As technology continues to develop, expect that trends in digital marketing will also come and go. The digital marketing strategies you used five years ago may have brought you clients, but they may not anymore when used today. Conversely, the methods deemed ineffective a few years back might be something your target audience wants today.
Businesses need to adapt to the changes in digital marketing and be fully prepared to take advantage of these changes. Staying ahead of the curve enables your business to remain relevant, access valuable insight about your customers, and discover more opportunities.
Here are five things to expect in digital marketing for 2022:
Artificial Intelligence
Artificial Intelligence of AI is no longer new. Many industries have been relying on AI for years. For example, the healthcare industry uses AI for proactive healthcare management while the travel industry harnesses AI to help clients book appointments online.
By 2022, AI will become more relevant in digital marketing as companies can predict customer behavior. AI tools now gather data from social media, product reviews, and past sales to determine what customers expect and which products they’re willing to spend more money on. These AI tools will also consider the spending power of customers and the market’s economic conditions.
The data gathered by AI will help businesses foresee and plan future demand and supply. Most importantly, this data will enable companies to offer personalized products and services to their target audiences. With this in mind, make sure to scout for AI-driven tools by knowing about Vendasta pricing and other similar online platforms available in the market today.
Influencer Marketing
Most customers will only trust a business if a third party vouches for credibility, legitimacy, and trustworthiness. It’ll be difficult for companies to haul in customers without the intervention of this third party.
Influencer marketing may become more prevalent in 2022 as these individuals act as the third party to the abovementioned situation. Customers will likely buy from a business if an influencer—probably one they follow for years—will recommend a company.
The influencer you choose can impact the success of your marketing efforts, so narrow down your options carefully. Ideally, this influencer should be someone who hasn’t endorsed any of your competitors and has a solid online following. The more followers the influencer has, the more exposure your business gets.
Content Marketing
Content is essential in digital marketing. High-quality content allows businesses to communicate, engage, and persuade their target audience. Regularly producing accurate content can help companies retain existing customers and gain new ones.
Content marketing will remain relevant in 2022 but with a few minor tweaks. Traditional content, such as blogs and articles, is no longer enough to drive profits or attract customers. Incorporating the points below is crucial to ensure that your content marketing continues to provide results for the business:
- Focus on better customer experience: Consumers’ preferences change over time, including the type and format of content they want to access. 2022 will see several businesses heavily invest in their content creation process to ensure that the content they produce is relatable to their target audience.
- Use of interactive content: Engagement is crucial to attract and keep customers—and using interactive content will help businesses achieve these goals. Some of the most common forms of interactive content that are sure to make waves in 2022 are interactive quizzes, branded games, and polls.
- Prevalence of empathetic content marketing: Expect to see the rise of empathetic content marketing in 2022. As the name suggests, this type of marketing will require businesses to put their customers at the center of their content marketing strategy and work outward from there.
Mobile-First Marketing
Websites are necessary among many businesses, but many create one for desktop use. Once the website works well on desktop computers, companies will then start to enhance the design of the website to suit mobile screens and tablets.
2022 will require businesses to change priorities as mobile-first marketing will become more critical than ever. Instead of designing websites, apps, and other online platforms for desktop computers, companies should create mobile-first content. Over 90% of the global internet population use mobile phones, and neglecting to produce mobile-friendly content can mean losing customers.
Mobile-first marketing is all about creating content that works well regardless of the size of the screen people use to access it. For example, when creating an app that allows customers to order goods online, the app should offer the same features and options no matter how big or small the customer’s screen is.
Hybrid Events
Because of the pandemic, businesses had to look for better strategies to continue engaging with their target audience. Events were prohibited to minimize the spread of the virus, causing them to hold more virtual events, such as virtual conferences and online music concerts.
But since COVID cases are starting to dwindle and people can finally get out again, many businesses are torn on engaging with their customers. Should they host events held in physical locations? Or should they continue to communicate with their target audience using online apps and software?
The answer to these questions is simple: businesses should embrace a hybrid approach in 2022. Hybrid events are conferences, seminars, workshops, and other events that combine a virtual online component with a live in-person event.
One of the most common examples of a hybrid event is holding conferences with a live audience and hosting and then having speakers talk through video conferencing apps. Hybrid events will matter in 2022 as these provide businesses ample opportunity to reach more audiences, increase engagement, and provide longer-lasting impact among audiences.
Embrace Digital Marketing Trends Early
Now that you know what’s in store for digital marketing in 2022, exert resources to learn more about these concepts and how you can incorporate these into your business. Embracing all of these trends can become your key to expanding your reach online and attaining success in 2022!