Digital Trends for 2023

By Owain Powell

19th January 2023

We are almost a full month into 2023, and the digital landscape is continuing to evolve at a rapid pace. Businesses of all sizes will need to stay on top of these trends in order to stay competitive and continue to drive growth. Here are a few key digital trends to watch for in the coming year:

1. Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is coming. It is important to note that Google will sunset the current version of Google Analytics (Universal Analytics) on July 1, 2023. From that date, your businesses will be required to migrate to GA4 in order to continue receiving data and reports on your website performance. It is recommended your business starts planning for the migration and consider installing GA4 as soon as possible, to take advantage of the new features and improvements. It’s also worth to note that migrating to GA4 is not a simple task and requires technical resources and expertise. Businesses should plan for the migration process, so that they can ensure a smooth transition and to take full advantage of the new features. Expect to hear more from ADAO on GA4 over the coming months.
2. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning: AI and machine learning are becoming increasingly prevalent in all areas of business, from marketing to customer service. In 2023, we can expect to see even more companies leveraging these technologies to gain insights and make data-driven decisions. From a content development and SEO perspective, we’re seeing a lot of talk already around chatGPT, which is a chatbot launched by OpenAI in November 2022 and open for all to use. Since marketers have become aware of it, there’s already a debate around how effective this too will be over the long-term. If everyone is using chatGPT to support with content generation, Google will have to work hard to refine “content of value” – no doubt a LOT of ai content will slip through the net. If your website is outdated, clunky and has performance issues, it’s going to be harder trying to scale using AI content (hoping to boost SEO rank or organic traffic) as opposed to an established website using AI content. What’s also important to consider is that no firm should be completely at ease with depending upon AI. There are various things to consider when writing copy, influenced by AI; not least fact checking, tone of voice with your customer base (audience), personalisation, and a human touch. By this, perhaps throwing some humour into the mix when it comes to developing content, something humans tend to achieve much better than robots!
3. The Rise of Voice Search: With the increasing popularity of voice assistants like Amazon Alexa and Google Home, voice search is becoming an increasingly important aspect of digital marketing. Businesses will need to optimise their websites and content for voice search in order to ensure they’re appearing in relevant search results. If you have an online ecommerce store, try to add ‘voice search’ to the search bar to make the search functionality more intuitive make the user do less by them not having to type products into a box, when it may be much quicker to relay verbally.
4. Video Content: With the growing popularity of platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels, video content is becoming more and more important for businesses. In 2023, we expect to see more companies using video to tell their brand story and connect with customers. Again, the way in which is this is used has to be carefully mapped out, based on your brand or product positioning. Google Ads also rolled out Performance Max as a new campaign type in November 2021, but we only really started to see the true results from the campaigns during 2022 – which were undeniably very exciting. This campaign type – with all adverts populated with optimal, high quality ad copy, display as well as video assets within a performance max advert scored ‘excellent’ with Google. Without video, (even with great ad copy and strong imagery) it was hard to achieve Google’s excellent score. Google is really focusing on driving results in it’s SERP for brands that go the extra mile on delivering invaluable, high quality/engaging content. This also needs to be visual as well as in text form….. so it should sit high on many brands agendas to develop high quality, immersive or experiential video to utilise for campaigns during 2023. If high quality videos are uploaded to a Performance Max campaign through Google Ads, expect to see excellent scores for your advert, and a subsequent reduction in the cost of advertising. Moreover these videos can be used on your website, social (as already mentioned) or for other marketing promotions. There’s never been a better year for storyboarding your video content!
5. Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality: With the advancements in technology, the use of AR and VR will become more prevalent in 2023. Retailers, real estate and travel industries are expected to be the early adopters of this technology. These technologies will be used to create immersive shopping experiences, virtual tours and more.
6. Increased Focus on Privacy: Following the implementation of the GDPR and CCPA, privacy is becoming a top concern for consumers and businesses alike. In 2023, we can expect to see more companies taking steps to protect consumer data and being more transparent about their data collection practices.
7. Influencer Marketing: Influencer marketing continues to be a powerful tool for businesses looking to reach new audiences. In 2023, we expect to see more companies turning to micro-influencers and niche influencers to target specific demographics and drive conversions. The influencer industry is looking towards being more tightly regulated, to try to increase value for brands and remove influencers who don’t put in the effort; or perhaps take advantage of the profession without adhering to or delivering on the agreement or terms agreed with the brand they’re representing. Watch this space.

As the digital landscape continues to evolve, businesses will need to stay on top of these trends in order to stay competitive and drive growth. By keeping a close eye on these trends and adapting accordingly, businesses can ensure they’re well-positioned to succeed in the digital world of 2023. If you require support with migrating your current Google Analytics setup to GA4, please contact our team.