2021 Trend Predictions

As 2021 quickly approaches, we’re examining significant trends rippling through the event, social media and public relations industries. From adapting to event restrictions with the help of emerging technology to utilizing livestreams to extend the reach of your messaging, we outline our top six trend predictions for the new year.

Read on to learn how your business can take advantage of these new trends to increase your bottom line.

NEW TECHNOLOGY WILL HELP BRING BACK LIVE EVENTS

2020 will forever be known as the year of Zoom events. While digital events served their purpose of keeping attendees safe at home, new technological advancements will play a crucial role in future in-person gatherings. New tools are being developed to keep attendees safe before, during and after events. BizBash highlights innovations for contact-free event planning including Tripleseat, a seamless way for event planners to choose rooms, select menus and make payments from the comfort of home.

For backed up lines and crowd management solutions, Waitwhile offers a cloud-based line-management platform called Spot Holder. The virtual waitlist allows guests to track their place in line remotely. When it’s time to return to the venue, Spot Holder sends a notification to the phone number provided eliminating congested waiting areas during registration and check-in. To read more about COVID-friendly event technology from  BizBash, click here.

MORE PERSONALIZED BRAND ACTIVATIONS STRAIGHT TO YOUR DOOR

With in-person event restrictions varying state by state and event capacity limits in place for the unforeseen future, many brands are turning to hyper targeted experiential marketing to bring events to people by visiting individual residences or locations.

BizBash outlines how e.l.f. Cosmetics designed a custom Volkswagen bus that brought a personal pop-up experience directly to beauty influencers’ homes in Los Angeles. The e.l.f. Cosmetics Spooktacular Halloween Truck allowed the at-home guests to safely try out products displayed in the decked-out mobile suite. These ultra-personal experiences are allowing brands to connect with and celebrate consumers safely, in a ‘real life’ moment while Zoom fatigue continues to run rampant.

DIGITAL DETOX FROM DOOM SCROLLING

According to Sprout Social, Instagram users spent an average of 53 minutes a day on the platform in 2018. Today, daily time spent on Instagram is increasing by 13.8 percent, according to emarketer.com. From election news to catastrophic world events appearing on Twitter timelines and family members voicing political opinions on Facebook, many  turn to “digital detoxing” to escape the constant negative chatter online.

Influencers are also taking long breaks from social media to decompress and lower the amount of time spent online. Despite social influencers making a living by creating quality content and earning brand sponsorship deals, it is now becoming more acceptable to simply take a break from Instagram. Before a “digital detox” an influencer typically announces they will be taking a break from the platform for an extended period of time and notifies followers when they expect to return online.

MORE PEOPLE WILL LIVESTREAM EVENTS

As concerts, festivals and large gatherings continue to be postponed or cancelled, many are turning to livestreaming. In a revolutionary experiment for the music industry, singer Dua Lipa’s Thanksgiving-weekend Studio 2054 livestream drew over five million viewers, according to Rolling Stone. With a production cost of more than $1.5 million dollars, the first-of-its-kind digital event sold tickets to viewers from across the globe. Ben Mawson, co-founder and co-CEO of Lipa’s management company TaP Music, predicts even when touring returns, live streaming will still be a part of the new music business model.

TELECOMMUTING IS HERE TO STAY

Earlier this year, any employee capable of telecommuting frantically rushed to work from home to help minimize the spread of COVID-19. While the sudden change initially presented some challenges, many companies are now finding surprising benefits from telecommuting. With added flexibility and less time spent commuting, many companies are offering permanent work from home positions. With increased confidence in the benefits of remote working, REI made the decision to sell its newly completed corporate campus before it even opened its doors, according to a Forbes article. Many corporations and small businesses are following suit, offering permanent work from home opportunities after the pandemic subsides.

SOCIAL MEDIA WILL BECOME MORE FOCUSED ON E-COMMERCE

According to Forbes, Generation Z spends two to three times more shopping on social channels than the average consumer. As the line between social media and online shopping becomes blurred, social commerce continues to become more of a focus on all social media platforms. With the most recent app update, Instagram Shop replaced the entire notification page, creating more of an emphasis on buying products through social media and less on organic social interactions.

With Facebook Marketplace appearing front and center on both the desktop and mobile experience, users are constantly encouraged to buy or list items or services through the social media platform. By seamlessly integrating desirable products into timelines, it is now easier than ever to help consumers discover new products with a click of a button.

With COVID-related challenges constantly emerging, businesses must stay on top of the latest trends in events and communications to best market themselves. It is crucial to pivot both in-person operations and digital marketing efforts to avoid wasting valuable resources. Interested in getting started? The Vox Agency is here to help you execute your next digital or in-person event, develop a proper social media strategy and pivot your messaging to adapt to the latest health and safety regulations. Click here to get in touch.