What are Trends of the Online Industry for 2021?
By Contributing Author
The online world is an ever-changing platform that can be challenging to keep up with. If you have any type of online focus, you know that you must constantly be adapting to these changes in order to be successful or effective.
Whether you’re an individual just trying to stay up-to-date or you own a business in the online industry, you must be familiar with the trends and stay on top of them in your own way. In this guide, we will share with you the trends of the online industry for 2021.
Keep these trends in mind to make the most of your success in the online world.
1. Videos Attract
If you think about what catches your attention when you’re browsing the internet or scrolling through social media, what is it that makes you more likely to stop and look at something? Videos seem to be one of the top things that attracts attention of viewers.
If videos aren’t an option, you want some really awesome graphics that will catch the eye of anyone looking at your site or scrolling by. People don’t stop to just look at text anymore. You have to make a statement in some way and the very best way to do that is to incorporate videos of some sort.
You don’t need anything long or detailed. Short snippets are the winners here. Give yourself a leg up in the online industry by using videos or really awesome graphics to draw in a crowd.
2. Mobile Compatibility
There was a time when everything online took place right from the computer. Now, very few things are completed on the computer and rather people just use their mobile device or perhaps a tablet or similar item.
Keeping up with the current trend is all about catering to the needs of the people and the people want mobile compatibility. If you don’t have mobile compatibility in some way, it’s time to make that a priority.
We suspect that in the near future, things with no mobile compatibility will be greatly overlooked and maybe even no longer used. There are many trends that show that online shopping through a mobile is on the rise and already more than 50% of online activity, particularly shopping, takes place from a mobile device.
If you’re not on the mobile bandwagon, don’t get left behind. Start making plans to accommodate this trend.
3. Multiple Payment Options
Whether you are playing online casinos or shopping for new shoes, having multiple payment options is a must. Some retailers offer compatibility with things like PayPal and Venmo while others work strictly with credit cards.
Customers like to have multiple options and it’s really a matter of convenience. Some of what you accept might depend on the types of services that you offer but we recommend doing everything in your power to give your customers options.
If they can’t use their desired pay option on your site, they very likely will take their business elsewhere just so they can use what they want to use or are most comfortable working with. It seems like more work but remember that the “customer is always right.”
One online industry trend is to increase pay platforms so that you offer solutions that entice just about any customer that might be checking out your site.
4. Social Media has a Place
No matter what type of industry you are working with, you need to plug into social media platforms. The rise of social media use continues to grow and with that, your business just might not thrive without it.
People use social media as a resource and one should keep this in mind. Social media use is not a new trend but more and more we see that the industry trends show the power of using social media.
Not using social media can sometimes cause more harm than good. Don’t overlook the importance of reaching customers in every single avenue possible. How many businesses or opportunities have YOU discovered simply scrolling through Facebook? If you think with that mindset, the evidence is clear.
When it comes to opportunity, social media even has platforms where you can place links and people can shop right there without ever leaving their media platform. There are “buy” and “checkout” buttons on many of these platforms if you sell goods. They continue to update to stay on task and offer the world what it’s after.
Social media is an online industry trend for 2021 that you shouldn’t miss.
5. Cash into AR
It can be hard to invest in trends when you just don’t really know if they are worth your money but sometimes shelling out cash to meet a trend puts you on top of the game. One of the hottest trends of the online industry is the use of AR or augmented reality.
Augmented reality basically provides the user with a real-life type of environment and we see it incorporated into just a multitude of platforms. Consider Snapchat – they have thousands of filters to choose from but all of the filters use you to fulfill them.
Then, you have shopping platforms. Some of those platforms will let you actually try on the item you are looking at. If you can’t try it on specifically, they provide you with real-life photos so you can see it in action.
The same can be done with games and other types of platforms as well. You want to play to the visual, auditory, and sensory factors of individuals and AR is one popular way to do so.
Conclusion
If you want to be at the top of your game, you should make every effort to really understand what the industry trends will be. Sometimes these trends are obvious and other times there are just subtle changes that you might need to play into.
Don’t let your online industry fall behind. Do your research and make the changes so you can continue to attract new people all the time!
