While ending 2020 felt like a feat in its own right, 2021 was supposed to be a year of optimism—transitioning out of the pandemic and into a “new normal” lifestyle with the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine, borders reopening, and once again being able to hug your loved ones.

What does “trending” really mean, and why is it important? Well, according to Merriam-Webster, “trending” is defined as “to generate or attract a lot of interest or attention, especially online and in social media.” Whether you’re an up-and-coming startup or a Fortune 500 company, keeping up with current trends is necessary to gain a prize-winning edge over the competition.

With a flurry of constantly changing industry trends, how can a brand possibly know which ones are most relevant? We’ve scoured the internet and rounded up the top 15 digital marketing trends (in no particular order) that have made the biggest impact this year. Here’s what we discovered:

The 2021 holiday shopping season is approaching fast, and those in the know say it may have some surprises up its sleeve.