With all the uncertainty they’ve faced in the last few years and talk of a coming economic downturn, it’s no surprise some businesses are stepping cautiously into the new year…

But fortune favours the bold. 2022 saw a rise in developing tech and growing discussions around a 4-day work week, amongst other game-changing business trends. There’s a lot to look forward to in the coming 12 months, and here at The Digital Voice™, we believe you attract what you put out into the world, so go into 2023 positive and confident!

Here’s our biggest predictions on trends for the year ahead.

#1 – Authenticity and honesty are key values

If there’s anything the pandemic gave us, it was a more critical view of the world following the abundance of misinformation and sensationalism. Audiences are far more tuned in to credibility and accountability than they used to be, and that’s a good thing!

We should all be striving to be authentic in our work and personal lives in 2023 – being open from the start allows others to be more forgiving and understanding of any shortcomings, and gives individuals and businesses the space to grow and develop human connection.

For brands, the way they present their message and content in general needs to be more personal and authentic, and businesses need to focus on transparency, especially in the ad industry! Giovanni Sollazzo, Founder & Chairman of AIDEM weighs in: “For too long, the ad industry has been operating opaque practices but, more than ever, transparency is required. A healthy media ecosystem also enables marketers to fulfil their objectives whilst protecting the privacy of their audiences.”

You can read all of Giovanni’s predictions for 2023 on Mediashotz!

#2 – Skill growth will be essential to stay competitive

As the industry constantly evolves, so must our understanding of it if we want to stay on top. With all the developing technology, changes to social media algorithms and features and trends in content, there’s plenty to be learned in 2023! Individuals need to take initiative to upskill themselves, and companies should be dedicating time to keeping their employees on a constant upward skill track to avoid losing out to competitors. 

Some focuses are timeless – leadership and public speaking skills, for example – whereas others are always changing or brand new, such as best practices for marketing and analytics or new social media platforms and tools. Personal development and soft skills are just as important as hard skills and qualifications, and those who fail to learn risk falling behind in the long run.

#3 – Sustainability and Going Green is the way forward

Less of a trend and more of a movement – one of the biggest changes of the last few years is that more and more businesses are moving towards green business practices and sustainability, from carbon offsetting to going ‘green digital’. With 2023 set to be the tenth successive year of temperatures rising more than 1°C above the pre-industrial average, the state of the planet is on many people’s minds, and going green is a positive change with long-term benefits for everyone.

GumGum’s Pete Wallace knows that building a sustainable future is one of the most important subjects of the year.

“Sustainability only continues to increase in importance, and I think we will see massive growth in the way it is applied across the supply chain - especially at the top, among the brands. For many of them, sustainable messaging is going to be a fundamental condition for success from this point on - although it will be interesting to see what people do around sustainability during a recession.”

Read all of Pete’s 2023 predictions at The Drum.

#4 – Multimedia content takes the throne

More time than ever before is spent on our phones, tablets and computers both at and outside of work, and in order to capture the all important attention of pivotal audiences, we need to understand what it is they’re looking for. Easily consumable, engaging video and audio content provides a dynamic, human experience to your audience. From snappy videos to informative podcasts, 2023 is the year to embrace multimedia!

The Digital Voice™ podcast ‘Off Record, On Point’ will be back for 2023 on January 26th with our first episode of the year, The Secret to Standing Out from the Crowd. Join hosts Julia and Kasey as they deep dive into identity, sexuality and overwhelming business success with GumGum CEO Phil Schraeder. You can follow the show on your favourite podcast platform here.

#5 – Social awareness, diversity and inclusion is a core business component

Across businesses in every industry, there’s a growing awareness of the need to focus on diversity and inclusion. The businesses that stand out in 2023 will be those attracting people from all different walks of life, with diversity in ethnicity, culture, gender, socio-economic status and identity. 

It’s not a trend: diverse workplaces are a competitive advantage. The more inclusive a community, the more perspectives and unique ideas are brought into a business, and when employees are comfortable being themselves, they’re more productive, engaged, loyal and satisfied with their jobs. 

#6 – Simplifying and Strategising

Gone are the days of complicated and convoluted ideas and business practices. In the past few years, people have grown increasingly appreciative of transparency and the chance to slow down, and 2023 is the year to bring that energy to every aspect of business. Simplify business practices, find a straightforward style and create concise, authentic messaging to stay on top this year! Take time to strategize and learn what works and what doesn’t. Make every message count. 

Simplicity doesn’t stop at messaging and marketing either. James Leaver, Founder and CEO of multilocal believes that the advertising industry needs to simplify practices too. 

“Certainly we must, as an industry, simplify the way digital media is bought and sold. But while much has been done on the buy side to improve efficiency and results, the supply side remains relatively untouched.”

Read all of James’ commentary on Mediashotz!

#7 – Data Privacy will stay top dog

Over the last few years, a lot of conversations have sprung to life over data privacy and online safety. Consumers have made their feelings on the matter known loud and clear: privacy first, full stop.

Controversially in 2022, Google delayed the discontinuation of third-party cookies a second time, putting it off until 2024. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t yet time for business to adapt, as James Prudhomme, CRO of Optable knows very well. Data use needs to adopt a privacy-first approach for the comfort and security of everyone involved.

“Forward thinking brands with well developed first party data strategies look set to benefit the most, while clean room media will, increasingly, enable privacy-first monetisation; thereby enabling more advertisers to achieve precision and performance through exclusively available audience data.” 

For the rest of James’ thoughts and predictions, read more on Mediashotz!

#8 – Staying out of the office!

The Digital Voice™ has been 100% remote since our inception, and gone are the days when someone said we were mad for doing it. In February 2022, 84% of workers who had to make the swap to remote working during the pandemic said they planned to continue working from home as much as possible, but last year saw some CEOs making shameless demands for employees to return to the office full-time. This led others to question if it was time to give up the remote and hybrid working culture most of the world has adapted to since 2020.

Remote working is packed with benefits, both for employees and companies. It’s an attractive way for people to work, and a whopping 97% of workers say that remote or hybrid working is a key factor in job satisfaction these days. There’s no denying that time and experience over the last few years has proven that being together in an office isn’t necessary to produce great results, so it looks like remote working is here to stay for good!

We’ll be deep diving into remote working on Off Record, On Point in February, so be sure to sign up for our newsletter below – you'll get a great email once a month packed with our latest episode and the most exciting news from the industry!