A historical summary of 2021 trends. Habits sparked by the pandemic - mobile device dominance, the demand for instant page speed, and well-thought-out sales funnels - have today become the industry baseline. Learn more about our approach to website development and digital marketing.
It will come as no surprise that the biggest global event of 2020 was the Covid-19 pandemic. It changed many industries for a long time, if not forever. Marketing, internet usage, and e-commerce are no exceptions. This article covers the most important changes and exactly how they impact marketing.
Changing user habits in the digital environment require constant adaptation: mobile experience, instant loading speed, and clear value communication are mandatory prerequisites for sales. Companies that combine an ergonomic website with integrated search and social media campaigns gain the most stable and profitable market position.
Globally, the internet is being consumed more... Much more!
According to statistics compiled by Kepios (aggregated from many sources), compared to January 2020, there were 1% more people in 2021, but 1.8% more mobile phone owners, a 7.3% increase among internet users, and even a 13.2% increase in social media users.
The most popular social media platforms by a wide margin are Facebook, YouTube, and WhatsApp, followed by another trio - the separately highlighted FB Messenger, Instagram, and Weixin/WeChat (which is due to its massive popularity in China).
Impressive figures can be observed in consumer behavior trends:
- 81.5% search for information online before purchasing a product or service
- 90.4% visit an online store
- 76.8% have purchased a product online
If we delve into the sources where a potential client searches for information about a brand or product before making a purchase, we see that:
- 33.9% do it in search engines (Google has over 90% of the search engine market share)
- slightly less, 32.6%, still get information from TV ads
- 29.4% rely on word-of-mouth marketing, recommendations from friends, relatives, and colleagues
- 28.2% are influenced by ads on social media
- other popular sources include brand websites, online marketplaces, ads on websites, and social media recommendations
This highlights the requirements for marketing: you must be visible in Google search (naturally, also utilizing the opportunities provided by SEO services and Google Ads), it is still worth working with TV ads for specific audiences and products, you must ensure a good user experience because people share it with their friends, colleagues, relatives, and social media followers, and you must take care of your website.
What about Latvia? Our population is shrinking, but the internet... is being consumed more!
Looking specifically at Latvia, the same study shows:
- the population has decreased by 1.1% over the year
- however, the number of mobile phone connections has increased by almost 2%
- there are 2.2% more internet users
- and 10% more people are using social media
Information about the most popular social media platforms in Latvia varies across different resources, as many sources only provide data on web version usage, while social networks are mostly used via mobile apps or exclusively there (e.g., Instagram). However, by aggregating data from various sources, it can be concluded that the distribution is similar to the global distribution shown above: Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, chat platforms, Snapchat, Twitter, LinkedIn.
The data on audiences that can be reached on social media is interesting:
- the largest reach is in the 25-34 age group - ~13% of all Latvian residents
- slightly less, ~9-10%, in the 35-44 and 18-24 age groups
Other trends caused by the pandemic
A study on internet usage habits in the US shows us interesting facts about 2020 compared to 2019:
- people use mobile phones for an average of 25 minutes more per day
- video content is now consumed for an average of 47 minutes per day instead of the previous 42 minutes (remember video content, its importance is growing!)
- 39% of all US residents confirm that they use the internet and mobile phones more during the pandemic
Emarketer data shows that, in total, US residents spent 1 (!) hour more online than before.
As seen in the chart below, global online trade volumes continue to grow rapidly, exceeding the $4 trillion mark in 2020 ($4.280), with nearly $5 trillion projected for this year.
The fact that the pandemic may have changed consumer behavior forever is also confirmed by this data - more than 75% of consumers prefer remote services over physical contact. Interestingly, the reason is not just safety, but also time savings and efficiency. People are starting to value time savings more. And this provides a basis for the opinion that it is here to stay even after the pandemic ends.
Executive Summary
The internet is being used more both globally and in Latvia, with a particularly large increase observed in the use of social media platforms. Influenced by remote activities caused by the pandemic, even those who have previously tried to avoid using digital solutions are now forced to do so in order to perform the most basic tasks - working, studying, shopping, and communicating.
Video content is being used more, and people are searching for information about brands and products online - in Google search, on social media, on brand websites, and on online trading platforms, actively sharing their experiences, thus creating the so-called "zero moment of truth" for new users.
Accordingly, every business must be visible in the digital environment, initially placing the greatest emphasis on the most effective infrastructure. Whether it is your own website and/or social media depends on your marketing strategy. Even if a company has not been online until now, it is high time to think about starting a business on the internet. At the same time, remember that the digital environment requires investment, and it will not always pay off immediately. Do it, but do it wisely!
Frequently Asked Questions about digital marketing trends
Why does a mobile user require a different approach than a desktop visitor?
A mobile user consumes information on the go and scans the screen with their thumb. The page must load instantly, and all the most important call-to-action (CTA) buttons must be located in the lower part of the screen without unnecessary scrolling.
Which digital marketing trends have proven to be the most durable in the long term?
The most durable are the basic infrastructure elements: a fast, reliable website, accurate data analytics, and high search visibility at the moment when the client is actively looking for a solution.
How does website design affect user trust in a brand?
Studies show that the decision about a site's trustworthiness is made in the first 50 milliseconds. An organized visual rhythm, clean font, and clear contrasts remove cognitive friction and increase the number of inquiries.
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