The Covid-19 pandemic had one silver lining: It brought to the surface the true value that digital marketing brings to the table in terms of marketing a business. Prior to the pandemic, many businesses were relying too much on traditional marketing methods which just isn’t effective anymore. Now, more than ever, businesses need to adapt and change with the times.
5 Trends to Keep An Eye On In 2022
With the new year already started, it’s a good idea to start looking ahead and considering the biggest digital marketing trends that will hit the marketplace in the coming year.
Here are five important trends that you should closely monitor in 2022:
1. Adapting To New Technology
Over the past few years, the landscape of digital marketing has changed significantly, mostly due to the increased adoption of new technology. The vast majority of marketers now work remotely, with only a fractional portion of the workforce being located in an office.
In the past, the office workspace was a critical piece of real estate, as employees needed to be physically present to conduct business. However, with teleconferencing and online workplace tools enabling employees to work remotely, the need for an office space has significantly declined. This trend will continue in the coming year as well, with companies like Zoom, Teams, and Slack embracing remote workforces while also providing video conferencing tools and collaborative platforms.
The shift to remote workforces doesn’t just affect marketing, but the entire business world. If your business operates within the traditional four walls, you’ll need to adapt to this change and find ways to engage with customers remotely. This may mean changing your entire sales approach and transforming how you engage with potential customers.
2. Video Content Is On The Rise
In the world of digital marketing, video content is increasing in importance each year, and for good reason. Videos allow businesses to communicate with customers in a more personal and engaging manner than ever before, which in turn, results in more conversions. Additionally, videos allow businesses to conduct marketing research, measure the effectiveness of their marketing campaigns, and allow them to test new ideas and strategies.
If you’re not producing video content for your business, you’re losing out on a huge audience which may be able to be converted into paying customers. Plus, being on the cutting edge of online marketing, you’ll be able to integrate videos into your website, social media, and email marketing to get the most out of your investment in digital marketing.
According to HubSpot Blogs research, 59% of consumers say they prefer video content over other types of content. Additionally, the trend-setting platform, TikTok, is now a profitable business worth billions of dollars and it’s all thanks to their expert use of video content.
3. Authentic Long-Form Content
To build an audience and gain credibility with potential customers, businesses must provide real value and ensure that their content is as informative as possible. In a nutshell, long-form content is becoming more important than ever because audiences are now able to scan reviews, watch videos, read lengthy blog posts, and do all of this on their mobile devices, where attention spans are at an absolute minimum. If you want customers to stay longer and be more engaged with your content, provide them with long-form content.
HubSpot Blogs research shows that 55% of consumers want to read long-form content such as books, whitepapers, and reports. In case you were wondering, here’s a quick rundown of the most common short-form content topics that drive traffic:
- News articles
- Product reviews
- Short-form recipes
- Short-form travel guides
- Short-form science articles
- FAQs
- Top ten lists
If you want to grow your audience and engage with customers, build meaningful, long-form content that provides value.
4. Gamification
Last, but not least, let’s discuss one of the fastest-growing digital marketing trends: Gamification.
Gamification is all about applying game-like mechanics to non-game activities, especially marketing and sales. The goal is to increase engagement, boost productivity, and drive more conversions. Sounds like a marketing dream right?
Just like with any new technology or method, there is skepticism when it comes to gamification. After all, playing games is pretty addictive, which makes it hard to focus on our daily grind and become more productive. However, as with any new technology, gamification presents certain advantages that make it worth your while.
For example, applying game mechanics to marketing and sales can help businesses determine the effectiveness of their marketing campaigns and evaluate the ROI of their marketing investments. It also allows them to provide customers with a truly unique and personalized experience, encouraging them to become brand advocates and promoting customer retention. Just imagine the possibilities of applying game mechanics to your own marketing and sales processes…
Many businesses are taking the leap of faith and starting to use game mechanics in their marketing, with the most popular and effective platforms providing free templates for you to try out.
You can implement gamification into your business to determine the effectiveness of your marketing campaigns, track customers’ activity, and build a community. Once you do, you’ll wonder why you didn’t try it sooner!
Wrapping It Up
Ultimately, the pandemic had one silver lining: It brought to the surface the true value that digital marketing brings to the table in terms of marketing a business. Prior to the pandemic, many businesses were relying too much on traditional marketing methods which just isn’t effective anymore. Now, more than ever, businesses need to adapt and change with the times.
Marketers are adapting quickly to the new technology, changing their approach to better engage with customers. As a marketer, you should closely monitor these five trends to stay ahead of the competition and position your business for long-term success.