Digital marketing is always evolving because of new technology, consumer changes, or even a global pandemic. A strategy that worked a year or just six months ago may not be serving your business anymore, which is why it’s imperative that marketers keep an eye on where the industry is moving in order to adapt and stay competitive.
As we head into 2022, let’s take a look at some of the biggest digital marketing trends affecting brands so you can develop a winning strategy for the new year.
Trends to Inform Your Digital Marketing Strategy
Before we jump in, it’s important to note that your strategy doesn’t need to include every trend under the sun to be effective. Carefully consider which tactics to include in your 2022 marketing plan rather than jumping on the bandwagon because you see other businesses doing it. Being intentional with your digital marketing will generate better results and save you resources.
So without further ado, here are five trends to watch in 2022 to inform your digital marketing strategy:
Storytelling
From
social media and
websites to branding and events, more companies are weaving stories throughout multiple facets of their marketing. Storytelling is a powerful approach for humanizing a brand and nurturing connections with customers. Focus more on creating narratives rather than just communicating features and pricing.
Audio content
With the growing popularity of
podcasts, as well as the introduction of
Clubhouse (an audio-based social app), audio content is on the rise. Consumers have different preferences for content formats, so it’s vital to
diversify your content marketing. Grow your audience by creating and sharing audio content on your website, social media, email campaigns, etc.
Systematization
You don’t need to do more to grow your business. Instead, leverage the power of systematization. A
marketing system is a repeatable process that initiates and nurtures customer relationships, generating more sales. It’s the epitome of “working smarter, not harder.”
Artificial intelligence
AI has been increasing across digital marketing fields, particularly in
pay-per-click (PPC) advertising and
search engine optimization (SEO). In recent years, Google Ads has implemented more ‘machine learning’ to help advertisers optimize their campaigns.
Additionally, AI writing assistants are being used by some SEO professionals to churn out more content to boost rankings. While there are pros and cons of AI, it’s undoubtedly here to stay.
Interactivity
'Interactive marketing' (aka event-driven or trigger-based marketing) is a responsive approach for reaching your audience through two-way channels like contests, polls, quizzes, and animated infographics. Interactive content encourages audiences to actively participate with a brand directly rather than be passive consumers.
Innovate Your Strategy to Drive Growth
A digital marketing strategy requires regular updating to be effective, which is why the beginning of a new year is an ideal time to refresh it. Drop old tactics that no longer serve your company and incorporate new approaches to stimulate growth. Better yet, work with
marketing experts to review your strategy with a keen eye and provide innovative solutions that will scale your business.