Both large and small companies do well to invest in improving customer experience on their website and social media channels.

Digital marketing constantly evolves with new tech tools and strategies that allow businesses to retain customers, reach new ones and stay one step ahead of the competition. But one issue should always remain in focus: customer experience.

Customer experience in digital marketing is especially important as more companies learn the advantages of leveraging technology to make customers’ browsing and buying experiences smoother and more enjoyable.

Forbes recently listed customer experience in digital marketing as one of the biggest trends in marketing for 2023. The magazine noted that while long-time customer experience issues remain important, “The game has changed, and the buzzwords of the year will be engagement and interactivity,” according to Forbes.

Elements of Customer Experience

One of the main components of any digital marketing strategy is to simplify the process of finding, learning about and eventually buying a product or service online. The best websites reduce friction that can lead to customer frustration, such as having to click through too many fields before completing a purchase.

Those issues remain important. However, the ability to use social media and website content to engage current and potential customers is now key to the overall online customer experience. When meeting with professional digital marketers to assess the impact of digital marketing, it’s important to keep several key components of customer experience in mind.

Discovery. In this area, companies find the right customers through research and data analysis, then align products to become solutions to their customers’ problems.

Engagement. This refers to the connection between the company and the customer and may also refer to the experience of the customer’s journey. Dimensions of engagement include longevity, whether a customer engages with a brand without prompting, the repetition and frequency of engagements, and the context of where these engagements occur.

Delivery. This involves the ease and convenience of the process of purchasing and receiving products from a company.

By focusing on management of customer experience, companies attempt to improve every transaction that customers have with a company, whether it’s on a website, social media or through search. It’s a critical step for companies to take. Research from PWC shows that customers are willing to pay as much as 86 percent more for a product when it involves a positive customer experience.

The Omni-Channel Approach

Most companies enjoy more success in digital marketing with an omni-channel approach that often provides the best strategy for improving customer experience. By focusing on creating customer experiences that flow across all digital channels, customers can effortlessly move from one channel to the next.

This approach allows both large and small companies the ability to deliver a quality customer experience no matter which path a customer takes on their digital journey. This includes websites, every social media channel, email, and paid search advertising.

One of the keys to this approach is that it encourages users to become repeat customers who buy products and services again. They may also become advocates for the company by offering online reviews and in-person recommendations.

Other Important Trends in Digital Marketing

Forbes listed other areas in its top trends for digital marketing in 2023.

Livestream content and short-from video. Both have shown that they can result in higher levels of customer engagement.

Accountability. Customers increasingly want to buy from businesses that demonstrate a strong commitment to social responsibility, integrity and transparency.

Gamification. Incorporating the elements of gaming into digital marketing, including interactive assets on the company website.

Podcasting. By having company leaders and experts move into podcasting, it’s possible to raise the profile of your company’s story, as well as its products and services.