As 2021 draws to a close and we move into 2022, you’re likely looking forward to your marketing schedule for the new year. There are some marketing trends we’ll see in the next twelve months that are new. However, many of the old tried, and true methods continue to remain popular.
Deloitte surveyed 1,099 executives and 11,500 consumers to see what the state of marketing will be in 2022. Deloitte surveyed 1,099 executives and 11,500 consumers to see what the state of marketing will be in 2022. One trend emerging is figuring out what your purpose is as a brand. Approximately 66% of respondents felt purpose guides employee decision-making and helps their brand grow.
What marketing trends should you implement for the most successful next year? Here are our favorites out of the emerging options.
2022 Marketing Trends to Try
Improve Customer Experience (CX)
More people than ever before shop online. Many still do so to avoid crowds. Others saw the ease of ordering online during the pandemic and shifted how much they buy from online retailers. It’s vital for companies to work on an improved CX both on their websites and in person in 2022. Many consumers are fed up with long waits, low supply, and poor attitudes. They’ll just shift their business to the company giving them the best experience. Make sure that’s you. Trying this marketing trend really can’t hurt.
Use Fresh Colors
Each year, new colors come into dominance. Color can increase brand recognition by 80% and make you stand out from the competition. While you don’t want to change your standard color palette frequently, you can add a pop of color to your calls to action (CTAs) or sprinkle it throughout your site as an accent. This simple yet effective marketing trend can be done in one day and will last you all year.
Throw Hybrid Events
Before the pandemic, in-person events were standard. Social distancing forced many companies to cancel events or move them online. Amazingly, the public responded by signing up. Expect 2022 to usher in hybrid events, where some activities are in-person and some online. Imagine a guest speaker where the room is half full of listeners, but the event also gets streamed on Facebook, and thousands more join in virtually.
The way marketers handle hybrid events also shifts to making online ordering a one-click process and integrating all systems to keep track of inventory and sales figures. Truth is, digital and hybrid events are not likely to go away. So, why not test out this marketing trend?
Tap Into Artificial Intelligence (AI)
The use of AI has been growing for a few years, but its advanced capabilities mean companies will use it more, especially for forecasting. Rather than spending hours crunching data, marketers can simply pull up a feature of their customer relationship management software and get data on what ad campaigns might work best with their customers.AI saves time and gives professionals a chance to spend their energy on more creative endeavors.
Embrace Real-Time Engagement
The world is coming out of a time of extreme upheaval and shifting priorities thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. Researchers found 66% of marketing professionals believe revenue growth will surge in 2022. They’re focused on real-time engagement to reconnect with audiences. Spend more time talking to your contacts on social media. Throw events they’ll want to attend. Add live chat to your website. Look for ways to engage your audience instantly and keep them interested.
Ramp Up Quality
Like it or hate it, Google is the most-used browser on the internet. They also constantly change their algorithms, either taking traffic away from your site or pushing it there. Fortunately, you can focus on creating high-quality content to play the ranking game and come out a little ahead.Be aware of what makes a site rank for position zero on search results pages. Look at what your competitors are doing. Pay attention to search phrases and which sites pull up and why.
Add value to your content by including video, digging into information no one else shares, and adding rich features such as images and bullet points. Keep in mind many people access your site via mobile, so you’ll want to make sure your articles are skimmable.
Use headings, subheadings, short sentences, and bullet points to make for a quick read. Did you cover the customers’ questions fully? Keep improving your content until it shines. This is just one of the many ways to keep up with marketing trends.
Ramp Up Social
According to Statista, 79% of people in the United States have a social media account. If you don’t have a strong social presence, this is the year to build one. Each day around the globe, more people jump on the social bandwagon. However, using the same old posts you’ve always used may not be enough anymore. Thanks to platforms such as Instagram and TikTok, expect to see more live content and interactive features.
Pay attention to those trying new things. Which efforts gain the most attention and interaction? Can you somehow adapt those to a business account? Try new things and track results until you find the perfect mix. We fully expect social media to ramp up and be a big marketing trend for retailers in 2022.
Extend Your Marketing Reach
One of the best ways to stay on top of new marketing trends is to reach widely in your genre. See what new technology becomes popular, what news other companies announce, and get ideas from a wide range of business types.
Can you embrace a cause that is near and dear to your heart? What do your internal analytics show about your customers and their preferences? Look for ways to tweak your marketing trends and strategies until you find the perfect conversion rate. Reviewing your efforts frequently ensures you don’t fall into bad habits or miss opportunities.