Online Marketing Trends 2023

As the current year comes to a close, new online marketing trends for 2023 are already emerging. Whether it's SEO, web analytics, SEA, or social media, the online marketing universe continues to evolve at its usual rapid pace—and it remains as exciting as ever! 

So, what does 2023 have in store for us? Economic crises and global conflicts have been shaking up the business world for quite some time, making forward planning a real challenge. That makes it all the more essential to stay up to date across various online marketing channels and adapt your strategy to new realities and opportunities.

Together with you, the internetwarriors team takes an initial look at the online marketing trends for 2023!

Digital Marketing Trends 2023: Data Collection Based on the “Form First” Principle

Meaningful data analysis is the cornerstone for developing effective marketing initiatives, and that requires precise, carefully selected data. It’s no surprise, then, that data collection will continue to play a pivotal role in 2023. True to the “Form first!” approach, proactive data collection using targeted inquiry forms will be a major focus this year. These primarily help to sustainably strengthen the sales funnel in customer acquisition. Even straightforward forms can make a big difference here, offering numerous advantages over open-ended contact forms.

Factoring in the customer journey is sometimes overlooked in B2B content marketing. Yet only marketers who understand exactly where to position the right content along the customer journey can reach prospective B2B buyers and win them over for the long haul. Organic visibility through search engine optimization is an especially crucial factor here. Target audiences looking for B2B services often turn to search engines like Google as their first step. In short: businesses that perform well with unique B2B SEO content are easily discoverable by their potential audience.

Google Verification of Local SEO Listings

Local SEO is nothing new, but the verification of local SEO listings will make local search optimization even more critical for brick-and-mortar businesses in 2023. Verified listings boost trust in local businesses, making them a genuine marketing booster! Checking the verification status of your own listing only takes a few simple steps. You can see how it works on Google Support.

Online Marketing Trend: Voice Search

Voice search isn't brand new either, but it's gaining even more traction among the online marketing trends of 2023. Voice-activated digital assistants have seen massive growth in recent years, making voice search an absolute must for SEO specialists. That means keywords need to sound natural when spoken. The surge in voice queries has led to significant shifts in how keywords are formulated. 

The reason? When someone types a search into Google, they phrase it quite differently than when they speak it. While a typed query might be “Indian restaurant near me,” we're more likely to ask: “Where is the closest Indian restaurant?” Incorporating these long-tail keywords into your content optimization is a genuinely effective SEO strategy.

As voice search grows and the share of smartphone searches continues to rise, pages that haven't been optimized for voice-friendly long-tail keywords may become noticeably harder to find—a trend that will only gain momentum in 2023.

Optimization for Visual Search

Visual search is one of the fresher trends in digital marketing. Instead of typing or speaking their queries, users can now simply upload an image to search. It’s even possible to pull up information on specific details within an image. Upload a photo of a plant, and you get details about that species. An image of a city reveals architectural, geographic, and historical info. A product photo brings up descriptions, similar items, and buying options. Tools like Pinterest Lens and Google Lens effectively turn your smartphone camera into a search bar. Businesses can make visual search work for them by, for example:

• Adding high-quality images to their websites that include descriptive keywords,

• Prioritizing image optimization within their online marketing,

• Running ads on Pinterest.

Tip: An image sitemap helps search engines crawl the images on your site much more effectively. Clear, descriptive file names and meaningful alt text ensure that search engines can easily understand what your images show.

Customer Reviews for Local Businesses

Search engines are now much better at processing customer reviews than they were in the past, and these reviews directly impact local rankings. The goal is to have a healthy volume of positive reviews from verified sources. This not only builds trust with human visitors, but also boosts your standing in the eyes of search engines.

On Google, the most important reviews are found on your Google Business Profile. Given its large user base, Facebook also carries significant weight. Then there are industry-specific platforms like Yelp for hotels, restaurants, and leisure activities. If you want to encourage more reviews, try sending customers a direct link to your Google Business Profile after a purchase. A solid strategy for increasing the volume of (positive) reviews should definitely be on your online marketing checklist for 2023, especially for local businesses.

By the way: we're always happy to help you design a tailored online marketing strategy that matches your specific goals and industry.

Google Ads Smart Bidding as a Key SEA Trend in 2023

Smart and automated bidding in Google Ads has become increasingly sophisticated, earning its spot on our list of online marketing trends for 2023. Since mid-2022, Responsive Search Ads have been the only standard search ad format you can create. Marketers have gained a lot of valuable experience this year using AI- and machine-learning-powered automated bidding strategies. While Google’s emphasis on automation means relinquishing a bit of hands-on control over campaigns and ads, it also opens up fresh avenues of expertise within the SEA space. Routine manual tasks are gradually giving way to strategic performance marketing responsibilities. For instance, connecting with the right target audience and fostering synergies across different channels will remain essential—and is a clear trend for 2023.

TikTok Bridging SEO, SEA, and Social Media Marketing

Once written off by many as just a fun app for younger generations, TikTok has proven to have serious potential for customer acquisition and loyalty. Whether it’s sharing behind-the-scenes glimpses for recruitment or running targeted ad campaigns, TikTok needs to be taken seriously in modern marketing—making it a standout trend for 2023. 

While ad revenues for platforms like Facebook and Google took a hit in 2022, TikTok continued to grow. One reason might be that Apple's privacy updates have made personalized advertising tougher for the established giants, while TikTok seems far less impacted. Another reason is the platform's surging popularity—not just for entertainment, but as a go-to source for information and news. What makes TikTok especially interesting is how it blends different online marketing disciplines: TikTok SEO for organic visibility, alongside ads for paid reach. In the broader marketing mix, the platform is an absolute must-consider for brands looking to reach a younger demographic.

The Rise of Instant Messaging Platforms

Instant messaging platforms have become a fantastic way to communicate efficiently with customers. Today’s consumers want quick answers about products and services, and messaging is often the smoothest way to deliver them. WhatsApp easily leads the pack here. While many businesses are still hesitant to reach out to customers and leads via WhatsApp, it’s a communication channel you shouldn't overlook. Naturally, obtaining proper consent is essential, just as with any marketing effort. Leveraging this channel more proactively is set to be a major online marketing trend for 2023. It’s highly effective because people love using WhatsApp and typically pay closer attention to a message received there. When it comes to customer retention, messaging apps are fast becoming indispensable across many industries.

Google Analytics 4 Rollout Shapes Web Analytics Trends for 2022 and 2023

Google launched Google Analytics 4 (GA4) back in October 2020, and many companies have already embraced it. Making the switch to GA4 will be one of the most critical online marketing moves in the coming year, as its predecessor, Universal Analytics, will stop processing new data as of July 1, 2023. With GA4, users can take advantage of free integrations with Google Merchant Center, BigQuery, and Google Optimize, as well as add custom reports directly to the navigation menu. Other highlights include anomaly detection, deeper attribution models, and predictive metrics. To avoid any data gaps, getting GA4 set up as soon as possible is key. Experience shows that you should plan for a few months of lead time to properly implement, test, and fine-tune your tracking before Universal Analytics is phased out.

Haven’t made the leap to GA4 yet? We’re happy to support and train your team on implementing Google Analytics 4 and navigating its new interface with ease.

Inclusion as a Brand Value and Marketing Benchmark

Our final two online marketing trends for 2023 span across channels, influencing everything from search engine optimization to SEA and social media marketing.

Inclusion, equality, and authentic representation have never been more in the public spotlight than they have this year. Thanks to social media, underrepresented communities have a platform to share their voices and raise awareness about systemic inequalities. Brands are thinking more deeply about their public image, their core values, and how to communicate them genuinely. Often, this is where different generations and perspectives intersect. Embracing inclusion—whether through gender-neutral language or more diverse imagery on your website and creative assets—is essential for any business wanting to connect authentically with its audience and truly live its values.

Data Privacy Remains Front and Center in 2023

Public awareness around data privacy has grown significantly since the rollout of the GDPR. People have become much more mindful about the personal data they share and how it’s being used. As a result, more visitors are simply clicking “Decline cookies” on consent banners, leading to minimal or no user tracking. This leaves businesses with an incomplete data picture unless they turn to alternatives like server-side tracking. Balancing strict privacy compliance with the desire for actionable data to plan future marketing campaigns will remain a top priority for the foreseeable future.

The Takeaway: Online Marketing Trends for 2023

Looking at the online marketing landscape for the upcoming year, we see several trends that took root in 2022 gaining even more momentum in 2023. It will be fascinating to watch how ad spend shifts across platforms in the year ahead. Meanwhile, the growing complexity of Google Search—from voice search to local SEO, alongside the rising influence of artificial intelligence—will be another key development we'll be watching closely.

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