While many will be relieved to see the end of 2021 approaching and a return to routine on the horizon, there is still much work to be done. The entire economic impact of the pandemic is expected to take decades and manifest itself in a variety of ways. The pandemic-induced lockdowns will influence online behaviours and ignite all new trends, including voice search, the rapid spread of eCommerce, and the expanding metaverse for digital connection, all of which will have ramifications for digital marketing.
As the autumn season approaches, marketing departments around the country are preparing for a successful 2022. With that in mind, here are 5 digital marketing trends to consider for your business:
1) The Rise of Artifical Intelligence
Companies in industries including retail, banking, and healthcare are already using artificial intelligence in marketing. While AI is most commonly used in marketing automation to automate basic tasks like reporting website traffic and recommending keywords that can improve a company’s organic search results, marketers are also interested in AI applications that can predict what customers will buy in the future based on previous purchases and browsing history.
2) Virtual Assistants
The virtual assistant, like AI, is becoming increasingly popular. By 2022, the voice search shopping market is predicted to be worth $40 billion, with voice assistants accounting for 18% of consumer spending according to Invoca . Many organisations are already utilising virtual assistants to automate customer service requests via apps such as promptly responding to client enquiries on social media channels, email marketing, and other online platforms.
3) Visual Search
Visual search is a new method of searching that allows users to upload an image. Google is employing visual search in a way that will have an impact on future digital marketing methods.
Google Lens
Google Lens is a visual search engine built by Google that recognises items and locations using a camera app. Every day, text query search loses ground. It’s being phased out in favour of voice and visual searches. If you want to stay on top, you must put forth some effort to adapting with this trend as it is a really effective approach to generate high-quality leads.
4) Mobile First Marketing
As more consumers use smartphones and tablets to browse products and services on the web rather than desktop computers, businesses must create mobile-friendly content that will rank higher in search engines. One simple method is to optimise your website’s design such that it automatically adjusts to smaller displays. Because of AMP, content loads faster on smartphones and tablets (accelerated mobile pages).
5) Social Media Stories
Snapchat was the first company to introduce the concept of “Stories.” Then came Instagram and Facebook, followed by YouTube, LinkedIn, and Twitter, all of which had their own versions of the narrative format, albeit with somewhat different names. Posts that are only available for 24 hours are known as stories. Stories allow marketers to convey actual material and communicate with their customers on a human level, despite (or perhaps because of) their simplicity. They can be utilised in a variety of ways, including:
- Polls can be incorporated into your Instagram stories.
- Links should be included in your social media posts.
- Make the most of Snapchat's geofilters.
- To your location tags, include references to other brands and your supporters.
- Try using live video when creating Stories.
- Encourage your readers to discover more with clear call-to-actions.
Digital Marketing 2022
Your marketing approach must be equally integrated in today’s increasingly connected society. Search4Local creates one-of-a-kind solutions for your business by fusing marketing tools and technology in novel ways, all while emphasising the end-user experience.
For more information about our various digital marketing techniques, please contact us.