Five trends that are set to transform your 2023 digital strategy

As we move towards 2023, the New Year brings new business goals, objectives and digital initiatives. Economic uncertainty, however, is front and centre with rising inflation, increasing interest rates and high talent demand leaving brands unsure of what to expect and how best to prepare for 2023. If marketers learnt anything from the pandemic, it was that accelerating the digital transformation to meet evolving customer expectations and market demands is the way forward. Brands need to review and adjust their digital strategy now more than ever, as it is imperative that they continue to retain and bolster customer retention.

A first-class digital experience is at the forefront of consumers' minds; customers appreciate businesses which offer a high-quality digital experience, so as soon as a brand ceases to deliver this, consumer loyalty to the brand will vanish. There are a number of trends expected to shape companies' digital strategies in 2023, and it’s vital that marketers keep the front of mind to drive success through upcoming economic turbulence. 

Customer loyalty over customer adoption

Due to increasing financial pressures in recent months, many consumers are reevaluating where they spend their money. Rather, consumers are seeking products that offer better value for money from brands that provide stronger user experiences, according to News Events Insights. It is crucial for businesses to pay attention to the customer's needs as keeping them happy creates loyalty, which can support a company through an economic downturn. This means that brands need to ensure that customer experience is at the forefront of their priorities as many businesses have come to realise that customers who were once loyal, will be forced to switch to alternatives either due to financial constraints or because their needs aren’t being met sufficiently.

Marketers can look to leverage new approaches to customer loyalty, such as personalisation and leveraging user-generated content, to keep their customers engaged with the brand. For example, developing a hashtag that people can use to participate in their UGC campaign will help make customers feel as if they are well-integrated and part of a wider community. Many customers may be enticed to participate by seeing their images or stories on the company’s page, or they may be motivated to participate if marketers provide an incentive.

Considerations for price-competitive brands

During the recent global pandemic, brick-and-mortar stores were forced to close and eCommerce orders skyrocketed. According to Statista, in 2020, over two billion people purchased goods or services online. The result of this increasing interest in online shopping has led to a rise in competition and an over-saturated market for many brands that are price-competitive.

It’s no secret that a poor delivery experience can lead to losing customers' loyalty. The simple change in the customer onboarding process can boost a brand’s reputation, improve delivery, and reduce costs, all while putting the business ahead of its competitors. Marketers, therefore, need to take greater care in providing a seamless experience for their customers, and they can do this in a number of ways. The first is by deploying an address verification software which helps to avoid the issue of the wrong delivery address. They can also look to provide a one-tap solution to make completion of the order easier once a customer has reached the checkout page, as well as consider regularly maintaining their databases due to the rate of data decay. 

Mobile comes first

Many marketers believe that website optimisation is the most important element when building a digital presence. However, according to Oberlo, as of November 2022, 60.28% of all web traffic came through mobile phones. As a result, brands need to consider designing their site for mobiles first, or risk falling behind their competition. There are many benefits of mobile optimisation for brands, such as improving UX, mobile SEO, availability, site speed and performance, and increasing engagement and time spent. 

When websites aren’t optimised for mobile, it can cause a bad user experience for customers. Ultimately, this can lead to higher bounce rates, less time spent on the website and a significant drop in the brand’s SERP ranking, as well as have a negative effect on the brand’s consideration levels.

Having a website that is optimised for mobile devices can significantly bolster page load speed and overall performance. What’s more, brands should consider implementing easy-to-click buttons enabling consumers to navigate their way through the site. It’s important for marketers to keep these factors in mind as consumers are more likely to return to the website where they had a seamless experience, which will improve the brand's ROI over time.

Becoming more sustainable and eco-conscious

With the current cost of living crisis, consumers are increasingly putting sustainability first and becoming more eco-conscious. As we move forward into 2023, brands will begin to see consumers switching to other products or services where their morals align as not all sustainability claims have been substantiated. According to CDN, 68% of consumers say they are more likely to be loyal to a brand if they share the same values and, according to Globe News Wire, nearly 70% of consumers now consider sustainability when purchasing products or services.

Many brands have been known to greenwash their products in order to portray a false narrative and lead consumers to believe they are more environmentally friendly than they truly are. With that in mind, marketers need to ensure that their communications are as transparent as possible regarding sustainability and ethical promises, as consumers are continuously attempting to make a positive difference.

Building a relationship with consumers

A brand-customer relationship is vital to the long-term success of a brand. Gaining trust, being authentic and building brand awareness can truly benefit a business, as well as help to retain customer loyalty. A true connection with the consumer is what creates longevity for the relationship in the future. Less is more with consumers, and sending them unnecessary emails or updates can do more harm than good, as consumers will want to unsubscribe. 

As the barriers to entry are getting lower, the market is becoming fiercely competitive and consumers are seeking a one-to-one relationship with their brands of choice. Once businesses optimise their customer experience and offer incentives, marketers can build and strengthen their relationships with consumers. Small, yet effective ways such as conversational marketing, community building and informal communication, show that the brand cares about the consumer.

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