Diversity and Inclusion in Digital Marketing: Know About Consumer Behavior Trends in 2021 

If you are a Digital Marketing Agency in California, you need to be aware of the value of diversity and inclusion in recent times as the field of marketing is not unscathed by these sentiments anymore. Digital Marketing platform can use its huge reach to talk about issues that are more than just about the brand.

The year 2020 has been a time of many novel realisations and adaptations for several businesses, including digital marketing agencies. We pushed our boundaries to create campaigns that were more humanised, inspiring and bold. Where people are still adjusting to the pandemic life, digital marketing agencies in California and across the globe must buckle-up to convert uncertainties into opportunities for a better future and improved customer experience.

The research on consumer trend by Gartner captures that there has been a significant shift in consumer behaviour, preferencesand cultural experience. There are 3-important things to consider:

1. The shift in outward culture such as in-person experience to private ways of living.
2. Wealth gaps that will adjust the spending limits.
3. And, most importantly, equality, inclusion, and diversity top the list of consumer value.

Is your digital marketing agency ready to transform according to these significant scenarios?

Why diversity and inclusion is important

Your content should speak to your audience, it should bring you more loyal customers and extend your market reach, and if you don’t have the right approach, you can alienate the right audience. As a digital marketing agency in California, we often suggest our clients’ strategies and ideas which can cater to the diverse customer base and give them a sense of inclusion.

Seeking cultural knowledge and understanding; innovation with iterations; putting together internal and external ideas to have diverse perspectives etc. will help break down the usual and redundant pattern of marketing while creating a more futuristic marketing approach that’s more diverse, inclusive and equal.

Some of the consumer behaviour trends to watch in 2021

Emphasis on health and safety–

Consumers now prefer to buy from brands that they perceive as safe and can help them minimise unnecessary risk. Even though health-related products and demand for immunity boosters have increased in the market, the consumer still prefers the brand that emphasises on these aspects. According to a survey by Ernst & Young, 57% of consumers say they now pay more attention to how healthy/safe are the products that they buy from any brand.

Value-based spending-

If you are a digital marketing agency in California you probably know how COVID-19 and Black Lives Matter played a very important role in value-based spending. Not just buying from small/local businesses that got affected by COVID or Black-owned was preferred but also from the brands that align with their values and were vocal about them.

If a brand is not socially sensitised, most likely they had already lost a lot of their customer base. In 2021, if brands want to persuade their customers, they need to emphasise on value. Luxury brands across the globe such as Louis Vuitton, Prada, Burberry etc. were all reaching out to their audience through compassionate marketing approach.

Empathise–

If brands want to survive and want to stay relevant in the marketing they need to relate to the values and beliefs of their audience. Brands who work on these aspects are more likely to create a loyal customer base and conversions. Many big brands voiced out and ran campaigns regarding issues and businesses that were on the verge of shutdown. Approach as such lets your customer trust and relate with brand.

Build Human connection–

Of course, face-to-face and in-person are one of the most intimate forms of communication, but the year 2020 also helped us realise the importance of video calls or any sort of online interaction. Hence finding ways to make the online experience more personal and human is a priority these days. 

Virtual events, e-commerce, and social media content etc. help a lot in letting customers discover and engage with the brands. The pandemic enabled more and more businesses to realise the importance of digital presence more than ever. It’s no more a ‘good-to-have’ approach but a ‘must-have’.

Key to heart: Personalisation–

This factor plays an important role in converting a prospect to a customer. Customers have diverse options, but they are eventually going to spend the money on the item that won their heart. That’s where personalisation also plays an essential role in winning your customer’s heart. Psychologically as well, when you address an individual with his/her name, it affects them positively. They love to see and hear it.

The same approach works in digital marketing too. You can use them in emails, messages, greetings etc. This is where marketers who closely observed their customer’s online behaviour created an improved and personalised experience for their audience.

According to a survey by Epsilon, 80% of the consumers said they are more likely to do business with brands that provide a personalised experience.With unvarying innovative technological advancements, personalisation is not an impossible goal to achieve. Contactless payment is another great example of technological advancement.From designs to content to onlinerecommendations, everything can be personalised.

Inclusion–

In 2021, if you are not inclusive with your products and services you must accept that your marketing strategy is outdated. Digital marketing agencies can use strategies to help brands incorporate diversity and inclusiveness. A product or service that’s for everyone. Many beauty and lifestyle brands have incorporated this strategy and are applauded to make their audience feel more included and accepted.

Technological up-gradation–

AR and VR are new technologies through which brands are trying to give customer’s convenience and experience outside the store. Fenti, IKEA, Warby Parker are some of the brands that are successfully using these technologies. The more the convenience, the better the satisfaction and marketing performance.

If you are a digital marketing agency, it is time to closely study your customers’ behaviour to create a customized and focussed marketing strategy for your clients. To have a voice in the market today’s businesses need to evolve without missing out on the human touch.

Diversity, inclusivity and equality should be the focus of 2021.