Trends That Will Dominate Digital Space in 2021 That No Entrepreneur Should Miss
User expectations are fast evolving and changing. Trends become outdated with the blink of an eye while some become iconic and stay forever. Entrepreneurs which seek to increase engagement on their websites need to follow the most recent trends to improve their business offerings and website presence.
The COVID pandemic despite already causing a lot of turbulence has also brought a shift towards the virtual world. For startups, adapting to this shift has become even more essential to bring to the customers an unmatched experience. Millions of users visit websites every day, engaging content, visuals, and graphics are the key elements that get the attention, resulting in higher screen time. But apart from the basic hacks what more entrepreneurs need to be aware of to improve customer engagement and retention.
To provide a holistic view and to prepare for the future, here are a few trends that will dominate the digital space. These can be adopted to stay at par with the competition around and to increase revenues.
Digital trends that will dominate in 2021
Adaption to AR and VR technology for an immersive 3D experience
Websites with 3D design elements will continue to fascinate users. The trend is going to gain momentum in 2021 given that entrepreneurs chose to adopt augmented reality and virtual reality for designing websites. Several e-commerce websites have adopted AR/VR technology as it offers customers the facility of trying-on products before purchasing. For instance, Lenskart is one such website that offers its customers the feature of trying on eyeglasses and frames virtually thus impacting their purchasing decisions.
Chatbots for seamless communication
Setting up customer-service departments to handle queries and grievances of customers is fast becoming outdated and costly. It is being replaced by chatbots which bring quicker solutions to the table without wasting time. This trend will continue to ace all other trends given that faster resolution and quick answering of queries continue to be the highest priority for customers.
For entrepreneurs that seek to increase penetration of their products in the market, improvement in communication with a lead or potential customer might result in closing the deal. These chatbots are powered by artificial intelligence which can sense the user preference and provide solutions that are customized. As many brands don’t have a facility of 24X7 customer support, integrating chatbots on the website will prove to have greater reach and will reduce costs.
Dark mode for an ultra-modern feel
Web designs for websites are the key to hook users longer to target websites. Many popular brands operate websites that are implemented through several UI/UX designs that make them stand out from their peers and competitors. But what makes them stand out? Some of the biggest brands use web designs that tell a story. Random and absurd designing of the website will not get you the desired result.
While one might not notice but web design trends continue to change. One such web design trend is Dark mode that will continue to rule through 2021, given the ultra-modern, highlighted, and popping design elements that it offers. Additionally, it saves users the screen power battery and reduces strain on the eye.
Popular brand such as Reebok uses a dark mode web design weaving in sleek and bold look providing customers the experience which makes them wants them to explore more. The UX design is a mix of messaging and imagery that conveys the message that they are a trendsetting company and they want their customers to be trendy as well.
Video content to rule
Basis the overall experiences of brands, professionals, you-tubers, and social media enthusiasts, video content will continue to rule in 2021. Videos are undoubtedly the most engaging and are here to stay in the long-run. Several brands are shifting from picture content, written blogs to video content as it quickly grabs attention. Many e-commerce brands have relied on celebrities and popular people to make videos as it enables them to get more engagement and hook people to their screens.
Others: Digital payment gateways, Influencer marketing
Apart from the aforementioned trends, reliance on digital payment gateways such as PayPal will remain. For businesses to succeed, a digital payment solution is required. While PayPal now has competition from other mediums such as WhatsApp payment but the simple experience of paying for services offered by PayPal remains unmatched with other mediums. It is easier to adopt and saves a lot of processing time besides offering a foreign exchange facility.
Influencer marketing for brands will continue to dominate the social media space given the rapidly increasing traffic numbers of social media websites such as Instagram, Facebook, and their likes. Brands are likely to collaborate with influencers to increase their presence for not just a single post but for continued promotions. Influencers on the other hand cannot get away with just pictures to promote brands, videos as explained will continue to be the key element for improving engagement.
Conclusion
There are several other digital trends that will rule 2021 and for entrepreneurs to succeed in current competition, following these trends becomes essential. The trends will have a massive impact on users with every industry turning to the digital medium. That said, organic content and user-generated content will get more impetus. Authentic content that signifies your brand will remain the key going forward.