In the first part of this discussion, we addressed some marketing trends that would make themselves known in 2022. It’s safe to say that 2022 marketing trends look a bit like 2021’s — only with less chaos and much more deliberation.
Check out part I of this article: The Ultimate Guide to 2022 Marketing Trends (Part I).
Some trends included a 20% increase in affiliate marketing this year compared to last. Digital marketing welcoming hybrid events with open arms. CTAs having a bigger role in email marketing with feedback collection. And art installations that expand outside the typical existential aficionado and into the main stream with corporate utilization.
But, of course, you know there’s more to consider. So, what else can we anticipate in this year’s marketing scene? How about 5 more trends:
- Inbound Marketing (Interactive Content)
- Search Engine Marketing (Ethical Link Building)
- Video Marketing (Creators on LinkedIn)
- Voice Marketing (Ecommerce vs. Brick-and-mortar)
- User-generated Marketing (Soliciting Higher Quality Content)
If you didn’t find a single trend from part 1 of this beneficial then 1) are you sure? and 2) we’re positive you can find at least one upcoming trend in this article to add to your marketing strategy for a boost.
INBOUND MARKETING (INTERACTIVE CONTENT):
Inbound marketing is a business methodology that attracts customers by creating valuable content and experiences tailored to them. While outbound marketing interrupts your audience with content they don’t always want, inbound marketing forms connections they are looking for and solves problems they already have. (Source)
The difference between inbound marketing in 2022 versus previous years is the decline of passive content and rise of interactive content.
Interactive content like VR content, charts, engaging maps, and graphics make the audience part of the activity, rather than making them feel targeted. It allows them to make choices, explore scenarios, respond to comments, and gain insights. Ultimately, interactive content raises engagement level and increases conversion rates.
Related: 11 Inbound Marketing Trends for 2021/2022: Top Forecasts & A Look Into What’s Next Ahead
SEARCH ENGINE MARKETING (ETHICAL LINK BUILDING):
Link building is one of the classic SEO techniques. “Even though Google now penalized certain link-building strategies such as paid links, inorganic link building, etc.,” says Tech Funnel. “However, ethical link-building strategies are still here to stay. So, rethink your link-building strategies accordingly.”
What Exactly is Ethical Link Building?
Essentially: You’re providing a quote or tip or piece of information in exchange for a mention of your name, your brand, and your website. It’s a practice business owners use to drive organic and credible traffic to their sites.
One of the most ethical sources of backlinks online is being a journalistic source of information.
Sure, it takes time to write a valuable quote or tip, but getting exposure on websites like Forbes makes it worthwhile.
Related: 3 Ethical Link Building Strategies for SEO & Marketing Professionals
VIDEO MARKETING (CREATORS ON LINKEDIN):
We know how much video content is consumed these days. Everyone loves watching videos. And the more professional LinkedIn recognized the contribution that content creators make to the platform.
So they introduced Creator Mode for personal profiles.
People who start conversations and discussions bring an extra dimension to a platform traditionally seen as a place for job seekers to go. Creator Mode allows this to happen.
With Creator Mode, more members have been given access to LinkedIn Live and the ability to publish their own newsletter (using the articles feature).
The purpose? When combined with LinkedIn’s Creator Accelerator–funded program, creators can create content that starts conversations. The initial cohort of creators who were accepted into the accelerator will be given a Creator Manager.
So what can we expect to see from LinkedIn’s venture into video marketing this year? Likely more features and visibility of this new Creator Mode, video shorts, and audio.
Creators could begin to create and share short tutorial videos in a style similar to YouTube Shorts, which will fit in with LinkedIn’s goal of increasing skills development training and the expansion of the LinkedIn Learning platform.
Read more insights on LinkedIn’s video marketing iniatives in addition to other social media trends here.
VOICE MARKETING (ECOMMERCE VS. BRICK-AND-MORTAR):
“Alexa, why do people like voice search?” Well, talking on the phone seems so old-fashioned when you can now talk to your phone.
Here are a few statistics about how people are planning to use voice search in the future:
- By 2022, 70% of consumers will be using voice to shop instead of going to brick-and-mortar stores (Capgemini)
- 71% of consumers who wear devices say they’ll be utilizing voice search in the future (99 Firms)
- By 2023, roughly 8 billion devices will provide voice assistants (Statista)
Related: Voice Search: The Latest Statistics and Trends for 2022 and Beyond
While some people have reservations about trusting a voice device (concerned about security or “Big Brother” listening in on them), others are mostly getting more comfortable with, and confident about, using their voices as a way to search.
Ecommerce Voice Search:
Amazon‘s Alexa, Apple’s Siri, Microsoft’s Cortana, Samsung’s Bixby, or some other voice assistant can help you stock up on a few cleaning supplies or point you to a refrigerator that’s online in the right size and color for your remodeled kitchen… we’d say that’s pretty impressive.
Many companies are upgrading and optimizing their ecommerce websites to work with voice because voice-search is turning out to be highly lucrative for online businesses.
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- Voice-based ad revenue is projected to reach $19 billion by 2022 (Juniper Research).
Brick-and-mortar Voice Search:
“Some retailers are starting to offer a voice search option inside their brick-and-mortar stores as well, letting shoppers quickly find out where items are located on the floor and get product details,” says Algolia.
Say hello to self-service kiosks.
While kiosk speech technology is still being refined, it makes sense that it can ultimately be deployed from big-box stores to small boutiques, not just online.
USER-GENERATED MARKETING (SOLICITING HIGHER QUALITY CONTENT):
User-generated content is any form of content (text, posts, images, videos, reviews, etc.) created by individual people (not brands) and published to an online or social network.
This type of content is authentic and shows potential customers that your audience loves your brand, encouraging them to hop on the bandwagon too.
In 2022, it will be critical that brands:
- Find high-quality user-generated content as it’s created
- Solicit high-quality UGC in a way that increases engagement and creates a valuable experience for the customer
- Showcase user-generated content on social media (and on their other marketing channels)
93% of marketers agree that consumers place more trust in user-generated content than content created by the company itself (State of UGC 2021 Report). User-generated content — from product reviews to peer recommendations and social media posts — is going to become even more on-trend in 2022, according to Digity.
IN CONCLUSION:
While all these marketing trends aren’t necessarily anything *new* to the marketing world, they certainly have some tweaks that differentiate them from previous years.
If you plan to implement any of these in the future, be sure to reference this blog (and the previous one here) to make sure you’re setting yourself up for marketing success!
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