What are the future marketing trends you need to know in 2022?
Keeping up with future marketing trends is tricky, especially when we see how quickly the marketing world evolves around us.
2022 is set to be an exciting year with the evolution of TikTok for businesses and an ongoing demand for quality story-led content.
So, take note. Here are some of the latest and greatest future marketing trends your business needs to prioritise in 2022.
Future marketing trend #1
Influencer marketing
With the value of influencer marketing set to increase to £15 billion in 2022, you must start incorporating this form of marketing into your strategy or face getting left behind.
HubSpot revealed that 34% of global marketing professionals put influencer marketing at the top of the list for priorities in 2022, with a further 46% looking to increase their investment in the trend.
This makes for happy reading to all aspiring influencers. However, this should appeal to consumers and brands too. Why? Well, seeing as influencers are masters in their fields, they’re trusted by their followers. This creates a more genuine approach to marketing, unrivalled by any other digital marketing trend.
Whether it’s across social media platforms, product collaborations or brand ambassador programmes, influencer marketing will become a common trend in digital marketing in 2022.
Future marketing trend #2
Email marketing
Email marketing has seen a huge resurgence in recent years. Nowadays, it offers greater variety, thanks to personalisation, automation, and design features. Now, sending an attractive, automated, and personalised email to your customers has never been easier or more effective.
The future trends in email marketing centre around segmentation, mobile optimisation, and AI technology. Newsletters and welcome emails look likely to continue to perform the best out of all marketing email types with their ability to nurture customers into future conversions.
After reading welcome emails, the following six months will see customers read 40% more messages received from that brand.
Future marketing trend #3
Content marketing
Content marketing is key to reaching the right customer and growing your brand.
Customer retention will be a major asset in future content marketing trends. Although the acquisition of new customers might appear more appealing, keeping your customers loyal is much more cost-effective.
Annex Cloud states that 65% of a company’s business comes from returning customers. Retention is widely considered much cheaper than acquisition. So, instead of focusing on appealing to new customers, you should make sure you keep your current customers happy and engaged with your brand.
How do you do this? Build trust with communication and give opportunities for feedback. More so, make sure to invest in improving user experience (UX). UX is key to keeping customers consistently engaged and returning. This is why brands must optimise all platforms to be smartphone friendly.
Web FX claims 61% of customers are more like to purchase from a brand with a mobile-friendly site. In 2022, the need for smartphone optimisation will be essential for brands to not lose out on business.
Other elements to consider in content marketing include:
- Developing a weekly nurturing email to keep your brand top of mind with existing customers.
- Listening to your customer service team and using AnswerThePublic to identify key questions/pain points your customers are searching for. You can then turn these into blogs.
- Considering adding audio to your content marketing strategy. If you have lots of great guests and points to cover, perhaps it’s time to start your own podcast.
Future marketing trend #4
Visual content marketing
Another notable future marketing trend for 2022 is visual content marketing. Wyzowl reports that 91% of marketers agree video content is now very important due to the pandemic.
Visual content marketing can create intimate relationships with customers through authenticity. Think about creating simple how-to guides, behind the scenes footage, or ephemeral snippets. These visuals will drive engagement much more than text alone.
Video content is not the only way to engage customers. Brands should consider graphics, photography, animations and memes. All these visual content marketing methods will keep performing in 2022 and represent the future of marketing.
Keep the substance simple and release the spectacle of your brand in visual style.
Future marketing trend #5
Social media marketing
Leading on from visual content marketing trends, brands should be utilising Instagram and its ‘Reels’ feature for 2022. Head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, has stated he wants to serve Instagram users in their demand for more entertaining video content. Brands should embrace this shift and jump on board before they get left behind.
Another interesting feature is the addition of longer-form video content. TikTok has expanded videos to three minutes, while Instagram ‘Reels’ have upgraded to 60 seconds. Will we see a return of long-form content in the future of marketing? We think so.
As for LinkedIn, expect the need for personal branding to continue. With company posts often overlooked, improving employee profiles is becoming an easy way to generate more leads and start conversations indirectly.
How to keep up with marketing trends
When we look at future marketing trends in 2022 and beyond, it’s essential to understand the importance of versatility and flexibility.
Today’s latest marketing trends will soon become yesterday’s news. The best way to keep up with future marketing trends is to subscribe to the best content sources and develop a robust marketing strategy.
If you would like any support with your marketing in 2022, get in touch with Flamingo Marketing Strategies. We’re here to help you stand out from the crowd.