Digital Marketing has stayed a changing field – the pandemic made the changes quicker and more strategic. But, 2022 may likely hold some sensational changes. So, brands need to take advantage of this as they plan for the future.
To help you, we listed 11 digital marketing trends to keep an eye on in 2022.
See also: 6 market intelligence tips for your business
See digital marketing trends and predictions for 2022:
- Influencers continue to grow
- Relevance is as important as reach
- Identity is intersectional
- Strategy is not arguable
- Experiences are the new social currency
- Privacy rules are changing
- Facebook (Meta) is not going anywhere
- “Shoppable” content
- Everything is algorithm-driven
- Less is more
- LinkedIn is now more relevant than ever
Influencers are always the real deal
Influencer marketing is already extensive, and it will only get prominent this year. The social media sphere continues to see more app entrants, providing new types of content and new ways brands can engage with their potential customers. Active influencers don’t sleep on such information. They continue to expand their reach to help brands get what they want. 2020 and 2021 saw brands scramble to update their marketing campaigns to stay on top of their game; 2022 offers exciting promise. Influencers endorse products that subsequently provide context and relevance.
Reach and relevance are both important
It is no news that brands want to stand out this year. I mean, the struggle to be seen in 2020 and 2021 made it obvious. In 2022, brands need to be more intentional in their communications to do this better. The messages and the experiences consumers get should stay true to the brand. So, in 2022, brands should focus on value and original purpose. If brands lean into purpose and value expression authentically and consistently, the result will be a meaningful connection with the target audience, ultimately driving business results.
Identity is intersectional
The pandemic was an eye-opener of some sort. Inequalities were brought to the fore, and they became intensified. So, consumers want brands to approach these problems in refined ways. To be genuinely representative, companies should understand the many identities that matter to the target market and solve them because people’s identities are intersectional. A single characteristic does not define people. Each individual has their own unique experiences of discrimination and oppression. So, understand what identity means in your market. Don’t make assumptions, and don’t jump into conclusive decisions.
Strategy is not arguable
From five years ago, we were already discussing how automation, artificial intelligence, and machine learning was taking a large chunk of the work of digital marketing. Now, marketers must prioritise strategy. The options in digital marketing continue to grow. The focus should be on what drives business growth and not compromise unless necessary.
Experiences are the new social currency
We truly live in the experience economy, with consumers now choosing to spend their time and money on delightful experiences that enrich their lives. Customer experience and customer service will become increasingly important. Experiences should likely be a top priority, and marketers should focus on creating experiences, not just sending messages. The experiences should come at every stage of interactions with the target market.
Privacy rules are changing
These days, consumers are aware and are becoming increasingly uncomfortable about data collection in their day-to-day lives. In 2022, the focus for marketing teams should be on putting the consumer first in data collection and usage. That means rethinking methods for measuring and reaching audiences, so people feel in control and manage their shared data. Marketers should be honest about the data they collect. Modern digital ads are heavily reliant on data to automatically optimise. Marketers should assess new privacy regulations and understand the impact this will have on their advertising.
Facebook (Meta) is not going anywhere
Unlike what many social media users think, Facebook still leads digital marketing. Facebook officially changed its name to Meta and is betting big on the Metaverse, a term for virtual and augmented experiences. In 2022, if you’re a brand hoping to thrive on social media, mastering Facebook marketing is going to be critical. More than 2.8 billion people use the platform every month. That’s a lot of potential eyeballs on your business. Marketers should begin to look for opportunities for their business in these spaces.
“Shoppable” content
The world of shopping has changed. As you’re working on your marketing campaigns for 2022, consider how you can make your content story-driven to make it more shoppable. Stories do it better. Make sure you stay true to your brand and what you claim. You can express your brand identity while optimising the effectiveness of your campaign and creatives — you can be a great storyteller and a great seller.
Everything is algorithm-driven
Every part of digital marketing — social media timelines, display ads, social ads, search engine optimisation and even email — is becoming algorithm-driven. The algorithms all optimise for the same essential thing – user experience. Marketers should focus on providing the best experiences that appeal to customers, or their content will be less visible.
Less is more
Quality matters more, not quantity. As far as many options go, digital marketing is top. This means that businesses are spread too thin across many platforms. Innovative business thinking is focusing on dominating one channel. In Nigeria, Twitter is out for the meantime, so businesses can choose from the others. Marketers should get more focused and aim to do fewer things better.
LinkedIn is now more relevant than ever
LinkedIn has always been big but is getting bigger this year. Each quarter they show considerable gains in monthly active users and engagements on the platform. They are also continuously launching new features that drive better results for businesses and pages. Marketers should not sleep on this.
Read » 11 digital marketing trends and predictions for 2022 on YNaija
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