Another year has almost passed, and marketers are getting ready for 2022. It’s a well-known fact that the marketing world changes every year. However, those changes are usually nothing major that will worry marketers around the world.
This time, things are quite different. The global pandemic has managed to accelerate some trends that would normally take a decade to develop on their own. Therefore, we have then years worth of changes on our hands that happened in just a bit over a year.
It’s safe to say that the online world has changed dramatically and that a whole new approach to marketing is needed in the upcoming year. That’s why it’s very important to prepare your marketing strategy for 2022. If you don’t rethink your approach, you might fall behind and lose your competitive edge.
This is especially true for new businesses in the market. The main reason is that this is a great opportunity to gain momentum while everyone else is considering their next move. With that in mind, here’s how to prepare your digital marketing strategy for 2022.
Produce more quality content
Content has always been the front and center of every marketing strategy, and this is nothing new. However, the increased demand for quality content is forcing companies to produce even more content than they usually do.
The fact of the matter is that consumers have been stuck at their homes for too long, and they’ve grown accustomed to consuming more content online. This can prove to be quite a challenge, as it’s increasingly difficult to produce new and original content that consumers expect.
What you should do is try to diversify your content as much as possible so that you can meet this increased demand. In other words, try using as many different content formats as you can. Articles and blog posts are still primary formats when it comes to content marketing.
However, a lot of consumers don’t prefer to read. Instead, try turning both old and new articles or blog posts into videos and podcasts. This will help you reach a broader audience and cater directly to their preferences.
Optimize for voice search
For years, companies have made significant efforts to optimize their websites and content for mobile. As you may already know, mobile-friendliness is simply a must these days. But even that trend has started to evolve.
Nowadays, more and more mobile users are opting for voice search so that they can find what they need online in a faster and more convenient way. That said, voice optimization is in many ways different from the usual search engine optimization.
The type of content, keywords, and many other factors differ when optimizing for voice search. That’s why voice search optimization should be a priority in your marketing strategy for 2022. The fact of the matter is that the majority of households around the world utilize smart speakers and voice assistants.
Even smartphone users now utilize their built-in voice search features. Therefore, consumers seek more convenience, and you must adjust your strategy to stay on top of your game and remain both relevant and competitive in the market.
Consider more live events
As mentioned before, consumers have been locked up in their homes for too long, and they yearn for socialization. Although there are still measures in place that prevent major public gatherings, modern technology allows you to overcome such obstacles.
Live events hosted on social media platforms are pretty much the next best thing, and consumers are expecting more of such events. Therefore, consider organizing more live events, such as webinars that cover specific topics, product demonstrations and reveals, giveaways and contests, Q&A sessions, announcements, and so on.
Social media platforms are an ideal place to host such events. The main reason is that there are currently 3.6 billion people that actively use social media, and that number is projected to reach 4.41 billion by 2025.
That being said, live events will not only help you connect with your audience, but will also help you generate more exposure and brand awareness for your company. Considering just how competitive the online market really is, live events can help you create the advantage you need to stay one step ahead of the competition.
Present more social proof
It’s no secret that consumer trust in online companies and businesses is on the decrease. There are simply a lot of companies that are more interested in profits than their customers’ best interests. To overcome this distrust, you should consider presenting your audience with more social proof.
User reviews and testimonials work great because most consumers look for such reviews before they decide to make a purchase. Moreover, around 84% of online consumers trust online reviews as much as they trust personal recommendations from their family and friends.
However, there’s always more you can do to earn the trust of your target audience. One of the best methods to showcase social proof is to add more user-generated content to your website, blog, and social media pages.
Let your customer speak on your behalf and show other consumers their experience with your products, services, and even your brand. This type of social proof works exceptionally well because consumers can witness the first-hand experience of your current customers.
If they like what they see, they’ll be more willing to become your customers as well. User-generated content can easily be implemented in your existing content marketing strategy and help you improve your conversion rate.
Closing words
The global pandemic has caught everyone off guard and has disrupted the entire online market. Trends that gained momentum during a period of isolation and quarantine have drastically changed the marketing landscape.
Now, marketers have to rethink their campaigns and prepare well for the upcoming year. Although there are a lot of challenges and obstacles that await every company, there’s still plenty of time left to prepare your digital marketing strategy for 2022 and ensure that your company will come on top.
Author
Bruce Webb is a digital marketing specialist and freelance blogger. He is devoted to exploring digital marketing trends, new technologies and sharing knowledge across the web. In his spare time, he writes a lot about new business strategies and digital marketing for DigitalStrategyOne.