We may be halfway through 2021, but digital marketing trends continue to emerge as we redefine the way we live, work, and play post-pandemic. This week’s roundup explores digital marketing trends to watch for the remainder of the year, including CTV ad spend, the rise of text message marketing, and relevant targeting in the age of data privacy.  

US Upfront CTV Ad Spending Will Surpass $4 billion This Year – eMarketer 

For the first time, we have broken out the portion of US upfront digital video ad spending that goes to connected TV (CTV). This year, advertisers will increase their upfront CTV video ad spending by almost 50% year over year to $4.51 billion. <<< Read More>>> 

Text Marketing On The Rise, 61.8% Of Consumers Have Opted In To Messages: Study – MediaPost 

Texting may not yet have achieved the ROI and dominance of email, but it is gaining, judging by 35 Must-Know Texting Statistics for 2021, a new study by Simple Texting. Of the consumers polled, 78% say checking, sending and answering text messages is what they do most on their phones. Moreover, 61.8% have opted in to receive texts from a business in the past year.   

Fifty-seven percent of business owners plan to increase their text-marketing budgets this year, and 76% are already spending on texting or are open to do so. <<< Read More>>> 

In the Age of Consumer Privacy, Relevance is King - AdAge 

As consumers take more control of their personal information, advertisers may be restricted in how and when they do one-to-one targeting. But that does not mean that brands can never use data or must only generically advertise. Rather, they have to treat consumers as people, not merely data points. That means brands must use data in ways that respect consumer choices and preferences. And that makes targeted marketing based on demographics, interests, location or other consumer information just as essential as ever for effective marketing campaigns. <<<Read More>>> 

Stats that Show Radio is as Relevant as Ever - Bonneville Bay Area 

Contrary to what some media pundits may think, radio as a medium continues to thrive. In fact, people are consuming more terrestrial and digital radio than ever before. This rising consumption enriches the marketing opportunity that radio provides companies, as radio remains one of the most cost-effective ways to generate reach and frequency.  

Eighty percent of consumers reported they listened to as much or more radio in 2020 as the year before, largely driven by a rise of in-home smart speaker usage. Radio, both traditional and digital, provides small and midsize firms with opportunities to grow and expand their businesses by reaching more consumers, building brand awareness, and driving people to purchase. <<<Read More>>> 

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We cover the latest marketing tips, best practices, and insights that you can apply to your Bay Area business. Check out some of our recent posts: 

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