It takes more than just learning and using basic industry ideas to stay ahead of the digital marketing game. Before finalizing your 2022 content strategy, it’s critical to grasp what’s happened in digital marketing in the last year and where the trends are heading.
Staying on top of current trends can help a business boost its reach through digital media and increase audience engagement. While the effects of the pandemic will continue to impact brands in 2022, there are some major trends to look out for: AI, privacy, sustainability, and interactive audience experience.
The digital world is ever-changing, as are the attitudes and tastes of your company’s target audience. This means that staying on top of the current trends is an important aspect of any effective digital marketing plan. Here are the digital marketing trends that will be important in 2022 to help you keep ahead of the competition.
Interactive Content
Social media is the primary channel for connecting companies and customers on exciting, engaging levels. Many consumers, however, are seeking content that goes beyond basic text.
In recent years, the inclusion of interactive content has been shown to improve the audience experience by capturing their interest and keeping them on the webpage for longer periods of time. According to one poll, 96 percent of marketers interviewed believe that interactive content has a favorable influence on the buying process.
Interactive content refers to a wide range of content types, such as quizzes, calculators, animated infographics, AR and VR applications, etc. In 2022, we will continue a rise in the use of these types of content.
AI-Powered Advertising
One of the major shifts we will see in 2022 will be the continued rise in using AI in conjunction with digital marketing strategies. From SEO to chatbots to marketing automation tools, these AI tools and algorithms can give marketers valuable insight and help automate their processes.
SEO has become more accessible than ever before thanks to AI algorithms. With the SEO sector continuously expanding, businesses will need to capitalize on AI digital marketing trends to stay ahead of the competition and improve their ranks on search engines like Google.
Another AI digital marketing development that organizations should explore is marketing automation. Marketing automation software enables firms to send automated emails and SMS messages, schedule social media postings, and do a variety of other tasks. Marketers may save time and costs by automating a substantial portion of their operations by combining these technologies with AI algorithms to build and execute marketing campaigns in a much more accurate and efficient manner.
Effortless Sustainability
According to recent surveys, many consumers say that sustainability is a higher priority now more than ever. In fact, 78 percent of consumers believe that large corporations have a responsibility to play in combating climate change.
People don’t want to exchange quality, convenience, or price for sustainability. However, they demand more eco-friendly options. Brands can make this process easier by adding sustainability advantages into everyday decisions. Getting people’s attention and consideration entails demonstrating how sustainability solves the more important, personal issues on their thoughts when they purchase.
Take the time to learn about sustainable marketing and how to implement it into your marketing strategies. Change your communications and policies to reflect the efforts you are taking. Reduce waste generated by the increase in shopping delivery and returns by using recyclable packaging materials and be upfront about what happens to returned items.
Privacy-First Experience
Global searches for online privacy and security have been among the top over the past few years. As a result, Google has set a 2023 deadline for eliminating third-party cookies. However, that doesn’t mean you should wait until 2023 to get started. In fact, Google encourages advertisers and publications to use privacy-protecting tools and eradicate cookies used in internet advertising as soon as 2022.
People want to have experiences that are meaningful to them as individuals. At the same time, people want to keep ownership of their data and feel in control. They should be able to monitor and control how their data is utilized.
Conversational Marketing
In 2022, you can expect to see more businesses taking a conversational approach to how they engage with their audiences. Building relationships with your consumers through talk helps forge personal relationships between brand and consumer. Conversational marketing allows marketers and customers to interact on a more personal and immediate level.
According to studies, 82 percent of modern consumers expect a business to respond immediately if they have a query or complaint. Conversational marketing, unlike previous techniques, is now available across various platforms, allowing firms to reach customers on their terms.
Chatbots are a great tool that can be used in conversational marketing. While they are typically associated with disconnected AI and robotic answers, this is not always the case. Chatbot personalization allows you to activate bots based on certain behaviors. They may also be tailored to reflect your brand’s voice and style, engaging website visitors at the appropriate time and place.
Use of Video
Video is virtually everywhere these days, and it is one of the most widely used advertising strategies. According to Wyzowl, 93% of marketers that utilize video consider it a vital aspect of their marketing plan. This is only likely to rise more in 2022. Furthermore, 84 percent of individuals claim that seeing a brand’s video has persuaded them to buy a product or service.
As video remains the most engaging type of online content, any marketer or company owner who wants to stay ahead of the digital marketing game in 2022 must have a clear plan and strategy for implementing videos.
Final Thoughts
With the advancement of AI and increased needs for privacy, the year 2022 seems to be the dawn of the future. However, the future is never certain, and those in business rarely have the luxury of waiting it out. There’s a lot to keep up with to remain relevant, so it’s critical to get started and take action.
I hope the preceding list of digital marketing trends provides some insight into a handful of clever marketing actions you can implement in 2022. Keeping up with these trends will be the most effective approach to remain competitive, grow, and ensure consumer loyalty.
