Overview.
Summer is right around the corner, which means summer campaigns are in the oven, baking for their big debuts. While we wait to see what brands will *try* to knock our socks off with, we compiled a list of the trends we are forecasting for this summer and into the rest of 2024. To you seasoned pros, some of these tips might make you say, “We’ve seen this before: Next.” Some of these marketing trends may not be “new,” but the “nu-ance” (see what we did there) of working with these trends will make the difference between successful campaigns and flops – and DDL never wants to see you flop. Without further adieu, let’s get into it.
Marketing Trends to Follow This Summer:
1. Leverage micro/nano influencers to drive messaging to niche audiences.
We hear you. “I can’t afford high-power influencers; they are too expensive, and we aren’t convinced they are worth it,” which is why micro and nano influencers may be a better solution. Micro-influencers have communities of 10,000 – 50,000 followers. Nano influencers range from 1,000 -10,000 followers. Influencers at these levels are more or less “real” people, as their audience may be friends or connections to the influencer. Some on the micro-scale may be fans of their particular niche (gaming, fitness, cooking, lifestyle, etc.). Aside from generally lower price points, these influencers offer real recommendations to real people. Engagements from these types of influencers are often more authentic because of their personal connection with their fans/followers. As a result, followers are more likely to take the influencer’s recommendation seriously.
How to incorporate Nano and Micro Influencers into your campaign:
Ensure your prospective influencer aligns with your niche. At this level, the influencers likely don’t have management, so they control their accounts. For example, if you are a home and garden store, make sure your influencer is an active gardener. Selecting an influencer for their brand fit over celebrity status affirms to your audience that you understand their needs and love who they love.
2. UGC continues to drive results.
We’ve been knowing that User Generated Content (UGC) can drive up AOVs and increase time on the page. UGC sets on social and web also yield positive results for purchase intent and consumer satisfaction. But “y tho?” Simple: people like seeing authenticity (spoiler for trend 3). When a brand uses an authentic piece of UGC as part of a more extensive campaign, it bolsters its credibility. This makes the audience feel like they are part of a bigger community and thus validated as consumers of that product.
How to implement UGC into your campaign:
Use UGC when relevant. Not all UGC will be worthy of billboards or the homepage image, but when you get good content, make sure your community knows about it, with proper credit to the user, of course 😉
Our client, The Good Shark is a big fan of UGC!
3. High-quality content connects.
For the 1,000th time, if you are practicing quantity over quality- there is a reason you aren’t seeing results. The modern consumer can tell when a post has been rushed or doesn’t fit your brand identity. In most cases, your social media and content managers know this, too. While it’s easy to say, “Oh, we got this shot from a client win or funky thing that happened in the office,” it should immediately be followed by, “Hey, content/social media manager, where is the best place to use this, if it’s even worthy?” Chances are there is a place for that content, but it needs to fit the narrative your brand is telling.
The evidence of successful, high-quality content is in the numbers. Brands that focus on posting content that aligns with their mission at appropriate intervals see increased traffic and conversion.
This trend line shows search inquiries on Reddit over time for authentic content and information. It’s pretty clear to us that quality over quantity is the way to go.
How to implement high quality content into your campaign:
Take your time! We promise you do not have to post every day to gain traction. Instead, plan out a strategy and allocate a budget to create high-quality content. Trust your social media managers. You hired them for a reason; let them cook. Consider the amount of platforms you are on; you don’t need to be everywhere.
4. Sustainability and purpose-driven marketing determine sales.
As climate change continues to affect business, more brands prioritize responsibility in their messaging. Our friends at The Good Shark have this baked into their brand mission: “Doing good today for a better tomorrow, the Good Shark swims for all.” They have partnered with the AWSC to help educate consumers about White Sharks and their relationship with humans. By using sustainable packaging and partnering with the AWSC, the Good Shark recognizes how important it is to create a future that’s viable for our children and their families.
Additionally, studies indicate that younger Millennials are 42% and Gen Z are 39% more likely to spend with brands that have commitments to sustainability or some beneficial cause.
How to add sustainability initiatives to your campaigns:
Do it honestly. Back to point three, Greenwashing and virtue signaling won’t work here. Consumers are too savvy for that. If you are going to invest in sustainable products or efficiency or partner with relevant causes, you must do so earnestly, not just for the tax write-off.
5. Voice Searching.
This one is honestly wild. It’s reported that over 200 million people in the US use voice assistance or smart devices, such as Siri, Alexa, Echo, Bixby, etc. If you don’t use any of these, you probably know someone who is a big voice-to-texter. These people are likely doing the same thing when searching for “the best place to get dinner near me” or “how to fix my broken sink.” For SEO nerds, this is a GOLDMINE of new search queries. Rather than just getting a few prominent keywords from typing, voice searches are typically complete sentences. Which might leave you wondering – how do I optimize for that?!
How to optimize for voice searches:
Begin to include full-sentence and longer-form queries in your ranking keywords. “Restaurants near me” might still populate, but given the significant number of voice searches, “Siri, where is the best place to go for chicken parm?” might now be a much higher-ranking keyword than previously.
Conclusion.
As the flowers bloom and the pollen overwhelms us, take some time to get familiar with these marketing trends. Some have been around and merely changed form. Others recently burst onto the scene. You may ask yourself, “How do I stay on top of all these trends?”
Well, you just so happen to be reading a blog by an agency well-versed in all these trends and ready to help you get sh*t done this summer.
If you’re looking to learn more about any of these marketing trends or need help implementing them, say hey!