The outlook for small UK businesses in 2023 is uncertain, there is a cost of living crisis, inflation is at an all-time high, and we’re in a recession. As a result, confidence in spending is low! Consumers and businesses are becoming more discerning about where and when they spend and savvy small business owners are factoring this behaviour into their annual digital marketing plans. From raising your Linked In profile to creating educational video content, the key digital marketing trends of 2023 are centred around engagement and meaningful experiences.

Continue reading to discover the 5 digital marketing trends of 2023 every small business owner should be aware of alongside ideas to help you take advantage of them.

Key learnings from 2022

2022 was a make-or-break year for many businesses; some marketplaces failed to fully recover from the Covid-19 pandemic, costs kept on rising, and some brands simply tried to pivot too late. If you’re reading this it’s likely that your business survived, maybe even thrived, so well done to you!

In the world of digital marketing Artificial Intelligence (AI) is now integrated into almost all digital marketing channels, it determines the content you see on social media, Google search results, and even decides which ads are displayed to you. Today, connecting consumers to the right products and messages and providing a great users experiences sits firmly at the heart of all digital marketing, from the content you post on social media platforms to that on each of your webpages.

The key question for brands and businesses is “how can you make your online content more engaging in 2023?”

5 digital marketing trends in 2023 for small businesses

In a dynamic setting such as digital marketing it’s important to keep up with the current trends, particularly those which have been gaining momentum for the past couple of years or more as they are likely to be here to stay. As business owners we are often told which types of digital marketing you should be doing and there’s often a long list to get involved in which includes a few irrelevant and expensive ideas. Below are the key digital marketing trends in 2023 which @Hi Digital recommend small business owners should invest in and take advantage of:

1. Linked In dominates for B2B

Linked In continues to be the number one B2B social media channel and all business owners should be using this platform for growth, especially if you offer B2B products and services.  2023 is the year to take a more strategic approach to your Linked In content for both your personal and business profile, posting sporadically or simply sharing posts from your company page will not gain exposure in the algorithms or engage your target audiences.

Instead of constantly sharing content from your own business you can elevate your personal profile by curating relevant content for your audiences. We recommend regularly sharing your thoughts on existing interesting content. Types of useful content you could share with your Linked In connections include industry news, third-party research, pod casts, press releases, and interviews in video or article format.

2. Reputation is everything!

Word-of-mouth is one of the oldest and powerful forms of marketing and it’s one of our top digital marketing trends for 2023, in particular small businesses need to recognize the importance of Google reviews. When a prospective customer looks up your business on Google one of the first pieces of content they’ll see is your Google Business profile with its reviews and average rating. Obviously, you want them to see a high rating and to be able to read glowing reviews from your customers as this will build trust and confidence in what you do.

This year prioritise acquiring Google reviews from your existing customers, they will boost your presence on Google and provide testimonials for you to share on your website and social media channels.

3. Focus on a solid digital foundation for growth

At the core of every digital marketing plan is a great website, this is your solid foundation from where you can increase your discoverability online and grow your business. A website that is fit-for-purpose provides a great user experience, captures organic search traffic, and drive quality enquiries or sales. If you’re website is underperforming or you’re embarrassed to show it to your prospective clients investing in a new website is a wise investment in 2023 as you’re likely missing out on incremental revenue whilst your competitors thrive.

At Hi Digital we specialise in stylish custom website design that look fantastic and deliver an intuitive user experience. Our website design and development services are designed for small businesses, and we create websites that are as unique as your brand, team, and services! If you need a better website, please browse our portfolio, read what our clients say about them, and learn more about website design and website development service.

4. Short-form videos are dominating social media feeds

In 2021, we saw Tik-Tok’s popularity grow so that it became the number 1 domain and Instagram launched a new short-form video format called Reels. In 2022, short-form video content has been dominating social media news feeds and gaining the most attention from users! Hubspot reported that one third of marketers are now using short-form videos whilst 23% intend to try it for the first time in 2023.

To stay relevant and increase their discoverability, small businesses need to get involved in short-form videos so that they appear where their customers are on each social media platform. So if your target customers are on Instagram and/or Tik Tok start watching now to see what works well and then begin experimenting with short-video for your business. In 2023, we can expect to be able to schedule short-form videos in our social media management tools so there really is no excuse not to.

5. Audiences love explainer videos

According to research by Wyzowl 86 per cent of businesses are using video as a marketing tool, the most popular purpose of video content is explainer videos, and they are most used on the social media channels of YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Video marketing is not a new trend and will continue gaining in popularity beyond 2023! As consumers we prefer to watch a video to learn about a product or service and from a business perspective, videos are becoming easier to create – all you need is a creative mindset and a smartphone!

Could your service, or elements of, be explained well in a video? We thought so! Adding video into your digital marketing activity across your website and social media channels will add personality to your content and could boost your engagement levels with your prospective customers.

“Watch, test, and learn”

Reading about the latest digital marketing trends and knowing where or how to start can feel daunting. Whether you’re new to digital marketing or a couple of years experience, our advice when it comes to mapping out your ideas for the year ahead is to:

– Watch your competitors, peers and customers to understand what they do well and what they like. This extra insight should inspire you to get involved.

– Test new ideas regularly to find that golden content format, popular new service, or amazing client.

– Learn from your results – the best thing about digital marketing is the instant feedback you get from your analytics so you always know what does well and what doesn’t!

Does your business need a Digital Audit?

If your business has been online for over a year your entire digital presence, from your website to your social media channels, is due a critical review. Let our digital marketing experts conduct a bespoke Digital Audit of your business , this comprehensive review will clearly explain how to make it more effective at finding and engaging your target customers to maximise your potential for growth in 2023.

Get digital marketing advice tailored to your small business

Hi Digital are a boutique digital marketing agency dedicated to growing small businesses with effective digital marketing services, and we’d love to help you reach your business goals. Whether you require a digital audit to get your current online presence in optimum digital shape or you’d like ongoing strategic digital marketing support – let’s talk about it! Please get in touch with us to book a free consultation with our expert team.