Each new year brings a series of changes in the marketing field. It’s one of the aspects of our job we love most, as we’re constantly learning and adapting. From writing methods to advertising platforms and everything in between, here are the biggest trends in marketing our team saw in 2023. 

Shannon

For many years, I have preached transparency and authenticity, and in 2023, I saw  a rise in diverse representations of brands. It has become more commonplace to see various ages, body shapes, socioeconomic backgrounds, races, genders, disabilities, and sexual orientations in strategic media placements. Brands saw that their customers want relatable content, and part of that is showing people that look like them. 

Abby

I noticed a shift in the type of influencer that resonates with people. In the past, celebrity influencers drew the most attention – influencers who weren’t necessarily relatable, but gained traction as an idol or a goal-setter. In 2023, I saw a massive influx of “everyday influencers.” Specifically on TikTok, we have seen a rise in popularity of bartenders, artists, moms, college students, and many others in the working class. 

Mackenzie

With the influx of video and influencer content, everyone searched  for that “it” factor to make their posts stand out. Other than being our true, authentic selves, capitalizing on trending sounds and songs for content was a hit in 2023. This was – and still is –  a great way to cast your static and video creations into the spotlight, like hashtags did in the past. Plus, you can live rent free in your audience’s mind by getting a catchy jingle stuck in their head!

Sophie

Video content. All day long. While video content and short form content is not new in the world of marketing, it sure proves itself time and time again to lead in engagement and views. However, you must know your social media platforms to know what works best for your clients! For platforms like LinkedIn, for example, it is far better to post static posts that are more business-focused. That being said, we saw video content work best for many of our clients in 2023, not just for advertising purposes but for storytelling and customer testimonials as well!  

Gwen

Communication remained a key insight and point of improvement in marketing. From audience and stakeholders to inter-department and team collaboration, effective and efficient communication was paramount in determining project success in 2023. The real kicker as an insight was which method, app, platform worked the best for your business. As always, committing to over-communicating manages expectations but doesn’t necessarily mean using all the methods: Slack, Teams, eMail, text message, GroupMe, newsletters, campfire smoke… determining how the message is delivered is as almost as important as the message itself.

Kate

Short-form video has become the most impactful social media content across platforms. We’ve seen an increase in clients wanting to have a presence on TikTok, and a need for companies to get more human in the process. Tik Tok predicted “three macro trend forces will shape TikTok in 2023: actionable entertainment, making space for joy, and community-built ideals.” Sorry joy, but it’s the “actionable entertainment” for me. Yes, your video needs to look good, sound good and feel good, but if you’re in it for business purposes, above all, it needs to drive consumer actions (including engagement).

Martha

Before 2023, I never used AI for copywriting, and I’ve found it so useful as a brainstorming tool. From one day to the next, I’ll write about anything from school bus safety to hospitality jobs to healthcare industry innovation. It can be hard to jump into the flow of a new assignment. Asking ChatGPT a few questions about a given topic is a great way to help generate ideas and get me started. 

Gaye

I agree with Martha! AI has gotten some negative feedback – perhaps rightly so when it comes to students using it to write their assignments. But AI is a gift to copywriters when it comes to generating outlines and brainstorming ideas. ChatGPT is a helpful research tool, too; if I need to know 10 plants that are non-toxic for cats, I can find out in seconds! I have a hard time coming up with catchy headlines, but AI generates several ideas quickly for me to mix and match.
While we’re still wrapping our heads around adapting to these changes, we know there will be more ahead in 2024. We’re excited to see what the new year brings for our industry, and stay tuned for our predictions on what we think some of those will be!