2021 is here. And a new year means new marketing campaigns to plan.

The world of marketing has changed a lot over the last year – perhaps more significantly than any single year I’ve ever witnessed. As we look toward 2021, many of the trends that shape it will be an evolution of what we’ve already seen impact consumers and businesses alike.

Here’s four marketing trends to watch as we head into a brand new (and hopefully brighter) year.

Curbside Continues

It felt like it happened overnight. Curbside pickup was universally adopted by businesses everywhere. Not necessarily out of a desire to do so. It was out of necessity. And customers have embraced it with open arms.

But now that it’s here, will people really want to give it up?

Curbside pickup has become so popular because it’s convenient. And now that customers have been made to try it out due to the pandemic, they know how easy it can be. For many, it’s already become a part of their shopping routine. Even when Covid-19 is behind us, I expect curbside pickup to remain popular. Keeping it as a core service will help drive business moving forward.

Welcome Back!

Here’s one for the “opportunity” category.

Once the vaccine has achieved widespread distribution, people are going to be hungry to get out of the house and enjoy themselves. Smart marketers will appeal to this sentiment, setting up events and promotions encouraging customers to get out there.

A quick word of warning though. Before you put the pedal to the metal on a campaign like this, make sure things are actually back to normal. Health officials predict that it’s going to take until mid-2021 for there to be enough vaccines produced for anyone who wants one. That’s still some time from now. And even then, we’re still waiting to gather more information on how the vaccine stops transmission of the virus. So pay attention to what health officials are saying. Listen to what the CDC is saying and keep your customers, staff, and yourself safe.

But if you’re going to plan a big “Welcome Back!” campaign, go ahead and start planning ahead of time so that it’s ready to go.

Video Content

If you weren’t paying attention to video marketing in 2020, now’s the time to fix that.

Every single time I write about video, I’m always shocked at the numbers I’m looking at. Not only does video content keep growing at a rapid rate, marketers who are embracing it are seeing the results. HubSpot’s latest report on video marketing found that 88% of video marketers saw a positive ROI. That’s up 5% from 2019 – and 55% from 2015.

Things sure have changed. And they’re set to keep changing.

Cisco predicts that by 2022, 82% of all consumer internet traffic will be online video. Producing video content isn’t a question of whether or not it’s the right fit for your audience. It’s the question of what kind of video content is best for your audience. In 2020, we watched TikTok take the world by storm with it’s bite-sized viral videos, proving to be a massive hit with Gen Z. But what about live video? Stories? Video is a complex and varied field. Make the most of it in 2021.

Generational Shifts

Over the past year, we’ve talked a lot about the different generations and how they’re changing.

Millennials are becoming parents. Gen Zers are graduating college and entering the workforce. More baby boomers are retiring than ever before due to Covid-19. There’s a lot that’s been going on – and marketers will need to pay close attention if they want to stay relevant with their target audiences.

To help get you up to date, we’ve put together a list of generational resources. Check them out at the links below.

• What To Know About Gen Z Marketing In 2020
• What To Know About Millennial Marketing In 2020
• What To Know About Gen X Marketing In 2020
• What To Know About Baby Boomer Marketing In 2020

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What trends and opportunities will you be pursuing in the next year? Sound off in the comments!