If the last two years have proven anything, it’s that the world is more digitally connected than ever before. While some of this was born out of a need to stay physically distant, we’ve become accustomed to the convenience and transparency of e-commerce.
For many, online ordering has become default – and not just for products. Experiences are now researched and booked online more than ever before.
As we explore the repercussions of this trend and how brands need to adapt, we decided to make some predictions for 2022!
Some will seem bolder than others:
1. Email…
will continue to be the top digital marketing channel with the highest percentage of engagement and the most impactful marketing results for small businesses.
2. Privacy…
considerations will continue to change the marketing landscape, shifting focus from traditional analytical data channels to new approaches.
3. Video…
content will become even more widespread and effective in digital marketing and educational content as the tools become easier to use (hello TikTok!).
4. Accessibility…
will become a focus for everyone with a website. While some have invested in making their websites accessible due to fear of potential lawsuits, we suspect more people will make improvements if and when Google increases the way it weighs accessibility as a ranking factor.
5. Personalization…
and tailored content will become more sophisticated, replacing conventional marketing approaches, and with good reason – people embrace content that is relevant to them and are annoyed at content that is not.
6. Online courses, webinars, and podcasts…
will replace most in-person conferences and continuing education. While in-person events will continue, people are now far more selective about what they will attend and where, with most preferring regional travel over getting on a long flight.
7. Brands that tell stories…
that focus on customer transformation will experience growth – standing out over brands that continue to focus storytelling on themselves.
8. Recommendations from trusted friends…
family, and business acquaintances will be the leading factor for most people when it comes to purchase-making decisions, giving brands that have built a loyal following a clear advantage.
9. Environmental awareness…
will impact sales more and more. Research now shows that 75 percent of all millennials will happily pay more for products manufactured with sustainability as a priority (it helps that some are pushing 40 and finally have two nickels to rub together).
10. Diversity…
isn’t just something we’ll expect from big brands. Audiences increasingly expect representation in thriving small to medium-sized businesses as well.
We will dive into each of these in future posts, citing research and data that we’ve been curating, and looking at why we expect these predictions to be true, and what you can do to stay ahead of the curve. Then we’ll see how it all pans out in the next 12 months.
What’s your brand marketing goal for 2022?
Happy New Year!
