How will digital marketing look in 2022? There are few ways to approach this question, but the most reliable method is to identify the major trends that have been affecting digital marketing in recent years and extrapolate from there. For example, let’s look at what some of these major trends are and how they might affect digital marketing over the next 5 years
1) Stop thinking about digital marketing
A lot of small businesses get caught up thinking about digital marketing because it’s new, shiny and exciting. But unless you’re a small e-commerce company who just needs to market its wares online, or perhaps a startup that lives and dies by Facebook ads, there’s not much sense in thinking about digital marketing at all. Instead of focusing on digital marketing as your one solution to everything, focus on being useful instead—then figure out how best to connect with your customers through different channels. The truth is that effective use of social media will become even more important over time.
2) Get back to basics
Many of today’s most popular digital marketing strategies will seem outdated and outmoded by 2022. As technology progresses and new innovations are introduced, many online marketing tactics and techniques will become obsolete. Digital marketers who can get back to basics, who can focus on fundamentals like customer relationships and maximizing conversions, while ignoring short-term trends that pop up along the way, will be successful no matter what comes next.
3) Be authentic
According to researchers at Google, authenticity is more important than other traits when it comes to building an effective digital marketing strategy. The fact is, users can sniff out fake marketing campaigns from a mile away and are quick to dismiss brands that feel like they’re trying too hard. In order for your digital marketing efforts to be successful, you have to be genuine and honest about who you are and what you want from customers.
4) Understand the consumer journey
The consumer journey is an important concept that marketers need to understand and properly plan around. Not only are consumers more empowered than ever before, but their expectations from brands are also increasing. The first step is for marketers to think about a customer’s decision-making process—where does it start, how does it progress, and where does it end? At each stage of decision-making, a customer looks for cues from brands that help them decide which way they want to go next.
5) Build your network
As with all businesses, digital marketing is a relationship business. If you’re just getting started, you need to build your network by getting out there and meeting people. Every conference you go to, every party you attend—these are great opportunities for making connections that could become allies or clients down the road. So don’t wait; get started on building your network now!
6) People over bots
Artificial intelligence is a hot topic, but there’s no denying that, in general, people tend to prefer interacting with other humans. Most people are aware of AI capabilities, and it may take a while for human-like bots to become more commonplace. Today’s consumers want value added services from marketers—bots just don’t add enough value (or personality) at present.
7) Prioritize mobile first!
In 2022, more than half of all internet traffic will come from mobile devices. If you’re not prioritizing mobile users, you’re likely missing out on potential customers. In fact, recent research shows that 83% of people who shop via their mobile device said they had made a purchase after doing so. The future of digital marketing is mobile first—so, what are you waiting for? Be sure your website is ready for global changes and quick adoption by making it mobile friendly today!
8) Learn from influencers
To stay on top of digital marketing trends, I recommend following influencers who are where you want to be. After all, it’s a lot easier (and cheaper) to learn from someone else’s mistakes than your own. Join Twitter lists and Facebook groups related to your field. Subscribe to their newsletters and read their latest content (yes, even if it’s outside of your industry). You never know when you might find something that will be useful for you.
9) Social Media will continue to grow – embrace it.
Social media will continue to grow in importance as more and more companies get involved with it. If you want your brand or business to succeed, you need to embrace social media for what it is—an effective way of connecting with people on a deep level. Be strategic about how you use social media; focus on building long-term relationships over time, rather than trying to drive sales quickly.
10) Have a strategy, not just tactics.
A lot of marketers today have a list of tactics they follow. But having a strategy is an essential part of digital marketing, one that informs all your decisions. Without it, you’re just guessing at what works and what doesn’t, leaving you more likely to fail than succeed. A digital marketing strategy will help you stay on track throughout your entire campaign.
Conclusion
The digital marketing world is constantly changing and advancing, meaning there are always new trends you can capitalize on. If you want to stay ahead of your competition, take some time today to brainstorm ideas for how you could change your approach over the next five years—and then make sure you get those changes into practice sooner rather than later. After all, doing so could help you boost your business right now, while also making sure it’s well-positioned for success in 2022!
