Digital Marketing Trends 2021: A Guide for Small Businesses

Digital marketing has transformed the way businesses communicate with consumers. 

Not so long ago, marketing was limited to televisions, radios, billboards, and print newspapers – but digital marketing has changed everything

Now, businesses can reach different audiences through their smartphones, tablets, laptops, and other devices to promote their services and products more effectively than at any other time in history. 

Quite simply, digital marketing – when executed right – is an unbelievably successful method for growing small businesses. 

However, in 2021, digital marketing has advanced so far that it has become extremely multilayered – there are old and proven digital marketing methods, along with countless new and emerging trends that are set to take the marketing world by storm. 

Here are some of the marketing trends small businesses need to know about in 2021. 

SEO will be invaluable 

SEO marketing has grown in popularity and relevance over the past decade, to the extent that most modern businesses now hire an SEO consultant

The reason for SEO marketing being used by so many marketers is because of how important the business website has become – it is now an essential tool for success. 

Websites are the new age storefront – the face of your brand. Ten years ago, you might have been able to get away with neglecting your website, but not anymore. Your website is key when it comes to marketing and increasing sales and therefore requires lots of work. 

Of course, this would mean that every business wants an seo bolton agency (or one from any area) to help their website to appear in Google’s (and other search engine’s) first page results. When this happens, they’ll get more website visitors – which is the dream. SEO marketing will help drive your small business’s website up the search engine results, increasing your audience.  

Social media platforms will become digital stores 

When social media platforms were first invented, they were intended for friends and family to message each other and occasionally post photos – basically, harmless fun. 

However, as you’ll be all too familiar with, social media has become a giant tool for marketing. This evolution was slow at first, but the transition has finalized over the past 5 or 6 years. Now, you can’t hop onto Facebook or Instagram without encountering advertisements – it’s become a normalized part of the experience. 

Although it may come as a shock to some businesses, social media platforms are soon going to take an even greater step by becoming digital stores. 

Sure, the social aspect of the platforms will still exist, but buying products and services through them will become extremely common (for Facebook, it already has). 

So, in 2021, your small business should get ready to sell products through Facebook’s marketplace and Instagram, which is slowly starting to embrace e-commerce. From there, it is also likely that Twitter and TikTok will join this trend.  

Inclusiveness in marketing content

Inclusiveness and diversity have become hot topics in marketing. 

Now, businesses are aiming to become more progressive by making their digital marketing photos and videos more inclusive. For example, a trailer for a new fragrance on YouTube could include models of varying ages and cultures, which enables a stronger appeal to a wider audience. Throughout 2021, this trend is guaranteed to continue growing, which is something for your small business to consider.