2023 is finally here, it’s going to bring us a lot of new trends, and as we all know, the partner marketing industry is changing and evolving together with the rest of technology. Partners and partner managers must be prepared to adapt their tactics and incorporate new techniques into their businesses and campaigns as new technologies emerge.

Technology has advanced so quickly in the past few years that it might be difficult to keep up. To stay one step ahead of your competition, however, you must be able to properly foresee future trends and make efforts to prepare your firm for change and growth. 

We’ve compiled a list of the top partner trends to look out for in 2023, so without further ado, let’s dive right in!

Data-driven marketing

Data is already an important component of any marketing approach. It can be used to inform you about a variety of things, including consumer preferences, sales numbers, and product information. 

However, data gathering and analysis technology is poised to transform the way partners and brands can use the power of data to optimize their strategies and boost conversions.

Data may already be utilized to create detailed and precise consumer profiles and forecast potential future traffic and purchases. Data can also be utilized to track and improve the customer experience across numerous platforms and devices.

In 2023, after the vast success of ChatGPT and Dell-E-2, we expect an increasing integration with artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud-based technologies. This will speed up the data collection and analysis process, allowing partners to store, manage, and access data in a more time-efficient and organized manner.

Crypto and NFT join the game.

Since 2009, cryptocurrencies have been a part of our lives and inevitably made rapidly a big share of affiliate marketing earnings. They have proliferated, expanded, and entrenched their presence since then. The industry has some of the most competitive referral programs, commission rates, and high earning potential. You may help reach a larger audience by promoting a specific cryptocurrency or platform.

In comparison to cryptocurrencies, NFTs are a relative newbie to the crypto business. They have, however, flooded in, and there are already multiple sites for trading NFTs and developing partner networks to promote those platforms. While both NFT and Crypto have been around for a while, we don’t expect them to go away in 2023.

Brand-to-brand partnerships

A brand-to-brand alliance occurs when two non-competing companies pool their resources to offer a marketing strategy to a common target audience. Effective brand-to-brand partnerships (not to be mistaken with B2B, or business-to-business) are mutually beneficial; they can provide several benefits, such as higher sales and conversions, greater brand awareness and reputation, and a cost-effective marketing solution.

In 2023, we can undoubtedly expect to see more brand-to-brand partnerships as partners and organizations seek new strategies to target specific segments and demographics.

If the content is king, then voice search reigns supreme. Though voice search and most of its increased capabilities are still in continuous development, it has evolved into the most often used method of internet searching. This demonstrates the future direction of content creation, which must become voice search-friendly.

The e-commerce sector alone rose by one-third in 2020, signifying the start of a new era of virtual buying. As technological advancements push towards a new virtual e-commerce experience, the year 2022 saw the emergence of immersive AR-based browsing, live social media shopping, and an increase in voice and virtual search.

According to Google, 27% of the online population currently employs a type of vocal or virtual search.

This has created numerous opportunities for partner marketers in 2022 and will continue to do so in the coming year. As the focus of the campaign strategy turns to smartphone users and a push for immersive shopping trends, future partner strategies must move away from traditional link-sharing and text-based content.

Marketers should instead concentrate on visual and audio-based partner promotion. To compete with user-generated content, strategies must be fast-paced, inventive, and organic. With mobile devices now accounting for more than half of all partner traffic, leveraging the power of social platform trends has become critical for success.

A focus on performance marketing

The world is currently experiencing economic uncertainty and volatility. Rising inflation and energy costs are having major effects on businesses and customers alike, as evidenced by consumer purchasing habits.

As a result, companies will seek to optimize their budget structures and guarantee that their marketing strategies are as cost-effective and effective as feasible. Brands can use performance marketing to pay for digital advertising on a pay-per-click or pay-per-sale basis, guaranteeing they are not wasting money. Partners must be prepared to adapt their strategies in order to provide companies with performance-based marketing opportunities in 2023.

Virtual Shopping

Virtual shopping is slowly but surely taking over and spreading in a variety of approaches. Virtual reality and augmented reality environments, such as metaverse, are very new and untapped in terms of partner marketing prospects.

By developing your partner marketing program on a metaverse or a related platform, you have an advantage in collaborating with brands entering a whole new environment. Early adopters of this virtual, networked society stand to benefit from a new revenue stream.

Video selling via strong eCommerce platforms is another possibility for partners to capitalize on. Another partner marketing niche to dive into is live broadcasting products to your audience and providing recommendations, promo codes, and guidance. E-commerce is a growing industry, and being involved will allow you to have access to new items, brands, and opportunities.

Community-based partner marketing

The internet is based on the concept of community, and they have long served as the foundation and heart of the internet. It used to be forums and message boards; now, it’s social media. Regardless of the shape and form it takes, these communities have historically proven to be difficult for partners to target but have potentially high rewards if done correctly.

Online communities, whether on Facebook, Reddit, or Discord, are frequently focused on specific themes or things, providing a ready-made, knowledgeable demographic base. Partners who can target this group will gain access to a hitherto untapped market of potential clients.

As companies and partners turn toward more organic marketing strategies, we should expect these communities to gain significantly more attention as marketers seek to capitalize on their unique opportunities.

A Cookieless Future

On this blog, we have already talked a lot about cookies. Following Google’s announcement that third-party cookies will be phased out in 2021, partner marketers will need to adjust to what the future of audience targeting may look like in the coming years – basically, a cookieless future!

While third-party data was historically responsible for frequency limiting, demographic targeting, and the all-important analytics required to construct a successful campaign, first-party data campaigning, and contextual targeting will witness a significant shift by 2023.

In fact, 51% of marketers already invested in contextual targeting in 2022, making it a popular partner strategy for the years to come.

Marketers will have to rely on on-page analytics, conversational marketing, and social listening in the future if they want to design a campaign that targets the right audience. As we enter a consumer-dominated market, advertising must know their target demographic inside and out in order to engage them.

Looking for partner marketing software that allows cookieless tracking? Try Scaleo free for 14 days, no credit card required!

Partner Marketing Trends in 2024 - What to Expect? -

Conclusion

Partner marketing has grown and extended to cover additional industries, companies, and products while utilizing cutting-edge technology. The rivalry is growing, but so is the revenue generated by both brands and partners.

Keeping an eye on the latest trends and leveraging the latest technology, as well as new channels, can have an impact on the performance of your partner’s marketing business.

It is also critical that your partner’s marketing efforts are carried out in an authentic, non-promotional manner that is consistent with your principles. You may create a trusting relationship with your audience by addressing them honestly and connecting with them using a medium that allows for effective communication.

The key to conducting a successful partner marketing strategy is to be informed of future trends and have your company ready to change and adapt to market demands. Predicting what’s to come in the internet world may seem difficult, but with the right study and planning, you can ensure your partner’s business is ready for whatever lies ahead in 2023.

In practice, many of these partner marketing trends are just beginning to emerge. However, 2023 is expected to be a year of digital transformation for social platforms, search engines, and the brands that use them.

Last Updated on September 7, 2023

Author

Elizabeth is a Senior Content Manager at Scaleo. Currently enjoying the life in Prague and sharing professional affiliate marketing tips. She's been in the online marketing business since 2006 and gladly shares all her insights and ideas on this blog.