In 2021, we saw tried and tested technologies like content marketing, email marketing and search engine optimisation (SEO) stay top of mind for most marketers. Three weeks into the new year, we at ByDesign Digital look at the trends that brands and our clients should be using in 2022, stay on top of their marketing game.
More Video Content, but Make it Concise
People are far more likely to engage more with video content, compared to pictures and text. This is why TikTok, and Instagram reels are booming, along with Instagram’s plans to move to a video content only platform. Short video content drives the marketing message home much quicker, while adding emotional response, reputation, and aesthetic quality, which has a significant impact on consumer purchase intentions. Here are some video ideas to try.
- Product Demo Videos: Posts that demonstrate your products and how to use them are among the best ways to entice buyers, because they highlight the key features people are interested in.
- Exciting Offers and Deals; Consumer’s love seeing posts about discounts or sales. Go a step further to announce your offers on video, using enticing graphics to communicate your offers and lure in new clients.
- Humanising Your Brand; Tell stories that your audience can relate to, that are centered around your brand and relevant to your services.
- Product Reveals: Audiences want to see new products, features, and services. Rather than making a generic announcement, you could post a video with fun elements and eye-catching graphics, to keep things interesting and engaging.
- Q&A Videos; Q&As are a great way of increasing your engagement while feeding your consumer’s informational need. Invite an industry leader or an influencer to answer questions in a live video or Twitter space. This can be reshared on your social media feed later.
Metaverse Is Your Best Friend
The metaverse has exploded in the past year – but we’ve been talking about it for the past decade or more. In simple terms, the metaverse is a virtual space in which users live, work, and socialise. It’s the next step in the blurring of the digital and physical worlds that’s been taking place in many ways, like hybrid offices, digital education, and online communities.
2022 is the year that the metaverse starts making waves in the PR and marketing industry. Some of the world’s biggest brands are racing to grab prime digital spaces, where they can engage their consumers in a personalised way. Look for ways to create experiences that tie in with the real world in your communication/campaigns such as limited-edition experiences available only in the metaverse like NFTs, virtual billboards and virtual and IRL events.
PRSA’s outgoing chair Michelle Olson wrote for PR Daily: “Digital transformation, artificial intelligence, virtual reality, the metaverse. These are just a few of the areas in which communicators will need not only to be knowledgeable but able to provide guidance, strategies and best practices.”
Meet Your Audience Where They Are
Although platforms like Meta are popular for promoting campaigns and communicating with your audience, it is imperative to meet your audience where they are, ensuring that your message is tailored to the platform. This helps you dominate your market by creating relevant content, communication, and campaigns, leading to higher conversion rates and better social media messages.
Make your audience your influencers
User-generated content remains one of the best ways to get your brand out there. Making your customers the stars of the show by using them as your brand influencers is not only cost effective but is also the most authentic form of raising brand awareness and getting people to affiliate. One word of caution: the PoPI Act means you’ll have to enhance user permissions.
Authentic Storytelling
Conversational marketing will convert most businesses into storytellers in 2022. But make sure your content is relevant and applicable to your audience. Choose the right stories that match your marketing objectives, so that your audiences can identify with these stories.
The customer is first, always
How you position yourself matters. Ensure that people see you’re putting the customer and their needs first. This will enable you to better communicate and address or solve their problems and encourage more people to want to affiliate with you.
And finally …
Effective communication is about going where the attention is, making sure the messaging is creative, and focusing on driving business results. Test and measure to see what works, and use data driven insights to inform your strategies. Most of all, have fun while you’re doing it. It will show in the work – and your audiences will love you for it.
