The world of online marketing is constantly evolving with new updates, platforms, and changes to consumer behaviours. Here are five marketing trends to keep an eye out for in 2022, and the ways businesses can make sure they are making the most of their online presence this year:
1. The Internet is the new marketplace. Keep your shopfront tidy and accessible.
Whether we like it or not, the pandemic has irreversibly changed the digital marketplace. While brick and mortar stores still exist, the percentage of business-to-consumer sales that take place on e-commerce is consistently growing. The shift in consumer behaviour towards e-commerce shopping and away from physical shopping is a trend that is here to stay.
Even if your business is not a traditional e-commerce store, your website is still your virtual shopfront. Consumers who are looking to buy your product or hire your services are going to be persuaded or dissuaded by your website, so it needs to be easy to use and easy to find on both mobile and desktop.
Top tip: Make sure your website has noticeable calls to action. This way consumers can easily convert to customers. The more effort a consumer must make to convert into a customer, the less likely they are to convert.
2. Post EAT content to improve your Google presence.
If you think Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is ever finished, think again. Think of SEO like looking after a garden. You can have a well-crafted garden that is very noticeable, however, without frequent maintenance and care your garden will quickly become an overgrown mess filled with weeds. A good SEO strategy will allow you to maintain and climb in the Google rankings for your keywords. In 2022, the Google Algorithm will focus on EAT content – that is content that showcases Expertise, Authority, and Trust.
Top tip: Creating high-quality content that focuses on EAT will help to improve your Google search presence from 2022 onwards.
3. Your reputation is key.
The pandemic has renewed the importance of brand reputation. As “shopping local” and supporting small businesses became widespread trends, consumers began to pay extra attention to who they are purchasing from and their online reviews. More than ever, consumers want to purchase from honest and authentic businesses who align with their values. Google and Facebook reviews play a large role in this, and are essential to your brand reputation. We recommend responding to all your online reviews to build customer trust. Whether you received a positive or negative review, it’s essential to show that your customers are worth responding to and that you value their feedback.
Top tip: Don’t hide your negative reviews. If you can, propose a solution to their problem and find a way to make it right instead. Future customers reading your reviews will value your willingness to improve and your honesty.
4. Keep your marketing personalised.
With marketing and commerce moving further into the digital space, it is easy to fall into the trap of making your marketing more generic and less personal. With the huge amount of marketing content we see every day, sometimes a friendly face or a personalised response to a comment makes all the difference. Personalised content enables you to create and maintain customer relationships as well as receive feedback from your customers.
Top tip: Post staff profiles on your social media. This can help to build customer relationships and make your marketing feel much more personal.
5. Post video content.
The dominant social media algorithms give preference to video content. When creating video content, it is important to consider which platform people will be watching on. If you intend for it to be posted on YouTube or your website, it is best practice to create your video content landscape as these platforms are optimised for landscape video. If you are publishing your content on social media, where most users are using mobile phones, it is best practice to shoot in portrait mode.
Many social media platforms, such as TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram Reels, have started to focus on short-form portrait video content. These platforms are fantastic if you are marketing to young adults and teenagers.
Top tip: Think about your target audience. What kind of video content would they like to see? Video tutorials on how to use your product or a video answering the most frequently asked questions are great options for a place to start.
Whether your business sells holidays, chocolate, or car parts, you need to be using online tools to market your business in 2022.
Get in touch with Dubzz Digital Marketing to find out how, and for a free consultation.
