Now that 2022 has aged a little bit, the marketing trends that will dominate the coming year are virtually confirmed. If you are still unsure about the marketing direction to take, it’s time to sit back and enjoy this analysis of the trending strategies.
I will not pretend to be able to predict the future. However, the marketing trends dominating the industry are a good indication of what the future holds.
As expected, 2022 has a mixture of older strategies reaching maturity and new ones fueled by the rapidly changing markets. Before diving in, let’s recap the year 2021.
Trends That Dominated 2021
Well established social media giants got upset in 2021 as TikTok became the leading social network among Gen Z users. In the United States, TikTok enjoyed massive engagement, with users spending up to 850 hours on the platform each month. One of the significant selling points of the social media giant is that it provides an easy opportunity for videos to go viral—a difficult task to accomplish on competing platforms.
In 2021, Facebook changed its name to Meta, inspired by a virtual 3D world that it is creating.
Google also announced that it would phase out all third-party cookies by 2024. The bombshell is a game-changing move that could spell doom for numerous marketing platforms – unless they adapt. Most digital marketers are rushing to find alternative channels to reach their target audience.
Despite these disruptive changes in 2021, 2022 is shaping up to be a year of significant upheaval in the marketing sector. Here are the major marketing trends of 2022.
- Social Media Trends in 2022
We can no longer ignore the power of social media in marketing strategies. The following are the noteworthy trends in social media in 2022.
The era of Reels Has Only Just Begun
In 2021, Instagram grew to reach more than one billion users, and this growth will continue unabated. Despite its humble beginning, short videos like YouTube Shorts and Instagram reels have proven to be a go-to strategy for every digital marketer should keep their eyes on in 2022.
The phenomenal growth of short videos is not a fluke. For instance, TikTok has also proven to be a runaway financial success by being the top-earning non-game app in 2021. The $110 million spent by users on TikTok confirm that any marketer looking to capture a younger audience cannot afford to ignore the platform.
Influencer marketing on Reels, TikTok, and Shorts has grown tremendously over the past year. Digital marketers now realise they can reach many more people with short videos that are captivating and addictive for the audience.
Social Commerce to Become Seamless in 2022
It is now easier than ever to find products on social media. The Covid-19 pandemic forced people to stay out of brick-and-mortar stores. However, their demand for goods and services did not decline. Therefore, people turned to social media to discover brands.
A study by Accenture showed that social shopping could reach a whopping $1.2 trillion globally by 2025. This figure is a three-fold increase compared to traditional e-commerce.
Social media platforms are hard at work to ensure that people can pay for products without leaving their sites.
YouTube Advertising Will Increase Significantly
YouTube has always been a sleeping giant when it comes to advertising. Its laid-back nature will change as people move away from traditional TV and streaming services. Every loss for TV and services such as Netflix is a win for YouTube.
In 2021, the revenue generated by YouTube grew by 46% from the previous year. The bulk of this additional revenue comes from advertisements on Youtube, brand advertising, and direct response ads.
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Conversational Marketing for Immersive Customer Experience
Conversational marketing puts the customer front and centre of the promotional campaign. It is a dialogue-driven marketing technique that relies on customer engagement to improve their experience.
A conversational marketing strategy relies on two main approaches: storytelling and response.
Brands in 2022 are looking to reach their customers by telling them relatable stories to hook them. Additionally, they are improving their responsiveness to customers using tools like live chats.
Companies are increasing their conversational marketing efforts because of customers’ frequent use of technology and social media.
Hiring trends for Digital Marketing Professionals.
It is not only the platforms that are changing in 2022. The requirements for digital marketing jobs are also evolving as quickly as the industry. Here are some notable developments.
Increasing Need for Marketers to Upskill in Digital Marketing.
The intense competition by companies to engage, promote, and succeed online is creating a demand for highly talented people. Digital marketing companies now struggle to find people with the requisite skill set for the dynamic digital marketing space.
Many companies are now prioritising upskilling their staff to cope with the unpredictable demands of the industry.
The Digital Gig Economy is on the Rise.
During the previous decade, many people have adopted the freestyle life of the gig economy. People desire the flexibility that they get from the gig economy.
The pandemic is not the only reason why people are turning toward the gig economy. The other major reason is the fast-changing dynamics of the market, which has made it essential for companies to look up to freelancers. This is with the need for getting their work done fast and in an economically feasible manner. However, the lack of professionalism and issues of confidentiality are among the major challenges when choosing the services of a Freelancer.
The Intense Competition for Digital Marketing Talent Continues to Grow.
The gig economy’s growth and demand for digital expertise make companies struggle to attract and retain talent. Employers now need to be proactive when hiring digital marketers to prevent them from getting snatched up by competitors.
Skilled digital marketers are looking for work that gives them flexibility and new career opportunities. They are also more watchful for companies that make it easier to grow.
- Digital Technology Trends in 2022.
The underlying technology behind digital marketing is also evolving. There are three main trends affecting companies’ ability to reach their audience.
The end of Third-Party Cookies Could Revive First-Party Data (Email)
Google chose to stop gathering third-party cookies because of privacy concerns. Despite the disruption it will bring digital marketers, they still have an old friend to rely on–email marketing. Email addresses are great for marketing because once you have permission to use them for marketing, you can use them as your cookies.
Digital marketers are scrambling to build their email marketing lists before Google pulls the plug on third-party cookies.
Conclusion
Many digital marketing companies are often at a loss when developing their future strategies. However, they can eliminate the confusion by studying the market before formulating their plans.
Trends like those mentioned here provide the discerning marketer with a cheat sheet to create a bulletproof promotional strategy for any business.
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