Top Trends in Digital Marketing in 2022
This decade is well underway and it shows absolutely no signs of letting up the pressure on marketing agencies. There is bigger competition, more content than any human being has ever seen before, handfuls of social media platforms to learn and maintain, and hungrier audiences around every corner. This will only continue to increase as the world becomes more digital and more mobile, so let’s get right into the digital marketing trends of 2022!
PERSONALIZE THOSE INTERACTIONS
Nobody wants to be just a number. We all crave the recognition of what sets us apart and makes us unique, and reaching your audience is no different! One of the most significant tactics in your marketing arsenal is personalization. Clients and audiences want a more personal connection with brands that feels genuine. Cultivating a real, authentic interest in your customers and clients will carry you forward a long way. To achieve this, think of more dynamic content and utilize AI- approaches that have proven successful. For example, when you use an email personalization tool, address people by their name, or deliver them relevant content, it feels more like an exchange between friends rather than just being about business.
SHOW APPRECIATION
Customer appreciation emails, such as birthdays, milestones, or just a simple thank-you, have much higher open rates and strengthen the connection between a company and its clients/customers. Generally speaking, the world runs a little lower on empathy and emotional connection than it does on the more negative emotions, so a simple show of gratitude and appreciation can inspire goodwill, engagement, and trust. It’s a win-win, and it costs nothing!
VISUAL DESIGN IS KEY
It’s a fast-paced world out there where people crave fun and entertainment, so designers and marketers have to get their creative thinking caps on these days. Lively designs can inspire new customers, clients, or subscribers to stay with you, or it can remind the audience you already have why they stick around.
However, it’s important to have variety and play the field with new trends as well as tried-and-true options, such as more classical looks and designs. Considering how important visual content is becoming as we become an increasingly visual, video-based world, check out some lists of Graphic Design Trends 2022 and view a variety of different lists to get a fuller idea of what’s working for people in 2022. Each designer will have a different perspective to share, so keep an open mind–there might be something to learn about audience retention where you least expect it.
In a previous blog, I wrote about the Facebook Instant Experience and how the world is rapidly becoming a mobile economy. Therefore, it’s an absolute must to have a responsive design that renders perfectly on mobile devices. Webpages that take too long to load or that don’t look or act right on a phone will surely see this reflected in your bounce rates and engagement rates. Tread carefully!
I HEARD IT FROM A FRIEND OF A FRIEND OF MINE…
Reviews make the online world go ’round. When we go online to research a product or service, the first thing we look for is an actual, real-life experience from someone who has used said product or service (and if it’s a product and it comes with photos, even better.) The openness and transparency of unbiased feedback scores points with audiences, and it also gains you a competitive edge–integrity is a valuable asset to have in the world of business.
Additionally, you can also grow your digital audience by promoting the sharing of reviews on your customers’ social media platforms. This is a tactic used by the clothing brand American Eagle and their sister company, Aerie, promoting the use of the #AerieREAL hashtag to show how real people feel about their clothing and how it looks/fits on different body types. This has been a wildly successful strategy in spreading the association of their brand with body positivity, honesty, and realness.
INFLUENCERS
Influencer marketing is a type of social media marketing that relies one extremely important social aspect: life proof, or social proof. It’s never been easier to build your brand by reaching out and collaborating with an individual (or company) that has already cultivated a warm one for you. Influencers don’t need to be expensive or have an outlandish amount of followers; some of the most effective ones have small or medium-sized audiences that are more loyal and trusting than someone with millions of followers. Smaller, niche interests can be a powerhouse of interest and engagement, and are friendly for small businesses and local brands.
That’s a wrap for today! Ultimately, things are moving at lightning speed in our industry, but the root of it all remains simple: cultivate genuine connection, show your humanity, and hire a very good Graphic Designer.
‘Til next time!
Petra Nyhuis, Account Manager