With the world becoming increasingly digital, businesses need to stay ahead of the curve and upskill their employees with the latest digital marketing capabilities. Investing in the latest digital marketing trends can help companies grow. But investing in employee training to acquire digital marketing skills can yield even greater benefits for the organization.

This article will explore the top digital marketing trends for 2023 and why businesses should invest in these areas. We will also discuss the benefits of upskilling employees with digital marketing skills, including increased efficiency, improved customer engagement, and higher ROI.

Why is it important for a business to keep up with digital marketing trends?

Digital marketing constantly evolves, and new trends can provide opportunities for businesses to connect with their target audience and stand out. It is crucial for a company to follow digital marketing trends because they can help the business stay competitive and reach new customers. Additionally, keeping up with digital marketing trends can help a business stay current and relevant, increasing brand awareness and customer loyalty.

What are the top digital marketing trends for business growth in 2023?

The top digital marketing trends for 2023 include personalization, mobile marketing, micro-moments, influencer marketing, artificial intelligence (AI), and social commerce. Below we dive into each trend and explain why they are relevant for business growth.

1. Personalization: In 2023, companies need to focus on personalizing content in marketing campaigns for their target audiences. This will help them increase engagement, conversions, and customer loyalty. Businesses can use customer data to segment their audiences and tailor their messages. Personalized ads, email campaigns, SMS, and landing pages can help build trust and strengthen customer relationships.

2. Mobile Marketing. Mobile devices are essential in our daily lives, and usage has surpassed desktops. People rely on their smartphones for information, communication, and entertainment. Investing in a strong mobile marketing strategy is crucial for businesses looking to grow. It ensures their website, emails, and other digital content are easily accessible and readable on mobile devices. It also provides that the customer experience is seamless regardless of their device. Businesses need to optimize for mobile to avoid losing potential customers who may become frustrated and move on to a competitor.

3. Influencer marketing: Influencer marketing helps businesses boost brand awareness and attract customers by collaborating with niche content creators. As social media grows, businesses can leverage influencers to reach more buyers. According to Hubspot, this technique relies on word-of-mouth, conversation marketing, and social proof, essential for successful marketing. People trust what their peers, friends, and influencers say more than the companies selling products and services.

4. Micro-moments: Micro-moments go hand in hand with mobile devices and influencer marketing. Micro-moments are short, highly-relevant interactions in real-time, making them critical opportunities for brands to shape decisions and preferences. Businesses must focus on creating these experiences to capture their audience’s attention.

5. AI and machine learning: AI and machine learning will pop up more and more in digital marketing, enabling businesses to gain insights from data and automate tasks such as customer service, lead generation, and content creation. AI-powered chatbots, predictive and targeted content, content creation, and image recognition technology are examples of how AI can improve customer service and support and deliver more targeted and relevant content.

6. Using Social Commerce. Your audiences use social media to discover brands, products, and services. Social commerce allows companies to make sales directly on social media platforms. Users can add products or services directly to their shopping carts and complete checkout without leaving the social media channel. Making the customer journey frictionless can also improve customer retention.

Why is it important for employees to have Digital Marketing skills?

Employers should ensure their employees have digital marketing skills to keep up with the trends because digital marketing is becoming increasingly crucial for businesses. Customers increasingly rely on the internet for product research and buying decisions, so firms must establish a strong online presence and promote their offerings via digital media.

New digital marketing tools and tactics are constantly emerging as technology evolves. For businesses that want to remain competitive, employees must stay up-to-date on the latest trends and best practices.

How can businesses upskill their employees with digital marketing capabilities?

There are several ways businesses can upskill their employees with digital marketing skills. Some options include:

1. Training and certificate programs: Many businesses offer in-house training and certificate programs for employees to learn digital marketing skills. This can include workshops and online classes on various topics such as search engine optimization (SEO), social media marketing, and email marketing. They can also offer a comprehensive online certificate program covering digital marketing fundamentals. Offering this option at no cost has tremendous benefits from improved employee engagement, higher retention rates, and internal career growth.

2. Online courses: There are a plethora of online courses that employees can take to learn digital marketing skills. Some popular platforms include Coursera, Udemy, and LinkedIn Learning. Unlike online certificate programs or in-housing training, this approach requires employees to learn independently. If you’re looking to track relevant milestones, lower turnover rates, and track skill organization-wide, this might not be the best solution for your organization.

3. Mentorship: Pairing experienced employees with newer ones to learn digital marketing skills can be a great way to share knowledge and build skills in the team.

By providing employees with access to digital marketing training and resources, businesses can ensure that their employees have the skills they need to market their products and services online effectively.

Upskilling employees benefits a company’s top and bottom line

It can be up to 10 times cheaper to upskill a current employee than to recruit, hire, and onboard a new person. Offering training programs to employees can also help a company fill internal vacancies once that employee has completed an educational program and can demonstrate competency in new skills. Employers that cover the costs of upskilling also tend to exhibit higher retention rates, productivity, and employee loyalty.

According to LinkedIn’s 2019 Workforce Learning Report, 94 percent of employees say they would choose to stay at a company longer if it invested in helping them learn. This was particularly true among Gen Z and Millennial respondents who preferred companies that offered upskilling programs and formalized career pathing.

Pathstream’s scalable upskilling and training programs can bridge organizational skills gaps and attract top talent. Designed specifically for frontline workers; our career mobility platform helps reskill and empower these employees to transition out of their roles into professional leadership positions. We aim to help our clients retain the workforce, reduce recruitment costs, and improve productivity.