Marketing trends and best practices change at a rapid pace. As marketers, it’s our job to keep up with what’s new, while balancing what’s hot with what works best for our brand.
Keeping up in 2023 also means letting go—leaving behind the marketing trends that are on their way out. Those losing steam as well as practices that no longer serve us. HubSpot outlines five trends that have grown tired over the past year. So, as you align your marketing plan and refresh your branding for the year ahead, carefully consider whether you should include these in your marketing program.
HubSpot’s dying marketing practices heading into 2023
1. Celebrity endorsements on social media
How many times have you seen celebrities endorsing products that don’t seem to vibe with their personal beliefs or habits? It happens a lot—and leaves us wondering if these people actually use these products or are merely collecting a paycheck.
HubSpot cites a great example: “Beyond Meat’s collaboration with media personality Kim Kardashian became a viral moment in 2022, but for all the wrong reasons. After releasing a promotional video of Kardashian sampling its vegan products, viewers were quick to accuse Kardashian of “fake chewing,” leading many to question the authenticity of her endorsement.
Kim Kardashian + Beyond Meat
Billion-dollar influencer + billion-dollar brand
And they still created the worst influencer marketing campaign of all time: pic.twitter.com/tPo11MOxEz
— Cody Wittick (@Cody_Wittick) August 26, 2022
“Research shows that trust in celebrity endorsements is decreasing. Only 44% of Gen Z-ers trust endorsements from a celebrity or athlete. This number drops to 38% for Millennials.”
So, instead of celebrity endorsements, opt for promoting user-generated content and/or partnering with social media influencers or micro-influencers. But be sure to do your research first: Partnering with an influencer who reflects your brand values and beliefs can help build brand trust and transparency
2. Heavily edited Instagram feed.
Today, Instagram is leaning toward a more natural aesthetic with more brands posting unedited content that feels more approachable and engaging than the “perfect” images that had been dominating the scroll.
HubSpot explains the pivot: “Many users feel a sense of fatigue over the highly processed aesthetic that has dominated the platform for years. The Gen Z crowd, in particular, values authenticity over appearing too polished online. It’s no surprise they gravitate to TikTok, where raw and unfiltered content is the norm.
“Brands are starting to take notice of this shift. Skincare brand Glossier, for example, plays into the “anti-aesthetic” movement by sharing candid shots, unedited photos, and even cute animal photos.”
3. Audio chat rooms.
Instead of online chats, customers today want to speak to a real person. HubSpot explains the shift: “Audio chat rooms — like Clubhouse and Twitter Spaces — surged in popularity during the start of the pandemic, when many people were seeking opportunities to connect with others. Fast forward to today, and more than a quarter (29%) of marketers are planning to stop investing in audio chat rooms in 2023.
“From a marketing perspective, the biggest problem with audio chat rooms is that users prefer to speak with people — not brands. In fact, only 7% of Gen Z consumers prefer audio chat rooms for discovering new products.
“Audio chat rooms are also losing popularity with younger audiences. Only 14% of Gen Z consumers have visited Twitter in the past three months, and a slim 13% have visited Clubhouse. If your audience skews younger, it’s worth exploring other strategies.”
4. Long-form videos for social media.
Short-form video will continue to gain momentum in 2023. “In fact, short-form video will see the most growth of any trend in 2023, according to HubSpot’s 2023 Marketing Strategy & Trends Report. On top of that, a staggering 96% of marketers agree that the optimal length of a marketing video is under 10 minutes.”
Because short videos are easy to digest and share, it’s wise to invest in this format— regardless of your industry—for use on social channels and on your website, in email campaigns, etc. Save longer videos for tutorials, product introductions, or training.
5. Marketing in the metaverse.
“Marketing is all about experimentation, and the metaverse became a new playground for marketers to explore. However, this initial excitement seems to be fizzling out: 29% of marketers plan to stop marketing in the metaverse (e.g. Horizon Worlds and Roblox) in 2023.
“In addition, more than a quarter (27%) plan to stop leveraging VR and AR. Although the metaverse is intriguing, it’s proving difficult to execute. The equipment is expensive, the hardware is uncomfortable, and adoption is slow.”
Moving ahead in 2023.
As we start any new year, we’re always looking at the new trends and realigning our marketing programs to keep up with best practices. While these five trends are on their way out, keep up with what’s new for 2023 in our weekly Shamrock blog. We cover it all from social media to packaging to promo. Subscribe today and get weekly marketing info you can use delivered right to your inbox.
