The most wonderful time of the year may feel like a long way off, but marketers are already
planning their holiday strategies. That’s because 45 percent of consumers began their holiday
shopping last year in October, and marketers don’t want to miss a beat this time around.
There’s no doubt the pandemic and current-day inflation are having an impact on digital
marketing. As a result, marketers are focusing on promotional advertising this holiday season
to recover losses from the past couple of years.
For 2022, promotions are going to be a key holiday digital marketing trend, and you can expect
to see an increase in special offers from B2C brands like coupons, rebates, contests,
giveaways, and games to engage and convert customers — at a much earlier date than ever
before.
What does this look like for a B2B audience? Perhaps a limited time offer on your most popular
subscription service, an incentive for subscription upgrades, or a referral bonus for existing
customers.
Social selling has gained tons of ground this year, and this holiday season will be no exception.
In fact, we expect to see an uptick in shoppable live streaming, where the audience can
purchase directly from your live video feed.
what are the digital marketing trends?
1. The Metaverse
The metaverse is one of the most talked-about trends in digital marketing. The metaverse is a
broad term that describes a variety of immersive virtual experiences taking place online,
usually with others. Starbucks, Nike and countless big brands have announced metaverse
experiences. While there is a lot of excitement for the metaverse, most businesses don’t have
practical use cases (or return on investment) just yet.
2. Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence (AI) powers all marketing. One of the quiet trends in digital marketing
over the last few years has been AI being integrated into almost every digital marketing
channel. Algorithms determine the social media posts you engage with, the search results you
see and even the ads displayed to you. AI is making marketing smarter, connecting consumers
to the exact right products and messages
3. Customer Experience
Most algorithms and AI in digital marketing optimize for the same thing—creating a better user
experience, as this is what matters most. For example, search engine optimization (SEO)
updates this year focused on providing the most helpful content to users. Beat the algorithms
and delight your customers by focusing more on their experiences.
4. Short Videos
TikTok and Instagram Reels are taking over social media feeds—and consumer attention. There
is no question that this format will only continue to grow. For businesses to stay relevant they
need to appear in the channels and formats where their customers are. The good news is that
short video formats are making their way into social media management tools and schedulers,
so it will become easier for businesses to plan and post next year.
5. Simple, Clear Messages
With short-form video taking over and attention spans constantly dropping, businesses have a
bigger challenge than ever. Businesses must be able to communicate in short, quick
soundbites to earn attention on mobile devices.
6. Influencers
Influencers are hot. As the advertising landscape becomes more and more cluttered,
businesses need to find new ways to get in front of their target audiences. Increasingly,
businesses can find opportunities to break through the noise with organic-seeming content via
influencers. Influencer marketing has been on the rise for years, and this trend will only
continue as influencers build up larger and larger audiences that are ripe for the picking for
marketers.
7. LinkedIn As a B2B Powerhouse
LinkedIn has been around for many years but recently has posted record growth and
engagement. It is expected to account for 25% of B2B advertising in two years. There is a
growing opportunity for businesses to use the platform for growth. Yet very few businesses
take advantage of this. My guess is that LinkedIn will only continue to grow and the opportunity
will only get bigger. Jump in early to disproportionately win.
Build LinkedIn into your plans strategically. Optimize your content. Grow your audience and
look for new features and opportunities to accelerate your success.