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Customer Experience Brand Strategy Web Design

5 trends that are set to transform your 2023 digital strategy

By Ellie Hanson, Marketing manager

Rawnet

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The Drum Network article

This content is produced by The Drum Network, a paid-for membership club for CEOs and their agencies who want to share their expertise and grow their business.

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January 5, 2023 | 8 min read

What will be the top drivers of consumer loyalty in 2023? Ellie Hanson of Rawnet dives in from a digital perspective.

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Stellar user experiences, one-tap solutions and mobile optimization are set to drive customer loyalty in 2023 / Karl Solano via Unsplash

2023 brings new business goals, objectives, and digital initiatives. Economic uncertainty, however, is front and center: rising inflation, increasing interest rates and high talent demand are leaving brands unsure of what to expect and how best to prepare for the year ahead.

Customers appreciate businesses which offer first-class digital experience. As soon as a brand ceases to deliver this, consumer loyalty is diminished.

There are a number of trends expected to shape companies' digital strategies in 2023. It’s vital that marketers keep them front-of-mind to drive success through economic turbulence.

1. Customer loyalty over customer adoption

Due to increasing financial pressures, many consumers are reevaluating where they spend their money. Consumers are seeking products that offer better value for money, from brands that provide a stronger user experience (UX). It’s crucial for businesses to pay attention to customers' needs; keeping them happy creates loyalty, which can support a company through an economic downturn.

Brands need to ensure that customer experience (CX) is at the forefront of their priorities as many businesses have come to realize that customers who were once loyal will be forced to switch to alternatives either due to financial constraints or because their needs aren’t being met.

Marketers can look to leverage new approaches to customer loyalty, like personalization and user-generated content (UGC), to keep customers engaged. For example, a hashtag can encourage users to participate in a UGC campaign, making customers feel as if they are part of a wider community.

Customers may be enticed to participate by seeing their images or stories on the company’s page, or they may be motivated to participate if marketers provide an incentive.

2. Delivery is more important than ever

During the recent global pandemic, brick-and-mortar stores were forced to close and e-commerce orders skyrocketed. In 2020, over two billion people purchased goods or services online. This has led to a rise in competition and an over-saturated market for many price-competitive brands.

A poor delivery experience can decrease customer loyalty, but a simple change in the customer onboarding process can boost a brand’s reputation, improve delivery, and reduce costs, all while putting the business ahead of competitors.

Marketers need to take greater care in providing a seamless experience for customers. They can do this in a number of ways; the first is by deploying an address verification software which helps to avoid the issue of the wrong delivery address.

They can also look to provide a one-tap solution to make completion of the order easier once a customer has reached the checkout page. And they should regularly maintain databases due to the rate of data decay.

3. Mobile first

As of November 2022, 60.28% of all web traffic came through mobile phones. Brands must consider designing sites mobile-first, or risk falling behind their competition.

When websites aren’t optimized for mobile, it can cause bad UX, which can lead to higher bounce rates, shorter dwell times, a significant drop in the brand’s search engine result page (SERP) ranking, and damage to consideration levels.

Mobile optimization can bolster page load speed and overall performance. Brands should consider implementing easy-to-click buttons, enabling consumers to navigate their way through the site. It’s important for marketers to keep these factors in mind as consumers are more likely to return to the website where they had a seamless experience, which will improve ROI over time.

4. Eco-consciousness

Consumers are increasingly putting sustainability first and becoming more eco-conscious. In 2023, brands will begin to see consumers switching to other products or services where their morals align, since not all sustainability claims have been substantiated. 68% of consumers say they are more likely to be loyal to a brand if they share the same values; nearly 70% now consider sustainability when purchasing products or services.

However, many brands have been known to ‘greenwash’ products to portray a false narrative and lead consumers to believe that they're more environmentally-friendly than they truly are. With that in mind, marketers must ensure that their communications are as transparent as possible regarding sustainability and ethical promises.

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5. Stronger relationships with consumers

Gaining trust, being authentic and building brand awareness can help to retain customer loyalty. A true connection with the consumer is what creates longevity. Less is more with consumers. Sending them unnecessary emails or updates can do more harm than good, as consumers will want to unsubscribe.

As the barriers to entry get lower, the market is becoming fiercely competitive and consumers are seeking a one-to-one relationship with their brands of choice. Once businesses optimize their CX and offer incentives, marketers can build and strengthen their relationships with consumers.

Customer Experience Brand Strategy Web Design

Content by The Drum Network member:

Rawnet

Rawnet is a digital agency that defines, designs, delivers and drives strategic products and services that create a long-term positive impact.

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