The landscape of digital marketing is constantly shifting. Due to advancements in technology, societal changes, changes in human interaction, and more, the online marketplace is always evolving.
This means that in 2022 brands looking to market their businesses will have to adapt their marketing strategy to the constantly changing tides on the internet. Brands will have to drop old habits that aren’t working anymore and adopt new opportunities that are being ignored.
If that sounds like something you’d like to pursue, take a look at our guide to online marketing in 2022 for the most updated marketing methods.
User habits are changing
The first thing to understand about marketing in 2022 is that the audience has gone through a large change. They were stuck inside for a long time with social media as their solace. They kept in touch with loved ones, they discovered new forms of entertainment, and they started to get wise to some things.
For one thing, the average social media user has gone off big influencers. They are considered disingenuous and willing to shill anything. Meanwhile, TikTok and Facebook saw a growing phenomenon that can aid this issue: micro-influencers.
Micro-influencers are mostly born out of the smaller niche “communities” or “groups” found on TikTok and Facebook respectively. The former has an algorithm that will show you more of what you like, creating an organic means of people finding their people. Facebook has always had the means to allow users to go looking for their people, creating a lot of niche demographics, like “vegan mothers” or “LGBT book lovers”.
And at the top of these groups are micro-influencers. They have a following that is less in numbers than big influencers, but their followers are extremely loyal and dedicated. They can market an item and their audience will know it will suit them because it suits one of them.
Users are also doing a lot of research on social media. Not only are they finding what they want to buy, and nowadays actually buying it, on social media, but they are looking into the brands they find online to see what they think about them.
Crucially, they’re looking to be sure that the business they’re looking at matches their priorities. If your business offers vegan, sustainable, recycled products, etc comes from a small business, supports local charities or other societal issues, your customers will more than likely appreciate knowing it.
Understand the data
An aspect that a lot of businesses miss when it comes to marketing is the data. There is a massive amount of research into the data of digital marketing and to avoid it is a detriment to your own campaign. Online marketing is the most effective means of marketing, but it’s at its best when you understand what you are doing.
You can use data collected from visitors to your site and engagement from your social media to determine who is actually engaging with your marketing campaign. It’s possible that your brand or products could be used by a demographic you missed, such as the women’s magazines and beauty channels that are insisting women buy men’s razors.
The data is a perk of affiliate marketing, which is when you offer a commission to affiliates, sometimes influencers, to mention your product in their content in order to drive traffic to your site. As the visitors come in, you’ll be able to see who they are, where they came from, and what they are engaging with on your site.
There is also the concept of SEO. You will gain more traffic if your site appears high on Google’s search (SERPs) results. You can use keyword research, a full and informed website and other means to gain higher in the Google rankings. Companies that are placed higher on the website ranking work SEO elements to increase traffic.
Create quality content
Creating quality content doesn’t mean going out to buy the fanciest new camera and filming with CGI. It’s more about what you are giving to the audience.
Another user habit that’s changing is that users are getting wise as to what is an advert. They see the signs and scroll past before you can let them know why you’re there. So, the point of marketing has shifted from pitching a product or service to an uninterested party, to keep the attention of your audience. With this, help with SEO team can give more insightful content about your products so that audience will unknowingly be hooked on what you want to promote and help. And eventually, entice them to buy it in the end.
And that comes down to what you are offering your audience. Users now want some content that offers them more than a product. They want a learning experience, a story, or a laugh. There are instances where these can combine, but we can break them down.
Users looking for a learning experience can be satisfied by a lot of things. They want examples of how and where they can use your products, how to use your products, how it was made and any other little anecdotes you can think of. These last two options could also come under the idea of a story.
A laugh, or to put the pressure down a little, “entertainment”, can be a lot of things. Products can be showcased as “before and after” content that will satisfy the entertainment option. For example, a lot of cleaning products are gaining loads of views due to the trend “oddly satisfying”, which feeds a need to see something “fixed”. But if you have a joke or a skit at hand that showcases your product, go for it.
