Meet the biggest collection of trends for 2022 in digital marketing. We have found, translated and analyzed materials from the largest research agencies - use them and draw your conclusions!
Mission is the engine of growth. In 2022 the mission of brands will not be limited to increasing profits. Businesses will have to rethink why they exist and rely on their values when choosing a business strategy.
We were able to find out what values have become decisive for consumers:
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI; Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) will be crucial for brands in 2022. Fast-growing companies support the principles of inclusion 1.9 times more often than brands with negative growth.
Younger audiences are particularly attentive to a brand's social position.
It is important to "be, not seem. Customers expect brands to fully immerse themselves in social topics - showing their position in the commercial is no longer enough.
Analysts, programmers and strategists will be the main creative people in 2022. All thanks to the ability to analyze data.
With the growth of Big Data, businesses can learn more and more about their clients - and use this information to promote them. Brands are interested in specialists who use insights about users for quality promotion.
This does not mean that creatives are no longer needed. Only the approach to recruitment has changed: the task of 2022 will be to create flexible teams that combine creativity, analytics and deep expertise in the subject of the brand.
Third-party data doesn't produce the same results as before - and with the trend toward privacy, it risks disappearing altogether. In 2022, marketers will have to gather information on their own. 61% of fast-growing companies are already using this strategy.
To do so, respondents advise:
Tracking user activity is a useful tool for personalization. At the same time, constant smartphone "snooping" scares customers and reminds them of the complete lack of anonymity.
Customers called notifications about discounts and arrivals of goods, recommendations on interests - transparent operations that simplify the user experience - useful. But geolocation and activity tracking seemed out of place - especially scary was the gadget tapping.
The conclusion is simple: customers need transparency and complete trust in the brand. Explain why you're collecting information, allow opt-outs, and provide data protection.
Hybrid Experience vs. the global shift to online
In 2 years of the pandemic, consumers are tired of remote shopping - in 2022, brands will have to return to the offline space. How to combine the two worlds?
Hybrid experience is the merging of the user experience online and offline, a symbiosis of digital and physical interaction with the customer. 75% of business executives responded that they will be introducing hybrid experience in the coming year:
Hybrid experience requires a whole infrastructure that will integrate the customer experience across different channels of communication. To do this, it is important to understand your audience: for example, young people prefer to shop through social networks and use a voice assistant much more often, while the older generation prefers offline shopping and live interaction with a consultant.
Businesses are already using artificial intelligence for specific operations, such as timely notifications and mailings. However, its capabilities are much broader: 11,500 users said that artificial intelligence helps them in selecting commendations, makes it easier to return products, allows them to learn more about the product, and so on.
The goal for 2022 is to make the most of artificial intelligence. At the same time, it is important to achieve harmony between technology and human resources.
Automate routine processes to spend more time communicating and building trust with the customer.
The pandemic has made us miss the old days and simple pleasures - the very word "nostalgic" is becoming increasingly popular on social networks.
Big brands have already picked up on the "good old-fashioned" trend:
Content from a brand isn't enough to convince a customer:
The brands that can build trust with the customer through user-generated content will win in 2022. To do this:
Augmented reality has been talked about for years - but expect post-pandemic brands to try to combine online with offline returns.
Nike and Burberry have already opened stores with augmented reality, Etsy is offering a virtual home tour, and Macy's is broadcasting with online shopping. Facebook's transformation into Meta also speaks to the transition of businesses to ecosystems where reality and digital merge into a single space.
"We trust people more than brands," says digital consultant Neal Schaeffer. Collaborating with Influencers increases brand awareness, fosters loyalty and influences your CA's decisions.
Back in 2021, it was predicted that interactions with online support services would increase by 40%. Society has become more edgy since the pandemic, and expects instant support from brands.
Timely help is another factor in trust and loyal relationships. Yet only 13% of customers believe they are getting effective support from brands. How to fix the situation?