As you may have heard in the news recently, there are many reasons to be optimistic about a comeback for the US economy in 2021. You can read more about the predictions for the years ahead here. Consumers will soon be ready to spend their saved-up cash, and now your company has the opportunity to win their business. However, consumers aren’t quite the same as their pre-pandemic selves, and your marketing must adjust accordingly to be successful. Keep reading below to discover the emerging trends to consider investing in this year. 

Think (and Speak) Positively 

With vaccination rates rising and transmission rates slowing, there finally seems to be a light at the end of the pandemic tunnel. Now that many consumers are feeling more optimistic, it’s time for brands to reflect those positive sentiments in their messaging. Back in the spring of 2020, there was certainly a time for messages of banding together and acknowledging the many challenges of the pandemic. However, a year later, many people have now hit the limit of pandemic content they can handle, and those messages may feel discouraging rather than inspiring. As conditions continue to improve across the country, themes of positivity and freedom will resonate more with potential customers. For example, the next time you share an update about your business with your followers on social media, emphasize your excitement for them to see new offerings instead of dwelling on how much we all miss the pre-pandemic days.  

Go Mobile or Go Home 

Mobile phone usage has shot up across the board throughout the pandemic. It makes sense – we’ve either been scouring social media and news sites for updated information or simply trying to keep our minds occupied otherwise. In March 2020, a global survey from Statista found 70 percent of Internet users were using their mobile phones more frequently since the pandemic started. If you want to drive sales in 2021, meet your potential customers in the mobile spaces where they’re already spending a large percentage of their time. Some platforms, such as Instagram, have even integrated click-to-purchase options to facilitate direct sales within their app. According to Hootsuite, 130 million Instagram users click these e-commerce posts at least once a month. To use this feature, upload a product catalog to your Instagram business account, turn on the shopping feature in settings and start tagging products in your next post. 

Capitalize on Impulsive Decisions 

We all spent 2020 trying to stay on top of constantly changing circumstances and looking into an unknown future. Because of that experience, consumers have become much more focused on finding information in real time and haven’t been planning as far into the future. Consequently, search engines have reported a steep increase in searches using phrases such as “near me,” and “open now.” In fact, Google searches that include the words “near me” doubled last year. 

To account for this change in mindset, make sure that all of your business information on your website and search listings is complete and up to date, so that Google is more likely to feature your business. You can also buy local search ads that will only be placed when users search those specific words. If you’re not as interested in driving in-person traffic, consider simply using more urgent phrases when messaging about your special offers or deals. 

Enhance the Shopping Experience 

By now, the pandemic fatigue is real for many people. Some consumers haven’t been inside a store other than supermarket in months. Strange as it may seem, your customers may be feeling almost nostalgic for pre-pandemic in-store shopping experiences. To satisfy this missing space in their life, brands should focus on safely enhancing customers’ in-store experience, or even finding ways to digitally recreate the sensation of browsing and impulse buying. If consumers have to wait outside to enter your store because of capacity restrictions, consider offering heaters in the cold months or icy drinks in the summer to keep guests comfortable. Online, you might offer free shipping on orders that meet a minimum total to encourage shoppers to purchase an extra item (or two). 

Don’t Abandon Virtual Experiences 

Even when more of the country reopens, experts are predicting events with virtual components will continue to be successful for months or even years to come. The pandemic has taught us that digital experiences are accessible, low-cost, and with the right approach, can still be incredibly creative and engaging. If your brand begins to dip its toes back into events this year, don’t forget to find ways to implement compelling virtual features. They can be a beneficial alternative for people who are unable to attend the full in-person experience. To bridge the gap between virtual and in-person attendees, use social media or an event marketing platform to collect questions for a live Q&A and facilitate post-event discussions.  

Stay Budget-Conscious 

Even in a recovering economy, the strategic financial decisions we were forced to learn during the heart of the pandemic are still very relevant. The last thing you want is to kill any momentum with a poorly executed expenditure. As your brand launches its upcoming marketing campaigns, keep a close eye on results and only double down on strategies that are producing returns. By looking to measurable results for guidance, you can ensure your company’s still-precious budget is used only on profitable campaigns, and ideas that fall flat can be cut before they drain your funds.  

Using a marketing agency for manage these activities can also save your company both time and money. It costs significantly less to partner with an entire team of experts who can dedicate the time needed for your marketing than to hire even just one in-house marketing manager. If you’re interested in beginning a partnership with a marketing team, shoot us a message or consult a local marketing agency in your own area.