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.

The inner workings of getting your content seen, shared, and converted into sales requires many moving parts. People have changed—the shopper has changed. Consumers want experiences and catered content, not the usual marketing tactics that companies are used to providing. In turn, businesses need to alter their marketing mindset to relate to their overall purpose and goal—their audience. In essence, they need to shift into an “out with the old, in with the new” mentality; essentially debunking any expired way of thinking.