With a pandemic-disrupted marketing landscape, marketers need to find effective ways to digitally engage with consumers. Heightening concerns that roam around the uncertainties created by COVID-19 and its variants today make marketing professionals obliged to adapt to evolving changes while harnessing technological innovations in the coming year. Among a number of new trends expected to emerge by 2022, here are three useful takeaways to be applied in tackling digital marketing:
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
AI marketing tools are growing in industries such as finance, banking, retail and even healthcare. Businesses may use AI tools to automate SEO with real-time feedback for a better user experience that includes convenience and fast work to cater to consumers’ need of immediate and specific help. Conversational AI that uses Natural Language Processing is among the increasingly popular assistant that comes along with the technology.
Marketers should optimise the use of chatbots when it comes to conversational marketing next year. Surveys revealed that the greatest benefits of chatbots toward companies are 24-hour service, instant responses to inquiries and answers to simple questions. Insider Intelligence predicted that by 2024, consumer retail spends via chatbots will reach $142 billion worldwide.
Content Marketing
Quality content will especially continue to be the priority of search engines for 2022 as people spend most time on social networks. Besides connecting different topics with PR elements, consider personalising content or products and emails that are accustomed to customer interests. A Salesforce survey found that the highest benefits of personalisation for marketers are customer experience, a conversion rate increase and visitor engagement.
It is also important to include videos in a world with a growing preference to watch instead of read; where a global influence and demands on apps such as Tiktok, YouTube and Instagram are exponential. A research from Animoto, a video creation tool company, reveals that 93% of respondents find videos helpful in purchasing a product.
Hybrid Events
While remote work components and social distancing have led to virtual events that became the new way of engaging with customers and leads in the new normal of COVID-19, Inc., a magazine for growing companies mentioned that the urge to gather again is strong for sure. The lockdown had created two impulses where many audiences are happy to keep things virtual whereas others feel the longing for physical gatherings. If there are rooms to plan for events in 2022, implementing a hybrid would be best in accommodating a larger audience.
Marketers and event planners should create regulated spaces where people could both be physically present and attend at the comfort of their homes provided with strong digital components and technologies. A Forbes’ council member predicts that customers may favour businesses that implement a hybrid model for its sustainability and inclusivity as well.
As far as these strategies coming handy in 2022, it is important for marketers to stay updated with changing market pace and conditions while being flexible to customers’ demand and interest in this pandemic-influenced time. Technological advancement will nevertheless still put users at the centre of a business and while marketing trends change, Marketing Insider Group described consistent and clear communications other than understanding audience needs as the basics of success.