At the start of each year, there is always a lot of interest in the coming digital marketing trends and innovations. With such a turbulent year as 2021 turned out to be, the pandemic forced marketing budgets down to their lowest recorded levels.
So what does this mean for digital marketing in 2022? LeftLeads takes a look at 6 of the digital marketing trends that are set to define 2022.
1. The rise of artificial intelligence in digital marketing
We’re not talking about The Terminator when we use the term artificial intelligence or AI. It’s a little less science fiction than that, but definitely, a lot of technical science is involved.
Advancements in machine learning and AI are revolutionising digital marketing strategies, from intuitive reporting, automation of site traffic monitoring, to boosting search engine optimisation (SEO) for organic reach.
In the future, we’re going to see AI capabilities advance further along, from automated campaigns and tasks to predicting what the market wants next with data collected from interactions with customers. This allows businesses to tailor their marketing campaigns to directly meet those needs, while AI learns from customer feedback and improves its performance over time.
2. Email marketing will be the most effective form of marketing
Marketing will become more personal and relevant to every customer. Email marketing has an advantage because it will have an impact on every interaction that a customer has with your business. Research shows email marketing is up to 40 times more effective than social media.
Everyone has at least one social media account but may not see the content due to filters. Most people access their email at least once a day and prefer business information in that format. The data captured through email marketing can be used to tailor email messages based on what the customer requires. This means businesses will be able to determine exactly what they need, and then reach out in a way that makes sense for their clients. This creates the personal approach consumers want, as well as builds trust in your brand.
3. Content segmentation and personalisation
As consumers get more and more information about the brands that they interact with, the need for content segmentation and personalisation will become more important. Content segmentation is about learning who your customers are on a deeper level, so content can be tailored to their unique needs and pain points.
The ability to segment customers based on their interests will lead to a better understanding of what their preferences are, and how they prefer to receive information. This will also lead to a better understanding of what they want from you. As a result, marketers will be able to create experiences that cater specifically to each customer’s needs, personalising the marketing journey even further.
4. Visual content is the cornerstone of all marketing campaigns
People tend to spend less time reading text on the internet, preferring to consume information in a visual format. This includes images, GIFs, animations, or the increasingly popular video format. The saying goes: a picture is worth a thousand words. That’s why visual content has more impact than text and is simpler to communicate even the most complex ideas.
Repurposing blogs and text-based content into short videos get the same information out to your customers. By 2022, online videos will make up more than 80% of all consumer internet traffic. Video is something that consumers love because it’s informative and entertaining at the same time, which is why it’s so important for marketers to consider creating videos about their products and services if they want to increase their customer base.
5. Digital storytelling matters
Digital storytelling is more than just telling clients about your MSP business and services. It is taking them on a journey that shows them how they can achieve their goals with your business, building an authentic and long-lasting connection. This uses a creative mix of content and digital media to create an engaging narrative, combining video, audio, images and other forms of media to tell your story.
Creating a compelling story relies on the human touch, whether that is through emotion or humour. The important thing with digital storytelling is the narrative must resonate with your target audience, and reflects your business in a way that builds trust and engagement.
6. First-party data will become more important
Google has announced it is curtailing third-party cookies by 2023, which means marketers and advertisers will need to reevaluate their strategies going forward. Consumers are becoming more concerned and suspicious about the content they’re targeted with, who is collecting their data, and what companies are doing with it. This is why digital marketing will need to be more strategic in leveraging first-party data to improve customer experience across different platforms.
First-party data is information a company collects directly from its customers, such as digital interactions, purchase history, behaviour, preferences. This data is then used to create ads, content, and personalised experiences, which strengthens customer relationships.
With first-party data collection, organic strategies will become more important, such as technical SEO audits of websites and optimising for relevant keywords. Ultimately, getting customers to willingly share their data needs a powerful value proposition, so utilising the other digital marketing trends of 2022 can be of use.
To make the most of these digital marketing trends and other tried and true strategies for your MSP, talk to the digital marketing specialists at LeftLeads and get your MSP business noticed in 2022.
Need help with your IT Marketing?
Talk with an IT Expert today
