Digital marketing is one of the most effective ways to reach potential customers and sell products and services. There isn’t an industry that can’t benefit from digital marketing. Marketing trends frequently evolve to keep up with the market, and staying in the loop can be quite challenging.

We’ll discuss top digital marketing trends in 2022 and how you can utilize them for your brand.

Video Marketing

With more affordable, quality mobile data plans, we’ve seen a rise in mobile-first trends. Now more than ever, we primarily use phones to browse the internet, and video streaming has become a part of our routine. Therefore, it’s no surprise video marketing is one of the biggest digital marketing trends.

Creating an engaging video about an idea, product, or service has become much easier. Since most modern phones have excellent cameras and built-in video editors, you don’t have to be an expert to create interesting content. Short, snappy videos are easy to watch, informative, and most importantly, don’t take as much time as reading a post. Visual content is perceived better by our brains and stays longer in our memory, so why not take advantage of this and expand your marketing efforts.

When creating videos, remember that most people don’t have the time (or patience) to watch long, dull videos. A 30- or 60- second video that gets straight to the point is ideal. Think of TikTok videos and Instagram Stories and Reels that have become so popular in the last few years.

Personalization

Gone are the days when creating ads and messages for your entire audience was acceptable. Instead of targeting all your followers on social media, focus on personalization. Customers want to see the content they desire conveyed in a relatable manner. This means you’ll need to segment your followers and create different pop-up messages, ads, and emails to cater to everyone.

Besides paying attention to the content, it’s vital to consider the time and place your message will reach the audience. You need to understand the platforms your audience uses and how so that you can create personalized content for every demographic.

Although personalizing your marketing strategy may take a lot of time and effort, it will pay off. Your audience will feel appreciated, understood, and enticed.

Influencer Marketing

Although not new, influencer marketing is still popular in the digital marketing world in 2022. Influencer marketing is a great way for brands to simultaneously appear more humane and connect to their target audience.

Nowadays, there are countless options for influencer marketing. You can switch between Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, and other social networks. If you opt for only one, you can take advantage of the various options within the app. For example, Instagram offers posts, Stories, and Reels, all of which are excellent for reaching your audience.

Influencer marketing can be very effective, but only if you’re careful about your choice. Before contacting an influencer regarding a collaboration proposal, you need to identify your target audience. Only then can you find the best influencer for your product or service.

CSR Campaigns and Non-Profit Activities

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a strategy that allows a company to be socially accountable to itself, the investors, and the audience. Fortunately, CSR strategies are becoming a standard in the digital marketing industry. Not only are these strategies beneficial for the environment, but they can improve a company’s image.

“Good” brands are always popular. Different non-profit activities can greatly impact how the audience sees individuals or companies. For example, tree planting is an excellent activity that shows a company cares for the environment and is willing to contribute to preserving it.

Different corporate policies that benefit the environment, improve labor policies, and reduce carbon footprint are only some of examples of corporate social responsibility. Using social media to advertise significant changes in a company can be an excellent way to attract new followers and build a reputation.

Besides being one of the most popular social media apps, TikTok has emerged as THE marketing platform. The app enables individuals and companies to reach their target audience within the app using different ad placements.

TikTok

Since TikTok focuses on the generation that grew up with technology, the emphasis is on short and exciting content. You can create videos that better represent your brand and attract the audience. Some of the most popular TikTok video formats are how-tos, tutorials, lip-synching videos, comedy skits, etc. All of these formats can become an effective digital marketing strategy.

Automation and AI

Social media post scheduling or analytics, automation, and AI tools are among the most in-demand digital marketing trends in 2022.

Modern AI can analyze the audience’s needs and even predict what they would like next. This has enormous value in digital marketing because it allows marketers to stay current and plan ahead. Knowing your customers’ next move will enable you to get them what they want when they want it. An AI can help you achieve high conversion rates and make your audience feel appreciated without overwhelming them.

NFTs and Crypto

Even if you don’t invest in cryptocurrencies, their rise in the last few years is nearly impossible to miss. Although it may seem non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and crypto aren’t related to digital marketing, it’s quite the opposite. Many social platforms are taking steps toward implementing cryptocurrency payments. Moreover, there’s a rising trend for tools that display in-app NFT purchases.

Jumping on the NFT and cryptocurrency bandwagon could help brands attract more customers.

Storytelling

Storytelling is integral to successful digital marketing strategies. Nowadays, customers don’t just buy a product or a service; they buy a brand’s identity. Of course, striving for high quality is still essential; but it’s also important to create a relatable “personality.” Authenticity and honesty will be appreciated by most audiences.

The audience is interested in more than a brand’s product or service. They want to learn about the company’s history, values, and stories. Genuinely presenting this information will help build a brand’s reputation. While this isn’t the best strategy for increasing revenue right away, it’s a great sales tactic in the long run.

Voice Search

Voice search is a type of technology that allows you to look for different terms on the internet by simply saying them out loud. You may wonder why someone would use voice search instead of typing, and the answer is simple: it’s more convenient. We live in a fast-paced world, and every second matters. Using our voice to make a query on a search engine, search for files, or request certain information saves us time and allows us to multitask.

Including voice search optimization can make your brand more approachable.

Quality Interactions

Conversational marketing has always been a big part of every brand’s reputation. But, with the rise of social media and chatbots, conversational marketing has become essential for customer satisfaction and brand promotion.

Customers want their answers in real-time, and replying to every question becomes impossible if there’s a large customer base. That’s why chatbots have become game-changers in digital marketing. They help brands maintain quality interactions much faster and on a much larger scale.

There’s another advantage of this: data collection. Constant interactions with the audience can help you understand their needs and expectations so that you can adjust accordingly.

Promoting Privacy and Transparency

One of the major concerns regarding social media platforms and the internet, in general, is privacy. Tracking the users’ behavior can make them feel insecure and even suspicious about their privacy while browsing the internet. That’s why promoting transparency in the use of user data has become a tactic in digital marketing.

As you may know, Google has announced that it will stop using third-party cookies in Google Chrome by the end of 2023. These cookies are placed on a website by a third party to collect information for that party. This is what allows websites to “remember” the users’ information at a later time.

While this may require brands to reevaluate marketing strategies, it can also positively affect communication and transparency between brands and the audience.

By communicating what data they are collecting and why brands ensure no customers feel tricked into giving information. Brands should try to make opting out of sharing information easy and accessible for everyone as it increases audience loyalty.

Content Segmentation

Most brands use customer segmentation to target customers of different age groups, education levels, gender, etc. Moreover, segmenting various communication forms like news and promotions is common practice.

Those who want to take it a step further pay attention to content segmentation. For example, allowing customers to opt-in and out of certain kinds of content.

Suppose your company sells cards, and it’s the holiday season, but some of your customers don’t celebrate Christmas. Naturally, they don’t want to receive dozens of Christmas-related emails and promotional content. Allowing such customers to opt out of receiving this content will make them feel appreciated.

Befriend the Trend

The only constant in digital marketing is that it’s constantly evolving. Although keeping up with the latest digital marketing trends can be exhausting, it’s the best way to grow and stay competitive.

Fortunately, there are many ways to stay updated on the latest trends. You can consult online publications, participate in digital marketing courses, subscribe to relevant magazines, read marketing blogs, etc. Don’t forget to be flexible; what’s working for your brand today doesn’t mean it will work in six months or a year. As mentioned, the digital marketing world is changing fast, and you need to be able to adjust. Assess your marketing strategy every few months, and don’t be afraid to experiment.