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The past year went by in a flash, but as we prepare to say goodbye to 2021, we need to consider our marketing plans for the year to come! The way that we market our businesses in order to see success has been changing at lightning speed in recent years, and it doesn’t seem like it’s slowing down anytime soon, so we decided to dive into some of the marketing trends we should all be paying attention to in 2022.
At one point, it was really just about getting your brand out there in some way or another, but that has changed! And in 2022, businesses need to get on board with not just creating an effective brand, but by creating an effective storytelling strategy and measuring the success of those storytelling efforts with the right metrics. It’s about listening intently to your target customers for what they want, what they need, and what it is they are asking for. It’s going to be about engagement of the highest calibre. These are seven marketing trends you are definitely going to want to know, and adopt into your marketing strategy in 2022.
You’ve heard it before and we’re here to say it again—video is the king of content. In 2022 though, short-form video content is likely to take center stage thanks to the uprising of TikTok, and Instagram Reels. According to Hubspot’s 2022 Marketing Industry Trends Report, thirty percent of social media marketers plan to invest more of their time, energy, and money into short-form video than they will invest into any other 2022 social media marketing strategy. Thirty-three percent intend to jump into the short-form video waters for the very first time in 2022.
‘Ephemeral content’ which refers to the type of content that disappears after 24 hours (like Instagram and Facebook stories) certainly isn’t going the way of the dodo, but many brands have noted that more standard content like regular text and image posts, videos, and even live events are potentially more effective. Ultimately, what makes the most sense is weighing the pros and cons of each type of content and platform, but in terms of the metrics, it seems as though standard content may potentially come out ahead in 2022.
The current state of the world is kind of making everyone question each other’s motives, and that rings true for consumers as they choose where they spend their money. People want to know that they are utilizing a service or purchasing a product that is ethical and from a company that is transparent about what they do and why.
A vested interest in socially responsible brands took hold during the pandemic, and it is a marketing trend that will most certainly be sticking around throughout 2022 (and likely beyond!). Consumers want to support brands that clearly demonstrate care for the greater good, as well as their own customers and employees. How can this translate to your business? Highlight causes that are close to your heart, demonstrate inclusivity and show a sense of social responsibility in your offerings.
While it may be one of the original forms of content marketing, blogging will remain a top marketing strategy among brands for one reason and one reason only—because it works. There’s a reason it’s been a mainstay for so long!
Blogging has been known to generate the biggest ROI when compared with all different forms of content marketing. It provides important and strategic consumer engagement, makes your brand easier to search online, and makes it far easier to implement SEO strategies when compared with websites that do not have a blog.
If you are not aware at this point of how important it is to make your content discoverable (particularly on Google), 2022 is a great time to learn! SEO strategies, while not a new concept, are becoming even more relevant and important when it comes to marketing strategies these days.
Algorithms are continually evolving, which means that posting a basic piece of content will not get you where you need in terms of search engine success. We anticipate that more brands and businesses will likely invest in hiring SEO experts who can drill down on metrics like search engine reports, and optimize content that will actually be seen.
In order to understand what it is that your customers are looking for, where they are looking for it and how they behave online, you need to have access to the proper data. By understanding the data, you understand what makes your target customers and clients tick, and what makes them go ahead with the final decision to hit that ‘buy’ button, or pick up the phone to learn more about the service you offer.
Marketing is no longer just about selling. It’s about understanding and focusing on the needs of your customers and target audience. Thanks to platforms like Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, it is more important than ever to create personalized content that speaks directly to the hearts of those you strive to connect with in business. If you understand what they are looking for and what their needs are, you can better serve them with educational, entertaining and engaging content via the trends and marketing tactics we have already discussed in this blog (SEO, blogging and well-executed video content, etc). Learn how to best serve those unique individuals, and you will see more brand loyalty, and in turn, revenue.
Ultimately, 2022 marketing trends tell us that we need to focus on relationship building and providing true value to our existing and target customer or client base. If all of this sounds a bit overwhelming, fear not, Forty Four Inc is here to help! We specialize in helping you tell your stories and communicate what connects you to your community.