Marketing Trends To Watch in 2022
If we’re honest, 2021 wasn’t too different from 2020 in many ways. For many, remote working continued to be the norm and international travel was off the menu for most of us. 2022 shows promise of being different though, and there are opportunities to switch up your marketing approach to match. Here are some trends to watch in 2022:
1. Less content! There’s been content overload for the past two years (and we all know why). We get the irony here, but the point is this: less content, but better content. Provide data and actionable steps for your readers and bring in your experience to give a fresh perspective. If it’s not fresh, don’t write it.
2. Influencers. Always big! Whether it’s celebrity influencers or macro and micro-influencers, endorsements can mean big bucks for brands. A couple of examples are:
Hannah Balanay and Gucci creatively integrating a dance routine to show off Gucci shoes.
Jasmine and Adore Beauty: as part of Adore Beauty’s Global Shades campaign to produce a wide range of complexion products, partnering up with influencers such as Jasmine who is of Sudanese and Greek descent will allow the company to pursue their mission to be more diverse and inclusive as it directly engages with its consumer.
@jasminetxo It’s time for things to change… Are you guys ready to join me? ?✨ || #StockAllShades #GlobalShadesPartner @adorebeauty
3. Satisfy the algorithms. Practically all digital marketing tools — social media platforms, SEO, ads, are increasingly becoming algorithm-driven. The main purpose of these algorithms is to personalise, and therefore perfect, user experience. Since the key goals of digital marketing are to develop new and better leads, increase customer acquisition and improve brand awareness and engagement, marketing teams should make sure they stay up to date and play by the algorithm rules.
4. Short-form videos such as TikTok and Instagram Reels gained popularity during the pandemic and engagement will keep growing. However, bear in mind our first point: make sure it’s quality content
5. Audio content. Podcasts are not only a great way to demonstrate the company’s expertise in the field. It is also one of the most convenient forms of content. In our busy world, people have to multitask a lot, so users tend to spend less time reading written material such as blogs with full attention. And here, audio content which can be consumed at any moment of the day comes in handy.
6. Personal engagement with the audience, such as webinars, live streams, or even live events when it will be possible. Online events have become increasingly popular over the past couple of years for obvious reasons. And these have proven to be an effective way to create and strengthen relationships with your audience who are looking for educational opportunities, as well as to demonstrate your company’s expertise in the industry.
7. Chatbots and live chats. Chatbots and live chats. A chatbot is a program that simulates human interaction. There’s many benefits to integrating it into your website, messenger or app.
Chatbots optimise customer experience that facilitates decision-making and shortens the sales funnel. Like virtual assistants, chatbots guide customers through the purchase process, answer queries, help resolve complaints. When necessary, chat bots can refer the customers to the real staff members. People tend to call less and text more nowadays, so this feature is actively used by customers, and it also saves the company a lot of resources.
8. Artificial Intelligence and machine learning. AI is becoming an indispensable tool for analyzing online behaviours, market segmentation and creating a personalised customer experience.
9. Earned media and word of mouth. Marketing space is becoming extremely saturated, and it’s not enough to just put advertisements out there. More effort should be put into earning a reputation and recognition so that the target audience spreads the word organically across their networks.
10. Contextually relevant ads. As we move towards a future without cookies helping to personalise ads, it is increasingly important for marketers to understand the context in which to engage audiences. Consumers of different content will have a different mindset, so it’s crucial to ask whether your ad fits with the content it’s next to, or does it clash? This is particularly important when running ads for CALD audiences as cultural and linguistic context will also play a factor.
11. Inclusive marketing. Inclusive marketing involves much more than just using photos of culturally diverse models or translating the copy into a few languages. Consumers are increasingly looking for authentic brands that have strong values that align with their own. And more than that, the brands must practice what they preach. The customers want to feel listened to, heard, connected. Inclusive brands build a culture, community and relationships with their audience.
A great example of a successful inclusive marketing campaign is Gillette’s advertisement that shows a transgender man shaving in the mirror for the first time as his father guides him. The ad received over 1.6 million views on Facebook, and a tremendous positive public response, showing that Gillette supports gender inclusivity.
We’re excited about 2022 and all the opportunities that lie ahead. For help with your multicultural marketing plans for the year, book a conversation today.
