Almost two years have passed since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic that reshaped the day-to-day lives of people from all around the world. With lockdowns and social distancing measures still around, and people returning to the office while others continue to work remotely, digital marketing strategies proved essential for most businesses in 2021. American companies struggled to adapt to what is now known as ‘the new normal’, but also to boost sales during a global healthcare crisis that made the US inflation rate rise to the highest level since 1982. Some digital marketing tools used this year may not only help businesses in the US stay afloat during these difficult times, but also push them to grow and evolve.
It’s no secret that new technologies have been used during the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, new technologies are essential not only in providing people with vaccines and treatments, but also in helping them live, learn and work remotely. When it comes to digital marketing, these new tools can be used in building better strategies, developing new marketing campaigns, and reviewing the results. However, one of the most difficult things during a global crisis is choosing the right technologies and using them to follow the best trends for a certain business. Here are the top digital marketing trends to consider in 2022:
Using AR and VR technologies
Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) have been on everyone’s lips since CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced Facebook’s rebranding as Meta. While the company’s declared new goal is to bring the so-called “metaverse” to life and help people connect, marketers everywhere already know that Meta can mean so much more, and so can AR and VR. According to a GlobalData report, AR is now the most disruptive technology, ahead of even artificial intelligence (AI).
Boosted by Meta, AR could even take the smartphone’s place as the primary connected device users carry around, the report shows.
Knowing AI is still a game-changer
Although the focus is now on AR and VR, artificial intelligence (AI) remains a game-changer for global marketers and businesses. AI technologies are used to develop chatbots and generate interesting content and to enhance user experiences on different platforms. However, AI is also used in targeted marketing, a strategy that allows specialists to target potential customers according to their preferences.
AI can now help marketers use the information they already have to discover if potential customers will be interested in a product or service, even before telling them how much it costs.
Investing in influencer marketing
Influencer marketing is now more important than ever, and companies around the world will probably continue to invest even more in 2022. According to a recent survey, the industry is set to boom to approximately $13.8 Billion in 2021. The report also points to the fact that a vast majority of those questioned believe that influencer marketing is a compelling form of marketing, and many plan to dedicate a budget to it in the following year.
Finding the right influencer to promote a product or service will probably remain a top concern for marketers in 2022 and beyond.
Developing new social commerce strategies
The COVID-19 pandemic has not only changed the way people work, but also the way they socialize. As a result, social media platforms are now stronger than ever before, and so is social commerce. Marketers can now use social media platforms to sell their products or services, just as easily as to promote them. As most internet traffic now comes from smartphones, people are more likely to discover and buy their favorite products while using smartphones and social media apps.
Marketers should know that not only is social commerce the most important extension to e-commerce, but this market is also set to reach $2.9 trillion by 2026.
Improving customer-centricity
Most marketers already know that “the customer is always right,” but in a digital world affected by a global healthcare crisis, this might be hard to comply with. However, customer-centric businesses are capable of taking this phrase to another level, and actually, build an organizational culture around it. That means not only understanding the needs of the customer, but also anticipating them, fulfilling them, and ultimately building a lasting relationship with that customer.
Using customer-centricity means not only having the correct customer data, but also using that data to stay ahead of the competition by building good customer relationships and maximize profit.
Building a better 2022
Although the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted most industries and businesses around the world for the last two years, the future seems brighter in 2022. With new digital marketing trends and new technologies to help them, marketers in the US and abroad can now develop the best strategies to help their companies transcend the pandemic and put behind the crisis that followed it.
