There is always an increased interest in digital marketing trends during the start of each year. 2022 is no different. In fact, considering that the pandemic still affects all sectors, there’s increased pressure on marketers to find cost-effective methods to grow businesses. The 2021 Gartner State marketing budget report reveals that organisations invest less in marketing. In 2021 they allocated only 6.4% of their revenue, compared to 11% in 2020.
The cuts are consistent across all industries and businesses of all sizes. But staying ahead of the game requires brands to analyse past trends, stay aware of the new ones, and understand and apply basic industry principles. Naturally, it is essential for growing digital marketing agencies to stay ahead of trends. To achieve this, brands must analyze past trends, stay informed of new ones, and have a solid understanding of fundamental industry principles.
In 2020 and 2021, organisations and individuals have focused their efforts on recovering from the COVID-19 crisis. In 2022 industries will continue to adapt and respond to market changes.
Let’s take a closer look at the most important digital marketing trends we expect to see in 2022.
Interactive content and conversational marketing
Social media platforms connect brands and consumers on new levels and revolutionise what the relationship between businesses and clients should imply. People want to interact with businesses more personally, and they’re looking for content experiences that go beyond traditional text and value their opinions and preferences. Interactive content is one of the fastest-growing digital marketing trends.
If you want to invite your public to become part of the experience your brand offers, use creative and immersive marketing materials. Some ideas include:
– Augmented reality materials
– 360-degree virtual reality content and 3D photos
– Questionnaires, quizzes, polls
– Interactive apps
Interactive content engages two times more people than static content because it offers a personal connection with the brand they consume.
Conversational marketing creates a personal, instant connection between businesses and customers. Several tools and platforms facilitate it, allowing organisations to meet their audiences on their terms. Conversational marketing aims to improve user experience through a feedback model that enables more sales, improved loyalty, and higher engagement.
Visual search
Visual search allows Internet users to upload an image into search. Even if it’s a new capability, two brands are already leveraging it.
Pinterest uses visual search with the help of Lens, a visual search tool that allows people to take a photo of a thing they want to find online and search for similar items or view pinboards of related products. Lens recognises over 2.5 billion objects and was used in more than 600 million searches.
Google Lens is a visual search engine launched by Google that recognises landmarks and objects via a camera app. Internet users can take photos of animals, plants, paintings in museums, buildings, landmarks, books, business cards, barcodes, home goods, and apparel.
Voice search
People nowadays start web searches by verbally asking their Google or Alexa assistant a question instead of typing it into a browser. Voice search is popular nowadays and has become an essential part of how people find the information they’re looking for. Internet users rely on voice search to find information about services, products or brands they want to purchase from. Over a billion voice searches take place monthly, and 20% of the entire number of web searches are voice-generated.
Voice-activated ads are the future of marketing, and your business should get ready to produce content that Google or Alexa picks as a response to a spoken search query. If you don’t know how to create content for voice search, hire a company like the DPDK Digital Agency that is specialised in digital marketing and can help you incorporate this trend into your marketing campaign.
Social media stories
Snapchat was the first social media platform that introduced the concept of stories. Then Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Twitter developed their own story formats. Stories are posts that last for 24 hours. And even if the idea behind the feature is simple, digital marketers can use it to share content and connect on a personal level with their prospects. Stories are more than a digital marketing trend because they can increase your brand’s popularity.
Here is how you can use social media stories to engage with your clients:
– Create live videos to offer your clients a glimpse behind the scenes
– Use polls within Instagram Stories
– Mention other brands and your loyal customers
– Add location tags
– Add links
– Use Snapchat geofilters
– Invite followers to discover your content with call-to-actions
Geofencing
Location-based marketing isn’t a new concept, but it’s continually evolving, and you can use it in several exciting ways. Geofencing is an innovative marketing method that can help your brand grow in 2022, right along with the growing importance of mobile tech. Geofencing markets audiences on a real-time basis when they change locations during their daily activities. For example, if you run a restaurant and promote it to the public within a two-mile radius when someone enters that area, they receive a notification containing your message.
Geofencing is currently used to help people locate organisations. People have always found notifications useful, so geofencing provides solid conversion rates.
Environmentally responsible marketing
Sustainability is becoming paramount these days to modern audiences. Statistics show that 75% of millennials prefer to pay more for services and products provided with sustainability in mind. This is a trend to watch out for if you want to stay in step with the latest social trends and attract younger customers. It’s also an effective way to gain a competitive edge in your sector.
Find ways to leverage your services and products sustainability. Here are some ideas.
– Show that your business supports green initiatives with the help of social media and marketing materials
– Certify your brand as a sustainable one
– Integrate green business practices and ideas into your brand culture.
The bottom line
Digital marketing trends are powerful tools. Most of the ones listed above are predictable, and with a bit of planning, you can easily stay ahead of the game and position your brand as an authority on the market.
