The 5 Digital Marketing Trends You Cannot Ignore in 2022 Beat the competition and unlock long-term growth opportunities.
By Scarlet Vincent •
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Keeping up with ever-changing digital marketing trends may seem challenging, but it's crucial for business owners to do. As more of us are working from home, there has been a huge spike in social media usage. While digital marketers are hopping on to this opportunity, other small business owners scramble to adapt to the changes in consumer behavior — and it doesn't have to be you.
With ecommerce and online education booming, here are the top five digital marketing trends you can't ignore in 2022.
1. Video marketing
Because of TikTok, videos can go massively viral and enable brands and regular people to reach thousands of users all over the world daily. Challenges enable creators to start a trend while creating brand awareness, with the use of user-generated content as gasoline to spread the wildfire.
TikTok's success then pushed other brands such as Instagram to start competing for video-related features, introducing Instagram reels, which launched globally in over 50 countries in August 2020. Creative options and trends such as using video transitions made creators hop onto the trend to try to get viral on Instagram.
The goal of Instagram Reels is to create more engagement with users, which has gained positive responses from brands, influencers and users. It is no coincidence that Pinterest and LinkedIn are also investing in their video features, as the trend continues to grow and enable brands to attract an engaged community of followers.
However, the video marketing trend doesn't mean that you need to start investing in expensive video services. The focus is all about storytelling and building relationships with your audience. Short-form videos are usually entertaining. What's more important is focusing on your content, such as the narrative, to make a connection with your community and establish your brand voice.
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2. Niche marketing
Niche marketing is all about specializing in a specific product or service to build a stronger connection with your audience. A niche market enables you to pay close attention to the needs of your audience to understand what they want. It enables you to position yourself as the expert and attract loyal advocates of your brand.
Niche marketing is strategic as it has the potential to grow over time and enter bigger markets once you have successfully established a strong community as a small startup. With a smaller audience, you'll get to focus more on the quality of delivering and building relationships with them. This makes it much easier to identify and target your audience, whether it's through organic marketing or paid ads, as there is much less competition.
Positioning yourself as the expert also enables you to charge higher prices due to your expertise, while being seen as an authority figure in your industry. This will help you stand out on social media easily while growing a highly targeted audience on social media. Examples of niche-related services are Instagram Reels programs, eco-friendly utensils or organic pet products.
3. Ecommerce platforms
Ecommerce platforms have been on the rise lately, and are expected to grow in the coming years. Retailers and product-based businesses can benefit from having an online presence by using these platforms for visibility and using social media to spread brand awareness. Store owners can use integrated online shopping on Instagram and Facebook with "Shoppable" posts and ads, making it a seamless experience for online users.
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4. Mobile marketing
Some of the most important mobile marketing strategies include SMS marketing, in-app marketing, social media marketing, location-based marketing and proximity marketing. According to Google Consumer Insights, 61% of online purchases were made on smartphones from November 2018 to January 2019, with more than a 27% year-over-year increase.
Mobile traffic accounts for more than half of all web traffic, and shoppers are using their mobile devices to research products and make online purchases. Ever since the Covid-19 pandemic, in-store purchases have drastically declined, making it essential to not only have an online presence, but one that is mobile-friendly. This includes ensuring that your website is responsive across mobile devices.
5. Marketing automation
Over the years, major marketing publications such as HubSpot, eMarketeer and SalesForce have cited that businesses that implement the use of automation to nurture prospects experience a significant increase in qualified leads.
Sending out an email sequence is a form of automation that enables you to follow up with a lead consistently, by sending resources to add value, educate or sell your products and services. Beyond email newsletters, messenger bots (also known as chatbots) have become increasingly popular as they have helped businesses reduce operation costs, customer support and manpower costs.
Getting on the messenger bot trend will definitely give you a huge advantage as a business owner. The ability to personalize messages and send follow-up sequences based on smart time delays and triggers turn it into a sales funnel that increases conversions.
Now that you're aware of the latest digital marketing trends that will be beneficial for your business in 2022, it's time to implement them to gain massive reach and higher levels of interactivity. The trends have just begun — it's crucial to stay ahead in the marketing game.
