2021's big digital media challenges: How to prepare for them

Hold steady, hold strong, for the journey ahead is long! No, I'm not turning poetic here, but that's the best way to describe the road ahead for businesses in 2021, specifically with digital marketing.

2020 had proven to be an 'Annus Horribilis' for nearly everyone, and we need a spot of fresh air. Budgets were halved, projects shelved and most businesses, (especially startups and small organisations) were barely able to survive. While this made us rethink every aspect of working, no other sector saw this reinvention better than digital marketing.            

The spot-lit sector saw newer brand strategies, digital promotions, virtual events (even product launches), and a leaner, cost-effective way of functioning. These learnings are what we are carrying forward into the New Year, and I'm here to guide you into understanding all of them. 

Whew, what a year! That's the least we can say about 2020. With a pandemic, widespread disruptions in the way we operate and do business, and a more virtually collaborative atmosphere, it's made us adapt and evolve to a large extent. 

As a digital marketing expert, I'm putting together a list of the most significant areas for change, how they've evolved, and what lies in store in 2021. 

1. People-first communication:

2020 saw how the human touch builds and sustains brand value, over a long scale of time. Whether it's social media engagement or directing ROI, algorithms for Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, Snapchat, YouTube, and other platforms gears towards serving relevant content for organic engagement and that's what retains organic audience for each brand.

For a strong, people-centric approach, digital marketers would need to build their 2021 strategy with these tools:

• Conversational marketing
• Nostalgia marketing
• Socially conscious marketing
• User-generated content
• Connecting with nation-specific campaigns, like Vocal4Local 

2. Amping your AI quotient

AI or artificial intelligence allowed businesses to significantly optimise logistics, predict behaviours, and drive revenue over 2020, leading to a 45% increase in India's AI adoption this year.

However, that's still on the lower side as marketers in a country like India need to contend with systemic challenges too. These include a far lower (and skewed) digitisation, a labour-entrenched work culture, fewer resources, talent and lack of digital-first planning.

Once we're able to overcome these challenges, we can only imagine the sea-change AI-enabled data sets and predictions would bring to the sector. 

3. Voice Assistance

Yes, voice assistance is here to stay. According to Ovum Research's Digital Assistant and Voice AI–Capable Device Forecast 2016–21, the coming year will see nearly 47.6% of all voice AI-capable devices in the Asia-Oceania region. However, getting it right, seamlessly, is the biggest challenge ahead.

So, what does this challenge mean for digital marketers keen to add voice AI talents to their campaigns? Tech hurdles for one - especially native language enhancements for more than 19,500 languages and dialects spoken across India. This would also need specially geared native vendors who can deliver on-ground implementations for such projects. 

4. Gathering UGC from TikTok clones

While the mammoth TikTok user base in India (20 million on the last count) remains on hold, TikTok clones from Sharechat, Chingari, Roposo, Bolo India and Mitron are still not consolidated enough to provide a mine of UGC collaborations for digital marketers in the country.

These platforms are still building a pool of influencers with incentivised programs. However, they have received some attention from regional and hyperlocal brands in TIER 2, TIER 3 and TIER 4 cities, which they tout as their strength areas.

Digital marketers who look forward to leveraging these platforms will need to fix concerns around data visibility, calculating ROI and conversions here. 

There are also more prominent players like YouTube Shorts, Insta Reels and Facebook Short Videos which have stepped into the mix. Would these be a better vehicle for digital marketers than the regional clones? Only time and data can tell. 

5. Addressing the cost factor

Yes. That will remain the biggest concern for 2021, as businesses who are rebuilding after the economic hurdles for 2020, will continue to budget ad spends and PR costs.

So, digital marketers would need to consistently deliver leaner strategies, which target organic engagement and connect to direct revenue generation, rather than building only voice and goodwill. 

On the whole, consider the road to 2021 like the untamed western frontier and get ready to hop into your saddles for a new adventure. May you reap heady revenues ahead.

Disclaimer: The views expressed here are solely those of the author and do not in any way represent the views of exchange4media.com