Expert Advice - Top 10 Digital Marketing Trends

Digital marketing becomes more complicated with each passing year. Marketers now have to juggle burgeoning social platforms and increasing rules, as well as content, automation, and personalization, to mention a few, in addition to the basics like SEO, PPC, branding, and UX.?

?We asked 30 marketers to share the most essential techniques they'll be doing to expand reach, raise awareness, and increase income.?

?It came down to the following top ten digital marketing trends.?

Digital marketing trends to watch

These first three trends are more emerging in nature, meaning they may not be realistic for your company right now, but they do suggest the direction we're heading in. So, even if you're not planning on making a $600,000 NFT gif, keep an eye on them. Furthermore, understanding the reasons for these trends might help you improve your current methods.

1.???The Metaverse Craze

So, we're not talking about Facebook [exclusively]. The metaverse is a persistent environment where people work, play, and socialize in the virtual world of augmented reality, virtual reality, 3D holographic avatars, and video—not simply one-off experiences like gaming. According to Patrick Casey, director of growth marketing at digital health business Felix Health , there's a reason the metaverse has been getting so much attention lately—and brands should include it as part of their marketing strategies.

This is partly due to the fact that it has the ability to provide a completely new set of performance measures.

"Marketers will be able to experiment with how long virtual objects are held, how much space they take up in a user’s peripheral vision, and even where users are looking when experiencing an ad," he said. "These insights have the ability to radically remap what you know about your audience, giving you crucial guidance moving ahead."

Many firms will flirt with virtual worlds, according to Kent Lewis, president of digital marketing consultancy Anvil Media , and even while consumers "may be a few years away from caring about the metaverse," brands can still benefit from a first-mover advantage.

2.???Non-fungible Tokens (NFTs)

Beyond figuring out where brands fit in the metaverse, Zach Passarella, marketing director of nutraceutical brand Supplement Manufacturing Partners , added that brands will have to experiment more with blockchain technology in order to prepare for Web 3.0—the next evolution of the web, which will be more decentralized.

" This preparation taken will pay off in the near future when the web turns into more of this type of realm after 2022," he said.

Non-fungible tokens are a popular component of the blockchain (NFTs). Because it has no equals, it is non-fungible, which means it cannot be traded for something of equivalent worth. The US dollar, for example, is fungible. A $100 banknote can be exchanged for five $20 bills. However, owing to the authenticity issue, you can't trade your grandmother's wedding ring—a non-fungible—for anything of equivalent value.

NFTs are the digital counterpart of non-fungibles, which are blockchain-based digital assets such as animations, graphic designs, GIFs, audio/video files, and memes.

With companies like Campbell's, Charmin, and Coca-Cola issuing NFT collectibles last year, Jeff Mains, CEO of consulting firm Champion Leadership Group , believes now is a good time for other companies to figure out how to tap into these digital assets so they don't get left behind.

Furthermore, as brands such as Adidas begin to collaborate with NFT collections such as the Bored Ape Yacht Club, Faizan Fahim, marketing manager at cloud hosting platform Breeze.io , predicted more collaborations—and even brands selling or giving away their own NFTs as a way to foster community among their customers .

3.???Digital currency / Cryptocurrency

In a similar line, cryptocurrencies will continue to grow in popularity, and clever marketers will keep an eye on this trend toward decentralized money.

While bitcoin is currently only utilized by a small percentage of the population in the United States, embracing it today could help businesses attract new customers—but only if the demographic is suitable, according to Andrea Chapman, marketing manager at cannabis website Nature and Bloom .

"In relation to payments, for example, cryptocurrencies are driving massive changes in relation to the biggest processors like Visa, PayPal, and MasterCard," said Shaun Heng, vice president of growth and operations at price-tracking site CoinMarketCap . " This has big implications on how products and services engage with their customers and marketers will be eager to align themselves with the potential for increased demographic reach."

You shouldn't be surprised by these two developments. You're probably already doing something along these lines, and you should keep doing it.

4.???0 & 1st party data

Marketers have time till the second half of 2024 until Google stops using third-party cookies, making 2022 & 2023 the most crucial year for data and privacy yet.

"A lot of really good marketers still fail to realize that, in reality, your audience is owned by Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or any other social media network you use," said Brian Snedvig, CEO of Jofibo , a company that helps job seekers generate resumes and cover letters. "You don’t have control over them. That is why 2022 should be the year you begin to own your audience."

This necessitates the use of data collection technologies that place a premium on consumer privacy.

"Make sure your campaigns in 2022 assist you to create first-party data so you don’t have to rely on others’ data as much," Dan Close, CEO of We Buy Houses in Kentucky , said.

Email, newsletters, social networking, and CRM systems are all options.

According to Michelle Ebbin, founder of clothing business Jettproof , zero-party data, or data provided directly by the user through internet interactions such as surveys, is equally significant.

"While it will take more effort upfront, the data marketers are able to collect directly from their consumers can play a huge role in creating more personalized and tailored campaigns," said Justin Smith, CEO of OuterBox , a digital agency.

Brands must also ensure that their agencies " have a clear plan in place for ad placement and measurement after the shift [away from third-party cookies]," according to Close.

Marketers may also use Google's Privacy Sandbox to test new ways of accessing consumer data without risking privacy, according to Ebbin.

5.???Buffering the Supply chain

Headlines regarding supply chain bottlenecks and their poor impact on customer experience continue to dominate the news. As a result, Chelsea Cohen, co-founder of Amazon inventory management app SoStocked , suggests that marketing goals and stock capacity be aligned.

Brands will also profit from keeping a 30-day buffer supply.

"Your buffer stock, or backup inventory," Cohen explained, "safeguards you from stocking out during unexpected upsells. It ensures that there’s always enough product available to meet shipping deadlines, so customers won’t have to wait extra time for their order while you restock."

These two trends are really attainable, regardless of the size of your company.

6.???Social commerce

Retailers ranging from Walmart to Saks tested social commerce on platforms such as TikTok and Instagram. This trend will continue, as brands strive to reduce the time between discovery and conversion.

"It gives marketers a whole new way to get their items in front of potential customers," said Steve Pogson, eCommerce strategy lead at FirstPier .

However, major businesses aren't the only ones who will benefit from this marketing trend.

After launching an Instagram shop in November 2021, clean skincare firm Plant Mother saw a 100 percent boost in income and a 1280 percent spike in referral traffic, according to CEO Jena Joyce.

"Being a new brand who can’t compete with large beauty companies with hefty advertising budgets, Instagram shopping proved to be a profitable alternative to paid ads," she explained.

Livestream commerce has a lot of potential as well.

Consumers spend three times longer watching live videos than pre-recorded visual content, according to Rob Illidge, CEO of social media consultancy the Social Republic , which is one of the reasons why so many platforms are pursuing what he estimates to be a $70-billion market.

The pandemic has also boosted live streams by providing a safe alternative to in-store purchasing.

Moriarty's Gem Art began making shoppable Facebook and YouTube live streams in 2021 to allow viewers to see things, ask questions, and, of course, buy merchandise, according to Jeff Moriarty, marketing manager.

"We are now getting about 1500+ viewers watching our show each time," he explained. "Not only has it helped to stay connected with our customers via social media and YouTube, but it has also generated a ton of sales for our business."

Moriarty's grossed $30,000 from its Livestream broadcast alone in November 2021.

7.???Content that is straightforward

While content marketing has long been a staple of digital marketing, marketers will embrace content simplicity and clarity.

Hilda Wong, the founder of content agency Content Dog , remarked, "The internet is now flooded with content. Your customers have a long list of content to choose from and yours needs to stand out to be noticed in the first place."

"You need to maintain clarity with your content," she continued. " It doesn’t have to be complicated. It needs to be understandable for the general public. Clear content will get you a more effective reach."

Tim Clarke, director of sales and marketing at SEOBlog.com , agreed that marketers should concentrate on giving people meaningful experiences—and that they desire straightforward content.

" In 2022, everything will be algorithm-driven and brands should provide a user experience that customers want, or their content will be less relevant," he said. " The amount of information on the internet is enormous and it’s becoming increasingly challenging to absorb all the data presented. So, to stand out from the crowd, delivering informative yet straightforward content will be a wise choice."

These are the things that you will not compromise on.

8.???Sustainability & DEI

Brand values have been increasingly essential to customers in recent years, and this trend will continue.

According to Laurel Mintz, CEO of the marketing agency Elevate My Brand , this entails being open about sustainability as well as incorporating DEI activities into brand messaging.

"As a result, core values will need to permeate all levels of a company in order to appear legitimate and show a real impact," she said.

It could even involve collaborating with a non-profit. That's according to David Bitton, CMO of rental management platform DoorLoop , who believes that partnering with a relevant organization may help brands grow their customer bases while also having a good influence.

"It’s a win-win situation," he said, "where you can make a significant contribution to humanitarian efforts while simultaneously improving your brand and reach. However, merely expressing your support for specific NGOs would not suffice…consider affiliate marketing, giving a portion of your revenue or profit to the organization and corporate funding as part of your marketing strategy."

Indeed, according to Talyah Regusters, assistant account manager at digital marketing firm LMR Marketing , interest in "how to preserve," "effect of climate change," and "sustainable" reached all-time highs in Google's 2021 Year in Search report.

"If your company or product can speak to any of these issues, 2022 is the time to proudly own it," she said.

Consumers are willing to vote with their finances and move to brands that reflect their values, according to research . "What a company believes has become as important as what a company does," Kevin Froehlich, paid media manager at the agency Duckpin , put it.

He cited Lego's recent donation to the German Red Cross to assist in the construction of kindergartens and a family aid center in a flood-affected area of Germany. "It’s nice to know that all my unabashed spending on toys is helping to make part of the world a better place," he added.

9.???Neutrality in terms of gender

Brands such as Old Navy and Pacific Sunwear released gender-neutral clothing ranges in 2021. This inclusiveness movement is still very strong.

Indeed, Damien Buxton, managing director of web design firm Midas Creative , predicts that more firms will avoid using traditional gender roles in their marketing to avoid alienating customers.

“The dynamics of households and people have changed and continue to change,” he commented. “Marketing will become more gender-neutral and less focused on pre-conceived ideas of what sex an individual is and what they should be seeing.”

As the population continues to diversify, Stewart McGrenary, director of mobile recycling comparison site Freedom Mobiles , stated that it is now critical "for brands to authentically reflect a range of backgrounds within their marketing messages."

According to Nathalie Walton, CEO of health app Expectful , "That’s in part because showing customers other individuals who look and live like they do helps consumers feel represented and therefore drawn to that brand."

10.???Accessibility

We may also expect more accessibility from brands like JCPenney, which last year launched an inclusive collection of children's clothes that included items for children with impairments.

Svetlana Kouznetsova , a consultant who helps businesses improve their accessibility strategy, pointed out that there are approximately two billion disabled individuals in the globe with $1.9 trillion in disposable income.

“If our needs are ignored, businesses will lose not only us, but also our family, friends, and colleagues that that make up another 3.4 billion potential customers,” she stated. “Together we control $13 trillion.”

The quest for accessibility, according to Carter Seuthe, CEO of Credit Summit Payday Loan Consolidation , "widens your audience and allows people who wouldn’t normally consider your products the chance to be exposed to them."

Conclusion

Some of these trends may be more accessible to your company than others. You can take them down as broad guidelines to keep an eye on in some circumstances, but remember that the sooner you can respond, the better. Your current year's approach should constantly include the future!