There are many reasons to be happy to see 2020 go, as well as plenty of reasons for looking forward to 2021. The future is bright for digital marketing as well.

As we all adapted to the idea of working, socializing, and teaching our children online due to the coronavirus pandemic, more people were able to access online technology. The digital agenda for next year will include sustainability and social values, which are both very important in the same way that people started to rethink and rethink what was most important to them.

These are the digital Transformation trends that we believe will be dominant in 2021.

Trend 1: The rise of e-commerce is back

Thredup’s 2020 report shows that the value of secondhand goods will exceed $64 billion by 2024, according to Thredup. Resale is the act of selling items that are no longer in use. It replaces traditional donations and purchasing goods at thrift shops. 

The COVID-19 crisis has given an impetus to second-hand fashion. Due to financial difficulties, many consumers have had their budgets tightened. Some will have to rethink their purchasing habits due to a change in their values. Since before the pandemic, climate change and over-consumption have become more pressing issues.

These issues are especially important to younger generations. They seek out brands that can “close the loop”, which means keeping things out of landfill and recycling. This allows them to use the earth’s resources more responsibly and wastefully.

Flat-pack furniture giant IKEA is one of the leading brands that understand this concept and has recently launched a take-back service. This allows customers to return their products to the store for resale in exchange for vouchers. In the coming year, we expect more brands to create similar programs.

Trend 2: Brands that live by their social values

Brands will have to consider their social values and find authentic ways to communicate them to succeed in 2021.

Today’s consumers care deeply about the environment, society, and the planet. These issues are important to consumers today. If your brand doesn’t have a clear position on them, it should. This is because brands with the highest meaningful content KPIs see their overall impressions rise, compared to 42% of brands that are less meaningful to consumers.

Be aware that Generation Z does not require that you be ‘woke’ before you jump on the social value bandwagon. They will also see through your hypocrisy, lip service, and worse, hypocrisy. They are also very adept at spreading the news via social media. It is important to live out your values and not only talk about them. Brands are often criticized if they claim to care about diversity, but their boards look predominantly white and masculine. 

Authenticity, transparency, and honesty are key to purpose marketing success. In the next year, more brands will be embracing this approach.

Trend 3: Too cool for school? Personalized online education

One of the silver linings from the year of the pandemic was the remarkable strides made by online learning. Remote classrooms were the norm, as schools closed and lecture halls were locked down. Adults with more time discovered that they could learn anything – from languages and cookery skills to playing the ukulele and cooking – online via live streaming classes, distance learning apps, or Zoom sessions.

In 2020, online learning was more accessible and accepted. It will continue to evolve and adapt to the needs of students, both young and old, in 2021. Micro-learning is a method of breaking down complex lessons into manageable chunks. This is similar to Duolingo’s language-learning app Duolingo. Gamification allows for lessons that are more fun and interactive than in a traditional school.

Most importantly, e-learning will become more personalized. It will not matter where you are located or what time it is. You can create an education plan that’s data-informed and tailored to your learning style and preferences.

Trend 4: Voice will Rule the Household

We predict that voice technology will replace touch in the next year as it becomes more advanced, trusted, and accepted.

More people will be able to afford or consider adding a family member in the next year. It will listen to your every word and obey every command.

Voice assistants such as Siri and Google Assistant are not slowing down. This study shows that more UK families consider their voice assistants to be ‘another member of the family’. 91% expect to continue using voice technology at the same or higher level.

The coronavirus pandemic has fueled this trend. Younger people are more reliant on smart speakers for news and entertainment, especially during lockdowns. Smart brands are also able to offer voice apps for them.

In the next few years, voice technology will be more advanced and more accepted by consumers. Voice could soon replace touch as the preferred search method, according to our predictions.

Trend 5: Brands need to step up their game

Games are an attractive way for brands to connect with customers. Marketers have the opportunity to engage with targeted, highly-targeted audiences. The creative possibilities are endless. A type of product placement known as “skinning” allows gamers to dress up their avatars in Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and a host of other fashion brands. Over the next year, expect more businesses to incorporate gaming into their marketing mix.

Gaming has always been free from the image of the lonely teenage boy in his bedroom, usually a male, with their console as a company. Gaming is no longer the domain of the isolated. It has also become a new social network.

Virtual spaces are becoming increasingly popular as a place where people can meet up with friends and also make new connections. Fortnite, the multiplayer game that is so popular, is a great example. Gamers visit Fortnite to communicate, chat, make games, and attend events. Fortnite’s DJ Marshmello concert attracted 10,000,000 viewers last year.

Games offer a unique marketing opportunity for brands. You have a highly engaged, hyper-focused, targeted audience and almost unlimited creative options. Ads are too simple. Think sophisticated product placement. Fashion brands may ‘dress’ their avatars in luxury clothes.