
By Amy Derksen on in Strategy, Tech & Trends
2023 digital predictions for technology, healthcare and B2B
We’re a few months into 2023, but it’s not too late to share our list of what’s on the radar for this year. Here’s where our heads are at, with a focus on what’s most likely to impact our friends in the technology, healthcare and B2B sectors.
1) Privacy and peace of mind will drive this year’s winners. From data leaks to the sense of being stalked, intrusions into people’s privacy are driving consumers away. Consumers don’t want anything they didn’t overtly consent to, and they’ll move their business to prove it. In fact, a Google/Ipsos survey found providing a positive privacy experience can increase share of brand preference by 43%. Creating your own opt-in lists and keeping them clean are great places to start.
Influencers. Social platforms. CRM. They’re just tools. At the heart of everything remains the need to connect on a personal level.
2) Recognizing neurodivergent audiences will go mainstream. Once you know that up to 20% of your audience may have differences in reading or processing information, it’s crazy to ignore them—especially when some of the steps you can take to create more inclusive marketing are astonishingly simple. Many of these recommendations align with user choice and clear communications anyway, so they can improve the way you communicate with all targets.
3) AI will continue to confound. As a writer, I’d prefer to just stick my head in the sand on this one. But we’re on the AI ride whether we like it or not. I worry about authentic experiences arising out of digital masterminds, but I can’t imagine the average prospect will recognize the difference in a cursory review. There’s a place for AI—chatbots on banking sites can get me what I need faster than browsing a FAQ and we’re already beholden to algorithms for every digital interaction—but for the most part, I hope I’ll keep engaging with humans.
4) TikTok may require your attention. Many businesses have had good success with the big three—LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. TikTok is controversial, given its potential ties to the Chinese government, but if you’re marketing to millennials, 2023 is still likely to be TikTok’s year. The platform is starting to think about how to support businesses who want to cozy up to their users, so the platform can capture its moment.
5) Automation will get a new meaning. As our Salesforce team reminds us, “automation” is a terrible name. It’s not about robots running the show. It’s about building a relationship, meeting people where they are, anticipating what they need, and being there when they finally feel warm enough to engage with you. This one may be wishful thinking on our part, but as automation becomes more accessible to marketers of any size, we hope it’s used to build relationships, not just save effort.
6) The basics will not change. Influencers. Social platforms. CRM. They’re just tools. At the heart of everything remains the need to connect on a personal level. Whether it’s B2B or B2C or whatever comes next, it’s all about understanding what a prospect or customer is going through and how you can help alleviate their pain, then offering the right solution at the right time. And when it comes down, getting your foundational messaging and platforms right—your website, emails and community management—will have the biggest impact on your bottom line.
However you want to connect—in words, videos or memes across any channel, we’ve got you. Let FATFREE help you put your best story forward.