2022 is well underway and already we’ve gotten a glimpse of how digital marketing will evolve this year. From ever-changing tactics to key industry players (we’re looking at you, Meta), we’ve rounded up the most important digital marketing trends for 2022.
With TikTok poised to surpass 1.5 billion users this year, video has become a critical part of a strong digital marketing strategy. There are plenty of ways for brands to get their feet wet with video content, both organically and via paid. We’ve seen Youtube go short, TikTok go long, and Instagram double down on their focus on Reels. These capabilities are also becoming more integrated with platform shopping features, making video a great play for both awareness and sales. *Join our Luma community to be the first to know about our video webinar in March. Details coming soon.
The influencer marketing industry is forecast to reach $15 billion by the end of 2022. Last year, platforms prioritized creator benefits and support, while brands aimed to foster natural relationships with like-minded partners to create authentic content. We’ll continue to see a shift in this direction with TikTok and Instagram beginning to test subscription models, but the influencer marketing trends don’t stop there. We’re predicting a larger focus on cross-channel approaches, more ambassador programs, new social shopping experiences, and an emphasis on activations and events of all kinds.
Extended reality encompasses all things augmented reality, virtual reality and mixed reality. In 2022, there will be an estimated 1.1 billion mobile AR users worldwide and things like virtual worlds and NFTs will become the norm for brands across every industry. Because the concept of the metaverse is still so new, there is a massive opportunity for brands to get involved in different ways. For example, Clinique was the first Estée Lauder brand to create a non-fungible token. The brand launched the NFT with a social media competition using the hashtag #MetaOptimist, where users were encouraged to sign up for Clinique’s loyalty program and share “stories of optimism” across Instagram, TikTok and Twitter. Clinique’s social promotion of the innovative idea not only drove loyalty program sign ups, but also generated buzz for the brand.
Digital advertising will account for over 60% of global ad spend in 2022. If 2021 taught us anything, it’s that brands should never put all of their eggs in one basket. Considering the Facebook outage of 2021 and recent iOS changes, brands need to strategically capture and build first party audiences through email sign ups, site visits and more. A multi-platform strategy, along with plenty of creative testing, will be even more crucial to success this year.
If you’re looking to make a splash on social media this year, get in touch with our team of experts at info@socialflyny.com.