. This includes short videos and contextualized, targeted digital advertising that reaches each person where they are.
Our ability to target specific groups of consumers is a constant challenge, according to Cambria VandeMerwe (Digital Media Manager). In social ads, we can help brands choose where their content appears in any given platform. Brand is still vitally important — allowing brands to connect with their customers in a genuine and trustworthy way will always be a winning strategy.
All of our panel agreed that consumer changes are keeping us on our toes. Constant change is the norm and agencies like TA are in a perfect position to leverage the enormous amount of data that is accessible to us.
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