Since marketing is constantly changing and evolving as organizations try new ways to attract and hold the attention of their audience, customers and members, it’s important to keep up with new ideas and trends. This is especially true in the digital realm. Keeping a pulse on the latest trends and testing different strategies and tools with your audience can help you reach your goals in new and perhaps unexpected ways. As we enter the new year, let’s look at what is happening right now.
In 2021, marketers and organizations of all types continued to face an ongoing pandemic, new technology, a dramatically altered economy, and more. We have had to adapt in completely unexpected ways in order to survive a difficult year. 2022 will continue to present more challenges, both expected and unexpected. Having a strong, multifaceted marketing strategy should help all of us face these many challenges of the new year.
Consider these seven marketing trends as part of your 2022 marketing strategy:
Video Marketing: People continue to use videos to get their information. The engagement of video continues to outperform marketing material presented in a written format. If you aren't using video in your marketing strategy, you are missing an effective way to connect with your audience and target market(s). With video, you can put a face to your brand and offer a personal touch to help build connection and trust with your viewers. Make sure the video is attention grabbing and isn't too long. Frequency and short, useful, informative videos are hallmarks of the best videos. Social media users are very open to simple, brief cell phone made videos as long as the content is interesting and unique.
Social Media: Social media continues to be important and continues to evolve. Be sure to use storytelling and show results rather than focus on selling your products/services on social media if you want to capture people's attention. Social media users are looking for helpful, useful, interesting content and have little interest in sales pitches (except the occasional special offer). Behind the scenes content (images and videos) work great!
Artificial Intelligence (AI): The development and roll-out of new AI-based digital marketing tools continues to shape the digital marketing landscape. The new year will see more and improved tools. This is something to keep an eye on. Using AI allows you to tailor your content and interactions for each individual user. For example AI tools can improve the use and effectiveness of email marketing. AI can track individual user’s behavior as they move through the website and send personalized emails, make product suggestions based on their behavior, pull up abandoned shopping carts, and much more. AI tools offer users a more personalized experience and improve user experience.
The Metaverse: The metaverse is an area of the digital world which is still in its earliest phase. It is a 3D experience where people can shop, interact with friends (and others), play games, attend concerts, go to work, and so much more. The pandemic has increased the rate of development and interest in the metaverse. New tools and “attractions” are being introduced at a rapid rate. We recommend keeping an eye on the metaverse because one day very soon it will capture a big share of audience attention and then offer great marketing opportunities to businesses both small and large. By keeping up with the Metaverse and knowing how your organization can get involved, you may be several steps ahead of your competition. Check out this article where we explain marketing in the Metaverse in 2022.
Influencer Marketing: Influencer marketing will continue to be popular in 2022 and may be used in B2B campaigns as well. Having well-known real people promote and review your product gives customers a new outlook at your business. Influencer marketing offers a third party view of your organization, products and services. This offers valuable credibility as well as an opportunity to reach new audience you wouldn’t otherwise reach. Make sure to pick an influencer that best matches your organization’s values and mission and make sure their followers are the type of audience you are looking for.
Experience Marketing: Experience marketing may be something your organization wants to introduce in your marketing strategy, if you are not already using it. Many customers are looking for new and interesting experiences. Rather than promoting the benefits of products/services, experience marketing can offer customers a positive experience which will establish a favorable image of your organization in their minds and connect customers or members to you in a very solid, long-lasting way. Since experiences are very personal and individual, they can set your organization apart from your competition in ways that are difficult to replicate and thus very durable.
Emphasize Performance Analytics: It will be critical to dig deep into the performance analytics data of specific campaigns to see what is working and what is not working, especially as you experiment with new and different campaigns and strategies. Whether it’s B2B or B2C, your customers’ habits and preferences have very likely evolved over the course of the last two years of pandemic life. 2022 should be spent trying to learn as much as possible about how exactly these habits and preferences have changed and what that means for you and your organization. During these times of “market disruption,” the best marketers will dig into what is happening with their customers and this could lead to big success for the ones that have their finger on the pulse!
The most important thing to remember about trends is that they are created by the customer. Paying attention to your customer’s needs will help guide you toward success in the new year.
Contact us if you have any questions regarding marketing strategies, trends, or anything else digital marketing related. Here’s to a successful year ahead for all of us!