The top 7 marketing trends for 2022
A new year brings new opportunities. For marketers, new opportunities are their bread and butter, as they have to always stay on top of their game. Marketing trends for 2022 meet the needs and wants of clients, with digital marketing trends being at the forefront. Digital marketing has become an important form of marketing in recent years. This has been shown in employment statistics where over 60% of companies employ or plan to employ digital marketers to their marketing teams (Clickthrough, 2019). Here are the top seven marketing trends for 2022.
- Utilising the Metaverse
Facebook has changed its name to Meta and has created the Metaverse while doing so. The Metaverse is a space for virtual and augmented experiences on the internet. Digital marketers should educate themselves on the Metaverse and utilise it before their competition does. Read more here:
- Using influencers’ influence
According to Influencer Marketing Hub (Influencer Marketing Hub, 2021) influencer marketing was estimated to grow to close to $14 billion in 2021. This will only continue to grow throughout this year, which means more opportunities for digital marketers. The influencer is able to influence their fan base, which is engaged and interested. Therefore, partnering with influencers is one of the best ways to grow brand awareness. This applies to all brands, even B2B brands. Adobe, SAP, and PWC are examples of B2B brands that use this trend. Read more here:
- Marketing skills development
The marketing field is ever-changing which brings constant challenges and new demands. To keep up and thrive in this industry, marketers need to constantly sharpen their skills and stay up to date on trends and new information. To ensure you stay on top of your game, you should apply to The Institute of Marketing Management (IMM), South Africa. IMM offers its member’s education initiatives that aim to promote career development to ensure they are able to take advantage of every opportunity.
- Social Responsibility
Important social matters such as global warming (LA Times, 2021), the COVID-19 pandemic (Al Jazeera, 2022), and a range of social injustices are at the forefront of public conversation. Marketers will utilise and invest in this in 2022 as this is important to many consumers. A study performed by McKinsey supports this, as they predicted that consumers would be more likely to support brands if they show that they care for their customers, employees, and important causes (McKinsey, 2020). This trend may not drive sales, but it will grow brand awareness and consumer loyalty. Read more here:
- Personalisation
It is likely that consumers will support brands that invest in personalised marketing. Seeing that many people have an inbox full of ads that start with “Hi [consumer’s name]”, this form of marketing has become less effective and outright boring. Digital marketers need to ensure that their target audience receives a personalised marketing experience to ensure meaningful engagement. A way to do this would be to invest in AI technology. This would gather information from their online activity and social media which would allow insight into their needs and wants. Read more here:
- SEO
SEO marketing strategies is not a new trend in 2022, but it remains one of the most important digital marketing trends as it results in short-term and long-term traffic returns. SEO stands for “search engine optimisation” and aims to improve site awareness to have higher levels of traffic (Search Engine Land). Seeing that this strategy is important and popular, its optimisation opportunities have grown. Now, many brands now need an SEO expert who is able to perform a range of tasks. Digital marketers should sharpen their SEO skills to meet the ever-evolving needs and wants of brands.
- Mobile optimisation
Seeing that more than 50% of online website traffic comes from mobile devices and tablets, mobile optimization has become a priority for marketers (Hubspot, 2021). To utilise this mobile-based audience, marketers will have to invest and explore a range of different strategies which make the mobile experience smooth and inviting. Web design will be an important strategy to ensure this.
Make sure you’re prepared for the new trends
The trends for 2022 that we mentioned are sure to provide new challenges and new financial opportunities for marketers across the globe. To make sure you get your piece of the pie, you would need to stay up to date with the new trends and make sure your marketing and digital marketing skills are sharpened at all times. Visit the Institute of Marketing (IMM), South Africa website today to explore the wide range of services available to marketers in 2022. <LINK>