2021 was a year full of changes in the world of digital marketing, changes that will undoubtedly influence the trends that will govern this 2022. Changes such as the arrival of the metaverse, algorithm improvements, updates in the google SERP, or the idea of a world without third party cookies.
Events that only lead us to one conclusion: 2022 will be an extremely important year in terms of digital strategy. Especially if we consider that there is a great saturation of products without differentiation in the digital market.
Therefore, it is time to ask ourselves: What are the marketing trends that I should include in my planning this year? And how can I achieve success for my brand or business through them? That’s why we have put together a compilation of the most relevant trends that will let you know where to focus your efforts.
1. Goodbye to third-party cookies
Third-party cookies are files downloaded to the user’s device from a website, but they usually come from a different page. These cookies are mostly used by marketers to increase their sales.
However, to ensure the user’s privacy, a series of legislative measures have been taken, which led companies such as Apple and Google to eliminate these cookies, leaving more than one user upside down.
These actions were previously taken by Facebook, which made us see how the size of remarketing audiences and audiences were decreasing, conversions were dropping and ROI was taking longer and longer.
In this sense, everything indicates that in 2022 we must bet on first party data, as well as investing in the unification and management of data collected from each user to face the world without cookies.
2. Metaverse, virtual reality and augmented reality
Recently Facebook made one of the biggest announcements that shook the whole world, changing its name to Meta and declaring the arrival of what will be known as “metaverse”, a virtual reality world.
We will be able to enter this world through special devices such as virtual reality glasses. Within the metaverse we will have the opportunity to interact with other users, where each one will have an avatar.
Thus, we are talking about a second reality in which we will be able to interact, travel, study, play, work and, most impressively, make purchases and sales. For this reason, several companies, such as Nike, are already investing to position themselves in this.
And as is well known, Facebook is one of the largest advertising platforms worldwide, so it is important to stay alert and receptive to what is coming.
3. Content quality before quantity
Content creation will be one of the most relevant factors that will guide the rest of the marketing trends for 2022. Likewise, the core updates made by the giant Google have made it clear that the search engine is focused on providing reliable and quality answers to its users.
For this reason, domain authority will be a key factor in terms of positioning. In addition, it will focus more on the user’s search intent, so it will look for more specific answers. This leads us to another conclusion: the user remains the center of any digital marketing strategy.
4. User Experience
More than a trend, it is a reality that the user experience is growing at a fast pace and becoming stronger. And this year it is not only about designing a web page or user-friendly application, it involves price, product, interaction and differentiation.
The goal is to focus on increasing user engagement with the brand, and this creates a need that marketing specialists have to fulfill.
In this way, we evolve from customer-centric to human-centric. The audience are no longer just buyers whose shopping experience must be facilitated, but they are considered a part of the brand as they increasingly have a personal relationship with them.
To improve the user experience in 2022 consider the following key aspects:
- Customers expect personalized service.
- Users want quick and concise answers.
- Provide to the target audience a unique experience.
5. Mobile and voice search
Google continues to be the number one browser worldwide and in 2021 we could see that one of the most relevant changes in the SEO industry is the way in which the user searches online.
With the increase of mobile and voice searches, being first in the SERP results is no longer the goal that we must necessarily aspire to accomplish.
Users are searching faster and reading less. Therefore, featured snippets and other information in SERPs, points out that it is not necessary to enter a website to receive information, because without having to click on anything, you have the answer on the results page.
6. Programmatic advertising
Programmatic advertising is a phenomenon that has been developing and positioning itself as a trend for some years now. Already in 2018, the company Amazon introduced programmatic advertising business on its platforms, and it is a major competitor to Facebook and Google.
But the most shocking news of it is seeing businesses such as Walmart supermarkets entering the market offering their own programmatic solutions. So they are creating a new business opportunity.
7. Account based marketing
Account based marketing, rather than being one of the predominant marketing trends for 2022, is the best friend of B2B companies. It consists of using IP-based identification to segment with high precision.
Campaigns are low-budget because the audience is small, consequently it targets the exact users that want to reach. Among its main uses are:
- Acquisition: account based marketing is ideal for acquiring new customers. All you need to do is create a list of companies you want to reach and generate specific content for each one.
- Expansion: once you have your contacts list, with account based marketing you can expand your business to different departments and divisions, thus improving the organization.
8. Video marketing as the favorite format
According to studies, video format represents more than 82% of all online traffic. In fact, currently the short video platform, Tiktok, overtook Google in 2021, being the site with the most visits in the whole year.
Videos are more likely to rank, compared to still images. Also, 93% of the marketers’ community says that video is the star of their content strategy.
Therefore, in 2022, brands should strive to integrate more video content, whether product demonstrations, webinars, live, etc. In addition, video is definitely one of the best tools to generate sales, as it easily connects with the emotional side of the user.
9. Marketing automation
The tools to program automated processes of conversation, content or attention, are becoming more intuitive and provide total independence to digital marketing specialists.
This 2022 automation will increase in a degree of implementation (by companies) and sophistication (by automations). Likewise, sequential automations will no longer be implemented, but rather these processes will be personalized according to the events that the user follows, with the objective of creating unique experiences.
10. Growth of stores on social networks
In a Facebook without cookies, where the platform does not have access to the data of a website, it becomes almost impossible to generate data that allows automation to work properly. The only solution is to manage the interaction experience within the social network itself.
Consequently, as a predominant marketing trend this 2022, we will see more stores within Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp or Pinterest. This represents an opportunity for those who do not have a website.
11. The year of SMEs
A lot of entrepreneurs are becoming aware of how important and essential it is to invest in a digital marketing strategy. Now, without being able to wait any longer, is the time that small and medium-sized companies will have to take a step forward if they want to position themselves.
Faced with artificial intelligence, technological innovations, virtual reality, and chatbots, small businesses, SMEs, and freelancers will begin to integrate inexpensive techniques that are useful in their business. This will undoubtedly generate a demand for marketing specialists.
12. CRM evolution in other digital channels
This 2022 the use of communication channels such as Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp and Telegram will have a new functionality for marketers and will become a CRM tool, complementing email marketing campaigns to accelerate the pace between customer interest and desire.
13. Omni-channel marketing
One of the strongest marketing trends for 2022 is omnichannel marketing. Which consists of connecting various platforms. This strategy has been applied for a few years, but there is a new twist coming with it, 5G.
The 5G will allow working with larger formats, both at the level of videos and still images, so that in the near future, email marketing will allow the integration of video.
14. Headless commerce
Speaking of omnichannel marketing, headless commerce consists of a new page architecture, where the parts work independently and use an API to connect all channels of the online store.
Thus creating an omnichannel experience that integrates a website and their social networks is a great advantage when you are selling because it is estimated that users who consult several digital channels of a brand or business, tend to spend 10% more money.
15. Live stream shopping
This kind of live stream consists of organizing sales sessions through live broadcasts. The public can purchase the promoted products and interact with the seller through personalized buttons and automated messages.
Although in Latin America and the United States it still seems to be a very new idea, in countries such as China, it is quite common. In fact, according to statistics, it is estimated that one third of the Chinese population has already attended a live shopping session in 2022.
This type of ecommerce has been seen more in the beauty, food, technology, decoration and fashion industries.
16. Higher CPCs
Among the novelties that social networks have brought us this 2022, after the accelerated digitization of multiple businesses (product of the pandemic by Covid-19), the global cost of ads on Facebook Ads has been increasing since the second quarter of 2021, currently standing at 85%.
As a result, marketers are under much more pressure to make the most of budgets. CTR, on the other hand, remains unchanged, allowing for better results.
However, in the absence of cookies, more strategy, ingenuity and creativity are needed to implement successful ad campaigns.
17. The advent of web stories
What started with Snapchat, ended up revolutionizing the world of digital platforms. Now the format of stories arrives to the world of Google searches.
Web Stories is a format similar to the stories we commonly see on Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp or Twitter. These will appear in Google search results and Google discover. Which leaves a question, how will SEO work in this new format?
Undoubtedly this year will be full of great changes and expectations for marketers. We will have to adapt to the new advancements, be creative and learn to take advantage of the upcoming trends.
That’s why at Factor Engagement we have marketing professionals who are aware of these updates to develop truly effective strategies. If you need help, do not hesitate to contact us on our WhatsApp, or through our social networks. You can find us on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn
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