As we step into the second half of 2023, we find ourselves in the midst of a digital marketing landscape characterised by innovation, data transparency, and the growing influence of AI.
In the fast-paced world of digital marketing, staying up to date with the latest trends is essential for businesses looking to stay ahead of the curve.
In this blog post, we'll delve into the digital marketing trends that are shaping the industry this year, offering insights and strategies to help you make the most of these trends.
The rise of AI in advertising
In the ever-evolving landscape of advertising, the ascent of AI is nothing short of a transformative force, revolutionising the way businesses connect with their audiences and optimise their campaigns.
Below are a few ways you can leverage AI in your advertising campaigns.
AI in search advertising
Google has been at the forefront of AI-powered advertising innovations.
In May 2023, Google announced a game-changing development in search campaigns—a new conversational experience. This innovation combines the advertiser's expertise with Google's AI to create more effective search campaigns.
Image Source: Google Announcements
Additionally, Google is rolling out generative AI to supercharge Search, making it smarter and simpler (currently available only in the US). The benefits include driving better results, creating better content, and delivering more engaging ads.
AI in YouTube advertising
Google's innovation extends to YouTube, where they have introduced a new campaign type called Demand Gen campaigns.
These campaigns are designed to encourage consumers to take immediate action after discovering new products or brands.
Image Source: Google Ads & Commerce blog
Demand Gen campaigns appear on various YouTube formats, including YouTube Shorts, YouTube in-stream, discovery, and Gmail. This approach aims to drive conversions and boost the effectiveness of YouTube advertising.
AI in Meta advertising
Meta, formerly Facebook, has also embraced AI in advertising.
Advertisers on Meta's platform now have access to powerful generative AI tools such as text variation, background generation, and image cropping.
Additionally, Meta has introduced AI through its Advantage+ products, which leverage machine learning to help advertisers reach valuable audiences more efficiently.
The first placement using Advantage+ is in shopping ads, showing that AI is reshaping the way ads are created and targeted on the platform.
AI photo trends
AI has had a significant impact on visual content creation and consumption.
AI photo trends have been taking social media by storm, with AI-powered photo generators going viral. One notable example is the launch of the movie "Barbie," which saw the creation of an AI photo generator called barbieselfie.ai, used over 13 million times.
Image Source: BairRBIE.me
This trend indicates that consumers are increasingly engaging with AI-generated content.
The question arises: why not create your own AI photo generator?
AI ads creative generator
Another exciting development is the emergence of AI-powered creative generators. These platforms use AI to generate visuals for future campaigns in various creative ways.
Image Source: AdCreative.ai
While this technology is still relatively new and limited, it has the potential to simplify the creative process and is especially useful for A/B testing.
Examples of such platforms include AdCreative.ai and Pencil.
The power of ads libraries
An ads library is a database maintained by online platforms and social media networks to provide transparency and public access to advertisements that are running on their platforms.
It serves as a tool to increase accountability, promote transparency, and allow users to view and analyse the ads of their competitors. Major platforms offering Ads Libraries include Meta, TikTok, Google, and LinkedIn.
Benefits of ads libraries:
- Competitor analysis: Access to your competitors' ads can provide valuable insights into their strategies.
- Inspiration: You can draw inspiration from successful ads and adapt strategies for your own campaigns.
- Benchmarking: Compare your ad performance with industry benchmarks.
- New opportunities: Identify gaps in the market and discover untapped niches.
To illustrate the power of ads libraries, let's consider a case study where a company used data from Meta's Ads Library to gain a competitive edge.
By analysing their competitors' ad campaigns, they identified key trends, optimised their own ad content, and significantly improved their click-through rate (CTR).
This real-world success story demonstrates how access to ads libraries can enhance your marketing strategies.
Video still reigns supreme
In the digital realm, where video content reigns supreme, crafting standout video ads is both an art and a science, offering a golden opportunity to captivate audiences and leave a lasting impression.
Below are 4 tips from Meta you can use to help your video ads stand out.
Use slow motion for dramatic effect
One of Meta's recommendations for creating standout video ads is to incorporate slow-motion sequences.
Image Source: Meta Facebook page
Slow motion can add a dramatic and visually engaging element to your videos. Consider using it to highlight key moments, product features, or emotional aspects of your brand.
Get creative with stop-motion videos
Stop-motion videos offer a unique and creative way to capture your audience's attention.
Image Source: Meta Facebook page
Meta suggests using quick storytelling techniques in stop-motion videos while keeping the focus on your product or message. This approach can make your ads more memorable and shareable.
Tell a story with slideshow ads
Slideshow ads are an effective way to narrate a story or showcase multiple products or features.
Image Source: Meta Facebook page
Meta encourages advertisers to utilise their existing creative inventory to create compelling slideshow ads. This approach not only saves time but also maximises the use of your existing assets.
Add animated text to your ads
Adding animated text to your video ads can help convey important messages or promotions effectively.
Image Source: Meta Facebook page
Meta recommends using animated text to highlight new offers or key information. This dynamic element can grab viewers' attention and encourage them to take action.
Snapchat's lenses and AR filters
Snapchat offers exciting possibilities in the realm of augmented reality (AR).
Creating your own lenses and AR filters on Snapchat can be a fun and engaging way to express your creativity, connect with your audience, and contribute to the Snapchat community.
Snapchat's AR studio: AR.snap
Snapchat has taken AR creation to the next level with its AR Studio called AR.snap.
Image Source: Lens Studio
This platform empowers users to design their lenses and AR filters, opening up endless possibilities for customisation.
Whether you're promoting a product, launching a campaign, or simply engaging with your audience, AR.snap can help you bring your creative ideas to life.
Recent creative concepts leveraging these trends
Exposing restaurant "ketchup fraud" for brand authenticity
Kraft Heinz launched a campaign to address the unusual trend of restaurants refilling Heinz ketchup bottles with generic brands.
Named "Ketchup Fraud," the campaign was inspired by a viral Snapchat post showing a restaurant worker replacing Heinz ketchup with a different brand. Heinz urges consumers to identify and tag such restaurants on its Instagram page, with the most-tagged eatery potentially hearing from Heinz.
The campaign extended beyond social media, encompassing out-of-home activations in cities like New York and Chicago, as well as newspaper and magazine advertising.
Image Source: MarketingDive.com
Taking on counterfeits
Heinz's campaign reinforces its brand identity, encapsulated in the slogan "It Has To Be Heinz."
As a beloved ketchup brand, Heinz is a staple in many American eateries. However, the campaign sheds light on the practice of refilling Heinz bottles with generic ketchup.
Rather than solely condemning this behaviour, Heinz seeks collaboration with accused restaurants to find solutions that allow consumers to enjoy their preferred ketchup while supporting local businesses.
Heinz's commitment to engaging consumers and promoting brand authenticity highlights the evolving nature of marketing strategies in the digital age.
Disney and Spotify: A collaborative campaign for audience expansion
In an innovative collaboration merging music, film, and TV, Disney and Spotify have joined forces to promote Disney+. This initiative is part of the broader 'House of Disney' brand campaign.
Image Source: Marketing-Beat.co.uk
Personalised recommendations
As part of this partnership, Spotify users across the UK, Ireland, Germany, Italy, and Spain can explore tailored recommendations from Disney's extensive catalogue based on their music preferences.
This personalised approach aims to seamlessly connect users with Disney's rich content library.
Matching 'music personalities'
The 'House of Disney' campaign matches Spotify listeners with a 'music personality' reflecting their favourite tunes.
For example, if users have an 'emotional and touching' music taste, they receive content recommendations that align with this mood, including heartwarming titles like "Empire of Light."
Engaging ads
To encourage engagement, Spotify Free listeners receive audio, display, and video ads. These ads entice users to explore the in-app experience, including creating personalised custom playlists shareable on social channels.
Interactive experience
Within the Spotify app, users encounter interactive touchpoints. They can access more info about Disney+ titles, click to watch them, or preview trailers to get a taste of the content.
These interactive elements ensure a seamless and enjoyable journey as users discover Disney+ through Spotify.
This collaboration underscores the power of partnerships in expanding audiences and highlights how brands leverage digital platforms to enhance user experiences and boost engagement.
How Huble can help you leverage digital marketing trends
The trends we've discussed offer exciting opportunities to enhance your marketing strategies and drive better results.
As you explore these trends and consider how to incorporate them into your marketing efforts, remember that staying informed is only the first step. Implementing these trends effectively can be a complex task, and that's where expertise and guidance can make all the difference.
At Huble, we specialise in marketing consultancy services, and our team of experts is well-equipped to help you take full advantage of these and other digital trends. Whether you're looking to harness the potential of AI-powered advertising or create standout video ads on Meta, we're here to support you every step of the way.
To learn more about how Huble can assist you in leveraging these trends to achieve your marketing goals, don't hesitate to reach out.
We're committed to helping your business thrive in the ever-changing digital landscape. Stay ahead, stay innovative, and let us guide you toward success.
