6 online trends for 2021
2020 is almost coming to an end. A lot has happened throughout this year, to say the least. The circumstances have made clear that the online world offers so many possibilities, such as remote meetings and activating campaigns with #staysafe. We are curious about which online trends we are going to see in 2021. Here are a few of our predictions.
#1 Ecommerce: Social Shopping
During the corona pandemic, people were not only working but also shopping from home. Clothing, personal items, and even groceries were more often bought through online platforms, such as Amazon. Google has taken advantage of this trend by launching Buy on Google, where the complete buying process takes place on the Google platform. As the e-commerce competition keeps on growing, other retailers are not the only ones following this trend. Even Instagram is taking Instagram Shopping to the next level by introducing ‘Instagram Shop’ on the main navigation menu. There’s the possibility to browse through shops and items, and you can even add them to your wishlist. Just like Buy on Google, you can immediately buy products without leaving the Instagram app. This e-commerce trend on (social media) platforms is most likely to evolve in 2021.
#2 Businesses on TikTok
It is already over one year ago when the app TikTok exploded and gained millions of new users in a short amount of time. It is still very popular among Gen Z but there are also more and more businesses actively posting videos. Brands such as the NBA and even Louis Vuitton are gaining millions of likes and creating just that extra bit of entertainment and engagement for their audiences. As this trend is still fairly new, it will continue to grow in the next year.
#3 Broadcasters are going online
Have you seen ‘Behind the scenes’, ‘sneak peeks’ and trailers of television shows on social media? You probably have. This is certainly a trend that will take on in the next year, as we are watching less television but using our smartphones more and more. Therefore it only comes naturally, as we are streaming television shows and movies through our phones, that broadcasters keeping in touch with their audiences by sharing clips of their content on social media. We have already been seeing lots of cliffhangers and unseen moments but this will only increase.
#4 Focus on video
This is a trend that has been around for a while now, but yet there is a change taking place in the digital landscape. Video is concurring the online world, even Facebook said that video will be 70% of mobile data traffic in 2021, which is around 50% at this moment. This proves why video-focused platforms such as TikTok and Twitch are so popular. Instagram is also focusing on video by changing its navigation menu. The app recently added a ‘Reels’ tab as a shortcut on the navigation, next to Discover and Shops. ‘Reels’ are similar to TikTok videos, short and editable but were only introduced last august. It is interesting to see the fast, impactful interface changes in the app and the new focus on videos. What will Instagram bring us in 2021? Is this app also shifting from photos to videos?
#5 Visual radio
In the past, we listened to the radio while driving or during some other activity. But more and more radio stations are using their channels in a cross-medial way: it is not just a radio channel anymore. There are video clips from the live streams (unique, funny moments, behind the scenes, etc.) being shared on social media. In this trend, we’ve been seeing a change from audio to visual radio. And it is a successful trend: audiences are more entertained with this combination of image and sound.
#6 Remote meetings
Some people hate it, some people love it: online meetings. It is safe to say that lots of people had to get used to the Zoom and Microsoft Team meetings. But now we’ve concluded that it is sometimes more convenient as it saves travel time for example. This is why this trend will probably not end in 2020. Other platforms such as Google Meet and Skype are also growing their amount of users and more features are being added too. We’re aware of the fun backgrounds we can use but what other features will be added and what changes are going to happen for these online meetings?
These are the trends of which we think are going to make it to 2021. What are your predictions and what are you excited to see next year?
