Happy 2022! After another tumultuous year that required lots of pivoting, we’ve been thinking a lot about where digital marketing is headed in 2022. From email marketing, to inclusivity, data trends, and more authenticity, we’ve looked at what to expect in the coming year. Here are 7 important trends for digital marketing to be aware of in 2022:
Email is the most important channel
The three trends of personalization, automation, and privacy have contributed to the importance of email. According to a recent Forbes article, dynamic and interactive email content and new personalization strategies means email marketing will remain critical to the success of your marketing initiatives in 2022.
Video will become more important than static images
Social media and streaming platforms will introduce more features and advertising products that will favour video. Marketers have already been successfully leveraging short form video content. In 2022, 89% of them say they’ll continue investing in it or increase their investment.
Relevance is as important as reach
To stand out this year, brands need to be more intentional about communicating their value and authentic purpose. Creating messages and experiences that are true to your brand, relevant to your audience and reflect their needs, is key. This means getting your value proposition clear so that customers know what you stand for and what experiences your products or services offer.
Mobile optimization will be even more important
Consumers are spending more and more time on mobile devices, with more than half of all online traffic coming from mobile devices, including tablets. As the buying power of millennials and Gen Z grows, mobile optimized digital experiences will be more important than ever. HubSpot Blog’s Marketing Strategy Survey also found 56% of marketers who also work with email are also focused on delivering mobile experiences to their customers.
Digital Storytelling
Over the past year there has been a large focus on digital storytelling. However, many brands and companies are making their stories about themselves rather than about how their products or services will benefit their customers. Companies that can get storytelling right will have digital content that creates more value and is more relatable to their customers.
Data—Privacy Matters
Limits on the ability to collect customer data will escalate and marketers will lose more access to the data they have come to rely on. First party data (data that your company collects directly from its customers) will become the foundation of all marketing initiatives. It’s important to get prepared to collect this data to stay competitive. Privacy matters to your customers, 73% of them use online services which promise high data protection. Data helps shape more meaningful messaging which makes better online experiences—it allows marketers to reach the right audiences and exceed their expectations. Building the trust of your customers takes time. Marketers can start by being honest when they collect information, using it to show relevant ads to your customers, and putting the audience in control of their data.
Social responsibility will be a priority
Social responsibility, ethics, and transparency matter to your customers. The interest in buying socially responsible products increased in 2020 and 2021. The pandemic has highlighted and sometimes intensified structural inequalities and the pains employees had been enduring in the workplace. People have begun voicing their frustrations about inequality and workplace treatment and their expectations are growing for brands to make a more nuanced approach to diversity, equity, inclusion, and social responsibility. Research from McKinsey predicted that customers would be more likely to support brands that demonstrated they care about their customers, employees, and shared causes. Companies are now pivoting to focus on inclusivity in their promotions and campaigns and are highlighting the causes they support.
Do you have questions or concerns about any of the trends we’ve outlined and how to incorporate them into your digital marketing strategy? Reach out to our team today – we can help.
