2020 was an incredibly dynamic year in the digital marketing space. The COVID pandemic worldwide and the subsequent lockdowns forced businesses across sectors to turn towards digital as an alternative to conventional outreach approaches. In many ways, this catalyzed the move towards digital, putting these new efforts at the forefront. In 2021, instead of a return to normalcy, marketers will have to understand and adapt to the new normal, with its unprecedented focus on digital marketing approaches. In this piece, we’ll be taking a look at some of the key trends emerging in the digital marketing space that is set to define 2021. 

Digital is Going Mainstream

The most visible change in Indian digital marketing lies in terms of the revolution in use and access. Kirana stores, mom-and-pop outlets and traders in tier II and tier III cities who otherwise don’t have good digital connectivity is taking a leap. This is in large part because COVID-19 has rendered conventional outreach impractical. What we’re seeing is, for instance, widespread registration on food and grocery delivery platforms, outreach through Whatsapp, SMS, and Facebook, and adoption of digital payment methods like PayTM and UPI to reduce friction. In many ways, these are trends that started well before the pandemic but were greatly accelerated by it. 

Vernacular languages are playing a greater role

A notable aspect of this transformation is the greater focus on vernacular language content. 2019 studies indicate that 90 percent of Indian internet users consume content in regional languages and Hindi. This has tangible implications for the kind of digital media promotions that local stores and other vendors put out. We’re seeing growth in vernacular social media ads, as well as personal outreach and service offerings in vernacular languages. 

Newer sectors are getting into digital transformation

Digital transformation isn’t just affecting local shops. At the sectoral level, we’re seeing brands in sectors like FMCG that have favored conventional channels over digital make the leap due to COVID exigencies. For FMCG brands and retailers this has often meant complete rethinks of their channel strategies, such as shifting to Shopify-based retail. Many FMCG brands have relied on word-of-mouth, retail store placement, and conventional ads to sell. We’re seeing a shift in budget priorities, with social media and digital outreach getting significantly bigger shares this year. 

A shift towards consent-based marketing

The rise of GDPR and strong data and privacy protection legislation across the world has realigned end-user expectations from digital marketing agencies. Users, whether in India or in Western countries, have greater expectations from marketers in terms of personal boundaries and privacy. This means that consent-based digital marketing will get a major fillip in the years to come. This would encompass a range of things, from something as simple as consent for collecting cookies on landing and homepages, to shifting towards opt-in promotions like in-game video ads. The move towards content-based digital marketing is not only healthier for customers: it’ll help businesses engage with genuinely interested customers who actually want to know what their products and services are about. 

Mobile marketing will register accelerated growth

Mobile is already a platform of choice for Indian consumers. For many, mobile devices will be the point of contact with the digital world, offering marketers immense opportunities. We expect marketers to leverage growing user bases in free-to-play games and social platforms to pitch real-world products (in the FMCG space, for instance) to people, instead of conventional outreach through TV, radio, or print publications. Smartphones are already a ubiquitous part of the Indian urban landscape and, with data prices remaining low, we expect the adoption rate and opportunity in this space to only grow. 

Better cross-channel experiences

Mobile devices aren’t the only avenue for internet access. Millions of Indians own multiple digital devices, ranging from tablets and smartphones to PC, IoT and wearables. Over the next year, we expect digital marketers to mature cross-channel marketing experiences to enable seamless campaigns that reach customers on whatever platform they happen to be on at the moment. Rich promotional experiences could carry over from mobile to PC to wearable, maximizing eyeball time. 

Conclusion

2021 is set to be a year of change for the digital marketing space. COVID-19 didn’t so much as transform approaches so much as it accelerated the adoption rate of existing trends. Thanks to the lockdown and increased focus on digital, next year, from a marketing perspective, will offer many opportunities and challenges that, barring this calamity, digital marketers might not even have had to think about until 2025 or later. This is a time of rapid change. Being able to go with that flow, and to learn and adapt will be critical.