The marketplace is increasingly crowded, with consumers’ attention being pulled in more directions than ever. New businesses appear to spring up daily, ready to compete for their market share. Almost every business owner will admit that marketing strategies can make all the difference between a business thriving in the midst of the competition or being pushed into obscurity. The old marketing strategies don’t seem to cut it anymore, and marketers are now tasked to find more innovative ways to increase their businesses’ visibility in the marketplace and rake in the profits they need. That said, if you want to ensure marketing success this year, then you cannot ignore the following game-changing marketing trends this year.
1. Social media will become more important than ever
You already know how important social media has been for businesses over the past few years, and you can expect this importance to grow stronger this year. Social media is becoming increasingly important for businesses and marketers because that’s where the majority of people spend their time. Today, the social media world is home to about 4.55 billion people, offering a truly massive pool of marketing potential. If you’re a business owner, you may have created at least one social media account to reach out to new clients and stay in touch with existing ones. But is that all social media will offer this year? Probably not.
Business owners will look to achieve two main goals with social media marketing this year.
The first goal is visibility. Beyond connecting with clients and other businesses online, business owners will continue to use various social media platforms to improve their visibility and push brand stories that resonate with their target customers. Businesses will use social media to convince potential clients that they’re not just there to tap into their pockets at the least opportunity.
The second goal is to make direct sales. Social media features have expanded massively beyond merely connecting with clients and giving them regular updates. Today, businesses can make direct sales through these platforms without using links to redirect potential clients to their main websites to complete transactions. Consider Facebook Messenger, for example. It’s now possible to make online purchases from brands directly through this platform. The messaging app Whatsapp also has a Business option that brands can use for business transactions with clients.
So, if you’re seeking to increase online sales for your brand, you need to take your social media marketing strategies seriously in 2022. You can view it here.
2. Influencer marketing is no longer just a trend
If you’ve spent any amount of time on various social media platforms, you may have come across at least one influencer. Influencer marketing became a trend just a few years ago. But in 2022, expect to see marketers elevate this to a full-blown marketing strategy, backed by the necessary investment and resources.
And why not? Influencer marketing seems to have the impact many small business owners want. While some experts may have suggested that influencer marketing was declining, it continues to offer a creative asset for many brands. In fact, in a recent survey by Hubspot, about 34% of marketing experts reported that influencer marketing remained one of their top marketing priorities and had plans to invest in it in 2022. A further 57% of marketing experts who have already used influencer marketing report how effective it is. Plus, 46% have plans to increase this marketing investment in 2022.
Say what you want, but influencer marketing is yielding results to many brands, and its growing popularity is more than enough proof.
3. Video marketing will continue to grow at rapid rates
Video marketing has evolved into one of the most creative forms of marketing. According to experts, this form of marketing is expected to dominate the digital space, accounting for around 80% of all digital content by 2025. And it’s easy to understand why. Digital marketing offers numerous advantages over text updates. Not only are they more engaging, but they can also easily cut through various language barriers when done right. In addition, 30-second video content published online and in tv channels like news 12 can tell more about a product or service than a 30-second read.
Video content also delivers a more effective message, and brands can use it to highlight product features, walk customers through how a product works, tell brand stories, etc.
4. Increase in brand social responsibilities
Don’t be surprised to see many brands prioritizing one social responsibility or another. If you want your business to make a marketing impact, you might want to consider finding a social cause that’ll resonate with your target market. Doing this tells your potential customer that you care more about making profits and are genuinely concerned about social issues that affect your target consumer.
Contrary to what you may think, social issues influence purchasing decisions that many consumers make and general consumer behavior. Today, a seemingly progressive population is beginning to demand more social responsibility and accountability from brands. Businesses that respond to such clarion calls position themselves to attract more clients.
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From global warming to plastic waste, there are several social issues to focus on. And this offers an effective marketing strategy.
Also, an overall focus on nature and sustainability will prove an important factor for many modern consumers. As a result, many more products will emphasize how sustainable their business operations are to attract new customers.
5. A resurgence of out-of-home and direct mail advertising
Even with social media dominating many online marketing strategies, some renovated versions of traditional marketing techniques appear to be making a comeback this year. For example, while outdoor signs remain one of the oldest forms of advertising a business, new digital signs have taken over to give this old outdoor advertising strategy a new lease of life.
Secondly, in an attempt to respond to the mail slow-downs because of the global pandemic, markers are not ready to give up on direct mail. Indeed, many marketers are turning to tech solutions for optimization and automation to revamp their marketing strategies.
