What Internet Marketing Trends Will Keep Me Relevant?

Posted Nov 22, '21; Updated Nov 7, '24

2020 saw businesses facing challenges most could not have imagined. Many of the marketing changes brands made during the height of the pandemic will continue to influence the way they use online marketing. As we look ahead, the trends now appearing promise to help you remain relevant and grow your business. If you’re looking for on-trend ways to increase brand loyalty and improve your overall marketing strategy, an internet marketing company like Smart WSI Marketing can help. Contact us for a free digital marketing check up today.

Digital Marketing Trends into the 20s

The good news is the situation is not as dire as some had predicted. Yes, we’ve been experiencing some pretty turbulent times, but many businesses are cautiously optimistic about the future. These three trends are ones our digital marketing agency believes will keep your brand relevant moving forward.

Search Engine Optimization

Search engine algorithms may constantly change, but SEO itself is a constant in online marketing. Here’s what to expect.

• User experience (UX) is now a central ranking factor, with usability aspects like load time, responsiveness, and content stability affecting your site’s position.
• How people search on the internet will become vital to delivering them relevant content. Known as semantic search, Google’s algorithm will be able to take seemingly random, incomplete, or even grammatically incorrect search queries and still give people what they’re looking for.
• Local SEO can be even more powerful than broad SEO, as people who search for a local business tend to have more intent to purchase. The search for keywords “near me,” “tonight,” and “today” increased by 900%  and mobile searches for “open now” went up by 200% in a year due to the pandemic. Search habits have not changed that much since.  Optimizing your website to incorporate these and other search queries can increase traffic and sales.

Pay-Per-Click Advertising

PPC is here to stay and, if anything, it’ll be even more important than in years past. Automation and AI will continue to dominate, but how campaigns are run might be a bit different. Internet marketing agencies will need to adapt to things like the phasing out of tracking cookies and Google Ads limiting access to search query data. Changes will likely include reviewing patterns of search queries, not individual terms, and guiding automated biding rather than controlling it directly.

Introduced in 2018, RSAs are a type of PPC ad powered by Google AI. Designed to save time and improve performance, here’s how they work. Brands supply the content, and Google optimizes the headlines, ad copy, and CTA based on your audience’s search term. RSAs are working out so well that it’s predicted Google will phase out expanded text ads altogether.

Geofencing

Geofencing is a category of display advertising that delivers your ads to potential customers based on a specified physical location. When someone enters one of your set geofences, your ads will be shown in the apps already installed on their mobile device. This is like having a team standing in your competitors' locations and handing out flyers (just more on the down low). Geofencing’s number one purpose is to increase brand awareness, but it can also increase traffic to both your website, and your brick-and-mortar shop!

How an Internet Marketing Agency Can Keep You On-Trend

As we move into the second half of the decade, your business should continue to focus on its SEO and advertising strategies. There’s a lot to be excited about when it comes to new online marketing trends designed to improve your online presence and performance. Smart WSI Marketing is an Edmonton digital marketing agency with years of experience leveraging relevant trends to keep your business competitive. To learn more about all the services we offer, contact us today.

Lynne Motkoski, Marketing Strategist

Specialty: Online Marketing Strategies
Education: MA Communications & Technology, BComm [U Alberta]
Author: The Online Marketing Handbook for Busy Entrepreneurs (coming soon)

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Lynne is known for her strategic approach to marketing communications, technologies, and lead generation. She has a passion for education, keeping up with current marketing trends and practices, and helping clients keep ahead of their competition.

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