It’s that time of year again! With 2022 rapidly approaching, we look forward to saying goodbye to 2021 and seeing what the next year has in store. The influx of change during Covid-19 has extended to the marketing department, and there are plenty of tools and opportunities available to engage more effectively with audiences. From more automation to the ongoing economic impacts of Covid, these are our five predictions for trends you should expect to see in 2022.

1. Video

We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: Video is the future of online content. With TikTok commanding the majority of online trends this year, it’s easy to see why. According to research from video creation tool company Animoto, 93% of people find video helpful when they’re purchasing a product. Delivering this type of content unveils and sheds light on a brand’s personality to consumers, and let’s face it, we’re visual creatures that are also attracted by graphics and movement. Video marketing is leading the way in telling a brand story, building customer trust, and promoting a brand’s products or services. 

Facebook pivoted to a “video first strategy” in 2014 and Instagram declared it is “no longer just a square photo-sharing app” in 2021 so it could focus on video. TikTok, specialising in video sharing, has just reached 1 billion active monthly users worldwide, which is as many as Instagram has had for several years – so it’s clear where content is trending. 

eMarketer estimates that YouTube had 113.1 million US viewers in 2020 and that will increase to 130.8 million in 2022. In 2022, Social Media Marketers will be finally opening up to YouTube as a major player, along with other key video content platforms. Content creation will continue to centre around short and fast video content that conveys messages quickly and easily to consumers and audiences to command the most attention.

2. Social Media Advertising Migration

Advancements in AI, higher-quality data, and increased digital ad spend are fostering growth in personalisation and segmentation in advertising. Marketers must personalise their approach for consumers with sophisticated technology and find new strategies to manage results and ROI.

With video taking over, we see a lot of strategic movement in social media advertising in the future. With users less and less satisfied with their return on ad spend, new platforms such as TikTok present great opportunities to send ads where the attention is. Strategies and budgets are desperate for review as marketers struggle with the fact that the average reach for an organic Facebook post is 5.2% and the average engagement rate is 0.25%. This, alongside the video take-over, is causing the perfect storm for a great migration in social media advertising.

In 2022, we’ll see brands increasing budgets and spreading their spending across the many platforms available as digital advertising improves on platforms outside of Facebook – including the increased use of LinkedIn, YouTube, newer platforms such as TikTok and micro-influencers across platforms. Marketers in 2022 can expect to find success with different messages for each micro-segment that they promote across. 

3. The Great Data Debate

Data has been a huge topic of interest in recent years for both marketers and consumers. Meta (the platform formerly known as Facebook) emerged against a backdrop of whistleblower testimony and renewed calls for its regulation. The iOS14 update proved to be a lucrative move for Apple’s advertising business (while being less than so for everyone else).

Social media platforms continue to face the music when it comes to responsibility and how their capabilities are used. 2021 has seen a turning point where it’s no longer a discussion, but rather a matter of fact, that things need to change. These changes will have big impacts upon a previously stable channel like Facebook, pushing brands to see opportunity in a more diverse approach to strategy. 

For example, with their e-commerce features, TikTok and Snapchat can now successfully support bottom-funnel advertising, while more and more advertisers are also tapping into Pinterest and Instagram, not just for in-platform engagement, but also off-platform activity on their sites.

As social platforms continue to face privacy and tracking challenges, marketers will need to adapt to the reality of less clear conversion and results tracking, and consider social as part of a holistic strategy rather than the mechanical salesman it has previously been.

4. Post-COVID PR

The pandemic has left a mark on almost every industry, and while businesses are finally opening up, the chances of going back to normal as we knew it, are slim-to-none. While the pandemic didn’t start the hybrid event culture, it did compel businesses to adopt this model fast in light of social distancing and lockdowns. 

From the necessary move to virtual meetings and online seminars to virtual hangouts and streams, hybrid events offer a combination of in-person and virtual components that can make them safer, more sustainable, and more inclusive. As this Forbes article explains, virtual and hybrid events have environmental benefits, and they are also more inclusive of individuals with disabilities, which is a huge step in the right direction for diversity and accommodating a larger audience.

5. The continued growth of AR, VR and Digital Technologies

AR and VR aren’t new concepts, but they have increased in popularity since the pandemic prevented customers from visiting stores and engaging with brands in person. Interactivity makes these technologies the perfect addition to an engaging marketing campaign. Many brands have successfully created new filters, using AR technology, so that social media users can interact with them and feature them in their own posts, creating more awareness for the brand. The results are pretty conclusive – this study found that AR experiences caused 72% of shoppers to buy a product they hadn’t originally planned on purchasing. 

Who can forget when Pokemon Go took the world by storm in 2016? The mobile game was not only a great example of how AR can be used in video games, but also a massive marketing opportunity, as businesses jumped on the trend in the hopes of selling to customers trying to catch a Pokémon or two on their doorstep.

AR is no longer just a fun gimmick for gamers, it’s being used more and more as an engaging tool that brands can use to connect with their customers in innovative ways. Ikea offers virtual catalogues of products you can place into your own home and fashion retailers are allowing people to try-on outfits virtually, without having to leave home! 

We expect to see AR and VR technology trickle down from these big ideas to smaller businesses as the technology becomes a more common occurrence. Small businesses will increasingly take part in the future of eCommerce sales with new filters, website widgets and more.

While no one can know for sure what’s in store in 2022, there is no denying that change is inevitable. We’ll see new tools available for automation as well as continuing economic impacts from Covid-19 on businesses everywhere creating a pressure cooker environment for innovation and creativity. 

When planning your next marketing strategy or project, don’t forget to reach out – our team would love to help with any questions and support! Get in touch with us today to see how we can help align your company’s marketing strategy with the trends of tomorrow. info@fuseagency.com.au or 3198 4890.