Trends To Watch Out For In 2022

An ancient Greek philosopher named Heraclitus once said: “change is the only constant.” His statement definitely holds true, and never more so than now. 

In the past two years, constant upheaval has been a running theme with the overhaul of the economy due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with many businesses struggling to adapt in order to stay afloat.

However, agencies for digital marketing are no strangers to the concept of change. The strategies digital marketing professionals create have been centred around adapting to evolving consumer preferences and technological advancement since the industry’s conception. 

In the past couple of years, the marketing industry has seen significant shifts with the inability to conduct in-person retail or sales efforts or host marketing events due to the pandemic. Consumer mindsets and behaviour have also undergone remarkable transformations, particularly in regard to safety concerns and corporate responsibility. 

That being said, here are a few trends that have been gathering momentum in recent times that are bound to take a front row seat in 2022. 

Personalised Marketing 

Limited physical interactions due to the worldwide lockdowns have left consumers craving personal connections. That being said, one of the best ways to capture customers’ hearts in 2022 is  to tailor advertising content to suit their specific personalities, preferences, and needs. 

There’s scientific support that simply being called by their name or even seeing it in print makes people feel seen and validated, and improves their perception of entity on the other end of the conversation. However, names are just the tip of the personalisation iceberg. 

Today’s technological advancements allow digital marketers to garner in-depth, highly targeted consumer insights to help pinpoint what makes their target audience tick, resulting in a wealth of information that can be used to craft marketing strategies in a way that pleasantly surprises customers. 

According to a survey conducted by Salesforce, personalising their digital marketing strategies has improved customer experiences by 64%, increased conversion rates by 63%, and raised visitor engagement rates by 55%. With hard numbers to back it up, personalised marketing isn’t just here to stay, but is poised to evolve at an exponential rate.

Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence has made great strides over the past few years in terms of commercial implementation, with many companies adopting AI technology to streamline their business practices via automation. 

These practices have helped businesses save valuable time on tedious, traditionally manual tasks in order to focus their efforts on coming up with compelling strategies and enhancing customer experiences.

In addition to helping companies conserve their resources, AI is in the centre of the technologies behind voice-recognition smart assistants, which have been strongly embraced by users across the globe. 

Recent studies have found that 97% of mobile users use AI-powered voice assistants such as Siri and Google Assistant. They also help power chatbots, which are a key element of conversational marketing. 

Although the human element of marketing can never be replaced, AI technology is a brilliant way to enhance digital marketing strategies through prediction, and smart data analysis in order to improve brands’ overall quality. In today’s fast-paced and highly competitive digital world, brands would do well to implement AI technology into their business practices in order to stay current. 

Ethical Consumption

With the internet placing consumers in a hyperconnected bubble via social media and globalised news, today’s consumers are more aware than ever before of the environmental and societal effects of their purchasing patterns. They’re putting more thought and research into their buying decisions and the brands they opt to support. 

While green marketing has been on the scene for years and many brands have publicly made steps in the direction of sustainable practices and product offerings, social responsibility is moving to centre stage in the discourse surrounding ethical consumption.

For instance, during the pandemic, the #SupportLokal movement in Malaysia flooded social media, with many people flocking to support struggling local businesses and traders. 

Cadbury Malaysia received largely positive feedback for their #MYCadburyFlavours initiative, which aimed to help out local food vendors affected by the pandemic by promoting them through paid ads on social media. 

This is a great illustration of a company understanding consumers’ expectations that brands not only avoid irresponsible practices, but also help actively champion social causes. This helps consumers feel as though these brands align with their personal values, which is a hugely motivating factor in influencing their purchase decisions. 

Interactive Content

A digital marketing trend that’s been making serious waves within the industry recently is interactive content.

It’s a game changing concept for digital marketers, enabling the creation of standout content that engages audiences through elements designed to pique consumer interest, such as quizzes and polls, augmented reality, and 360-degree videos. 

Interactive content is gaining popularity because it’s a refreshing change from traditional branded content. It makes audiences feel an increased connection to brands and a greater sense of control over their advertising content consumption. 

It has invaluable benefits for brands as well, not only increasing engagement and conversions but providing more opportunities for gathering insights by tracking the interactions consumers make with their content. 

In 2022, we’re bound to see a shift from traditional text-based, linear content toward content that offers a more dynamic, immersive, and ultimately engaging consumer experience. To find out more on our take on interactive content, click here! 

Final Thoughts

These are just a few of the many trends that have recently sparked conversations in the world of digital marketing, and that we’re destined to see much more of in the near future. It’s paramount for brands and digital marketing agencies to stay abreast of the shifts in the digital landscape in order to maintain a standard of continuous optimisation, development, and growth. 

If you’re looking for dynamic, technologically-driven digital marketing agencies in Malaysia to help equip your brand with creative strategies in line with modern consumer preferences and the latest digital advancements, contact Social Grooves at ask@socialgrooves.com today!