What is next in Digital Marketing? Top Predictions for 2021

As we approach the end of a year unlike any other, it’s clear digital marketing has undergone a massive change. From the economic impact on many businesses and more people working from home, to the demise of third-party cookies and an even further shift to digital everything, it’s been one thing after the other at break-neck speed. Many digital marketers have learned that to keep up, you have to adapt fast – and they have. In a recent Forbes article, a Forrester analyst called 2020 “the year that B2B, sales, marketing, and buying changed forever.”

Many of the changes digital marketers are facing today have been developing for a while, but they’ve accelerated even more this year – and for some, they’ve been vaulted light years ahead. For example eMarketer estimates that U.S. B2B organizations will spend $8.14 billion on digital ads this year, up 22.6% from 2019.

Beyond increased spend, we are seeing video marketing, digital transformation, customer-centricity, connecting business and personal contact data, intent monitoring, and identity graphs  moving to the forefront in digital marketing as we head into 2021.

This is one of the most pivotal times I’ve experienced throughout my more than two-decade career as a marketing data provider. And while we can’t know for certain how it will all take shape, I have some ideas based on my direct experience, what we’re seeing with our clients, and new data strategies that are changing the game. Be on the lookout – I’ll share a full breakdown of my predictions for 2021 digital marketing trends in a blog post within the next few weeks.

It’s an exciting time for digital marketers to utilize data to its full potential. Reach out if you’re looking for new ways to drive digital marketing in today’s climate and drive business growth in 2021.  

Outward Media’s proven data cleansing services and targeted, accurate B2B data can enable you to achieve better digital marketing ROI and, ultimately, convert more prospects into customers. Read about our innovative approach to ABM account targeting here.