Digital Marketing Trends For 2022

In the last decade, we have witnessed some overwhelmingly impressive inventions that promised to change our lifestyle forever. Such as Amazon Alexa, which brought the Internet of Things into our households. And, the ReWalk Exoskeletons aimed to introduce cutting-edge technology into the lives of the common masses. We have witnessed the mighty power of technology. 

If you are wondering that these technologies are only limited to certain fields, then you might be mistaken. We have technological tools that not only help us create new products but also help sell them without any hassle. Yes, you heard it right!

Imagine a scenario: You are creating a mop that allows arthritis-laden patients to clean the floors easily. Your consumers will go gaga over the product. You already know this invention is going to sell fast and benefit the working class. But, you do not have the necessary tools to spread the word about your product. Or let’s say you do not know how to establish a large consumer base that will bring you profits.

That is where digital marketing comes into play! In a nutshell, digital marketing can help you expand your business by connecting you to new customers with a touch of a button. Surprisingly, with every passing year, digital marketing strategies are evolving. Do you want to be in the game? If yes, then you might need to learn about the latest trends that are taking the digital marketing world by storm. 

So, without further ado, let’s get started!

Trend #1: New Normal: Live Streams and Influencer-Driven Content

The year of the Coronavirus will be remembered due to the many negative experiences. Not only are people separated from their loved ones, but their recreational activities have also been forcefully stopped. 
 
Business owners are unable to hold social events for promoting their products, which is negatively affecting their sales and profit. However, this situation has also led to the rise of live streams, be it an online workshop or a live telecast of the newly launched products. 

During the lockdown, live-streaming activities on Facebook and Instagram spiked by 50% and 70%, respectively. Influencers are using several social media platforms to share their favorite products to establish a connection with prospective customers. This new method of establishing communication between the buyer and the seller is proving fruitful for both parties.
 
Consumers can purchase the products from the live-stream; sellers do not have to worry about traditional ways of selling their products. Win-win.

Trend #2: The “Bots are Coming” Strategy

Business owners nowadays opt for operational efficiency to reduce the cost of customer service. When you have a business, you would want to drive a higher sales rate and profit. Chatbots can do that for you! By streamlining interactions between services and customers, chatbots aim to enhance the consumer experience. 

Chatbots can help give quick answers to consumers in case of any emergency. They can resolve a complaint, especially in 2022 when consumers are stuck at home and need an expert to deal with their issues. Besides this, various studies reveal that more than 50% of consumers expect businesses to be available 24/7. This can issue be easily resolved with the help of chatbots, which can act as candidates to support customer queries, acknowledge them, and resolves the issues. 

Maintaining a response system round the clock can indeed be tiresome. However, for a business to run smoothly, establishing uninterrupted communication is also necessary. Chatbots can create a bridge between the seller and the buyer. 

Moreover, chatbots never lose patience. By providing consistent answers to the customers, chatbots can not only increase the quality of customer interaction but also drive higher sales rates.

Trend #3: Our Voice (Search) is the Future!

In the last few years, Google has improved the ‘word recognition accuracy rate to almost 90%. This enables consumers to interact with devices and paves the way for voice technology.  

Voice technology allows customers to find an answer to their query in seconds, allowing them to save time that they would have otherwise wasted scrolling through numerous pages. 

Businesses that want to stay ahead of the curb and remain visible to their customers can use this form of technology. By incorporating voice technology in their digital marketing strategy, businesses can further enhance the user experience, which will, in turn, drive higher traffic to their site. 

Statistics published by Gartner, a global research and advisory firm, state that 32% of users prefer voice technology. It involves less typing and saves a ton of valuable time. Truth be told, voice search is becoming more and more popular because of its innovative formula for searching for products.  

Trend# 4: In-Email Purchases can Replace the Conventional Email Marketing Campaigns

Yes, everybody is aware of email marketing. It has been around us for ages now. But there is something new about it this time. According to the Vice President of Marketing at the MailChimp, an American marketing automation platform, in-email purchases allow subscribers to purchase the products without leaving their inboxes. This means that subscribers can instantly buy the product from inside the email. 

What’s more? Email campaigns can now offer app-like experiences to the subscribers, which means that emails can be embedded with inter-activities. Many E-commerce businesses find emails to be the apt medium to learn more about their customers’ choices. In-emails can help such business owners to reach a global audience and retain them for a longer period. 

Think of the user whose demands are satisfied by email alone! No more extra costs for approaching mainstream marketing channels. 

Trend #5: Virtual Marketing is the Present!

According to Smart Insights, an educational platform for marketers, VR technology can create unison between the digital and physical worlds. 

By using virtual reality, brands can create a distinguished identity for themselves. Creating something fun for customers can never go out of fashion. Embracing this opportunity to create a new advertising experience can attract a lot of attention. 

With the help of virtual reality technologies, brands can create engaging and informative content. Furthermore, if used judiciously, VRs can act as an important post-sale tool to educate customers, building strong consumer relations. 
  
Additionally, VRs enable companies to tell their brand stories to their customers in a more interactive way. Buyers can get a hands-on experience of the products without needing to visit the stores. 
 
Mergers & acquisitions firm called Digi-Capital has claimed that the VR market has the potential to grow to $30 billion in a few years. This will enable brands to use a more creative way of reaching their clients in a short period.

Trend# 6: The New Challenge: Consent and Privacy of Users

Online tools are amazing, but as more consumers move online, protecting their data and privacy becomes crucial for the marketing industry. It goes without saying that the digital ecosystem will only thrive under mutual acts of trust.  

Do businesses need to know everything about their customer? No, they do not because actionable and accurate data alone can help businesses to improve the quality of their services. Focusing on the relevant information can help in enhancing the consumer experience.

In return for customer trust, businesses need to be transparent about how their data is shared. In this cut-throat competition where acquiring customers and retaining them for a longer period have become concerning, businesses need to shift their focus toward the ‘consumer-first approach.      

According to research conducted by the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA), 74% of Chief Marketing officers are expecting Data Ethics to play an important role in their jobs, over the next five years. By practicing Data Ethics, businesses can improve the overall effectiveness of digital marketing and lay the foundation for a stronger relationships.

Trend #7: Thumbs up for the brands that focus on promoting goodwill 

Being relevant in today’s world is one of the most important tasks of a brand. Brands need to reevaluate their positions in the life of their customers. According to a report from Deloitte, brands need to be aware of their purposes and their targeted customers. Brands need to be in tune with the current events and incidents. Customers do not want to see irrelevant content that is incapable of changing the mindset of society. 

Running Campaigns that are meaningful can help brands to fit into the conversation. In 2022, customers prefer brands that are willing to work for the greater good of the environment. If a brand can run campaigns for stray dogs or the homeless, it has a better chance at establishing a good relationship with its audience.