During the past couple of years, we’ve seen massive changes in the way we promote businesses. Social media is bigger than ever before. How about the growth of influencer marketing?
That makes planning for the future difficult at best. Sitting here at the end of 2021, how do you know what tools will be best for moving forward into 2022 and beyond?
There are several significant trends in digital marketing that will impact the way you market your business over the coming months. Where should you put your time, money, and energy? These are the areas we see growing by leaps and bounds.
Content Marketing
If you read the content we’ve shared on our blog these past few years, there’s a recurring theme. Content marketing has remained high in our marketing strategies because it’s the one thing that has worked and will continue to work well.
How can we be so sure? Because Google says so.
In the Google Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Starter Guide, it says: “Creating compelling and useful content will likely influence your website more than any of the other factors discussed here.” It then lists various ways to add content online, including blog posts, social media services, and forum threads.
Google has long since built its business on giving people the information they are searching for. They continually tweak their algorithms to deliver better data. When people turn to Google, they have a question in mind. They look for the answers in various ways, from detailed articles to peer reviews and testimonials.
Google analyzes this and builds a better business model based on what people want. It’s all about content – of course, that changes over time too.
But you can’t ignore that creating content will always be your number one strategy for ranking well. If you aren’t writing posts, being active on social media, or paying attention to your reviews, your business will pay the price in the future.
SEO
When we think about what digital marketing trends will work in the future, we can’t help but think about how SEO will be a part of that strategy.
Today’s SEO isn’t the same as a few years ago. Load up a page with keywords today, and you’ll be banned from the search engines.
It all comes back to content – Google wants great user experiences. That means high-quality content that is readable and likable. Of course, if you use SEO strategies to give it a boost, all the better.
The best way to optimize your content is to research your audience. The more you know about who they are, the more relevant you can make your content. Who is your target audience? What are their needs? We suggest creating a customer avatar to ensure you know everything about your ideal clients.
Then, with an understanding of who they are and what they want, you can start performing keyword research to dive deeper into finding out what they want.
Google has its own Keyword Planner to help you understand your customers’ search strategies in more depth. There are other keyword tools online that can give you a deeper understanding of your ideal customer and what they’re looking for when they search online.
With this in mind, you can build your web presence with SEO tactics for optimal reach as you write and post new content.
Personalization
We’re living in a world where people want information personalized to meet their needs. Seventy percent of millennials are frustrated with brands that send irrelevant messages, and eighty percent of consumers state they are more likely to make a purchase from a brand that personalizes the experience.
Yet keep in mind that these same people are also nervous about privacy. There’s a fine line between improving the experience and losing trust.
Trust and transparency often go hand in hand. People want to feel like you understand them, which is why influencer marketing has been growing by leaps and bounds. No longer does a company market their products; real people talk about the product or service instead.
When you hear the term “influencer,” if all you think of are the biggest celebrities, think again. The biggest rise is in micro-influencers – people known for specific interests and who have very high engagement rates with their followers. They may have anywhere from 10,000 to 100,000 on social media, and when they talk, their people listen.
An influencer’s power doesn’t come from how many followers they have but instead is based on their personal relationships with their followers.
Video
Go back a few years, and you’ll find major news organizations were predicting that the future was all about video. They weren’t wrong. All you have to do today is open up your favorite social media platform, and you’ll see this is true. From TikTok and Reels to full-feature videos, this is one area of digital marketing that will continue to grow.
If you think you need a full production house to help you utilize this trend, think again. You have all the power you need in your pocket. In fact, it’s preferred. People don’t want high-quality videos. They like simple messages shot off the cuff. They want honesty, transparency. They want to see you without lights and glamor. If you look at some of the biggest YouTube success stories, you’ll see how little they put into production.
If you haven’t fully embraced video, make this your year to start adding it to your social media, even if it’s in short bursts. You can use live video and supplement it with short outtakes. The key is consistency. Don’t worry if your first video is less than perfect. You’ll get better over time.
What Digital Marketing Trends Are You Planning on Following as We Move Into 2022?
While there is no shortage of growth in the online world, if you’re wondering what direction to take with your digital marketing, the answer lies in keeping it simple.
Don’t get overwhelmed with new technology. Newness wears off and flows into what works. If you build a solid strategy and stick with a plan, you’ll ride the current trends, and find what works best for you.
How can we help make your 2022 the best year yet?
