Well, it’s true that 2021 still has some course to run. Those seeking competitive advantage and needing to refill the coffers are already looking to 2022. In this article, we ask “What are the digital marketing trends for 2022 going to be?”.
Where our 2021 digital marketing efforts are going
Digital first experiences and monetisation of social media profiles. Off the back of an annus horriblis in 2020, businesses sought to go digital. For many, it was long overdue. For some, they were already there and wanted to cement that position. We already know that mobile internet traffic overtook desktop in the UK at the close of 2019. This trend is solidifying in 2021 as Google chooses to rank including mobile page experience.
Furthermore, as the ‘big three’ social media channels of Facebook, Instagram and Twitter get saturated, other channels are growing. TikTok saw a huge growth over the last 12 months and is hard to ignore for B2C brands trying to capture Gen Z.
What are the digital marketing trends for 2022?
The digital marketing trends in 2022 are going to be:
- Digital campfires
- In-feed shopping
- Death of the cookie
- Cryptocurrencies
The digital marketing landscape doesn’t stay still for long. After breakneck digital transformation last year, many were hoping to slow things down. Read on as we break each trend down into more detail.
Digital campfires – a gaming marketing trend for 2022
Keeping track of the multitude of audiences for digital marketers is a nightmare. Back in the old days, it used to be mailing lists. Then, we evolved to social media channels. Now, we have to think about ‘digital campfires’ or online campfires.
Unlike the commonplace social media channels, digital campfires are not as well understood. Long gone are the days when gamers were considered to be teenage boys locked in their bedrooms. According to The Times, the average age of a gamer is now 45 years old and nearly half are female. We now have huge online communities of people united around gaming. These cover platforms such as:
- Fortnite
- Twitch
- Roblox
- Minecraft
- eSports channels
- Other gaming websites
For B2C brands and those wondering why there is a lack of engagement from Gen Z and millennials, look no further. There is believed to be well over 1bn users attached to various digital campfires but estimates vary.
In-feed shopping – the social media trend
We all know what eCommerce is. Many of us have seen ads on social media that link out to websites to buy a specific product. Some social media platforms are investing heavily in their shopping capabilities. Yes, this includes allowing businesses to build their online shops within the platforms but it is more than that.
Blurring the lines between influencer marketing and social media shopping, in-feed shopping is coming fast. See a piece of clothing you like during a video, simply click and buy. Listening to beauty tips from an influencer, click and buy that moisturiser. The social media giants are seeking to monetise your social feed, giving a much closer link between advertising and revenue.
TikTok is a little behind the curve of the established players but with around 700 million users, there is a huge opportunity. TikTok is scrambling to put purchasing options into videos and Facebook and Instagram are hot on their heels.
Death of the cookie – the digital advertiser’s trend
Long mooted, the death of the third-party cookie is almost upon us. Even Google announced that it will end support for third-party cookies in the Chrome browser from early 2022. And yes, that’s a big deal with Chrome possessing 63-69% market share depending on where you look.
So, what does this mean to you? Quite simply, tracking users across the web is a foundation for much advertising revenue. Unfortunately, it also means that user privacy concerns have caught up with the cookie. GDPR and the expectations of customers mean that more people are aware of their privacy. We already have the option to opt-out of third-party cookies and tracking but the digital advertising market is scrambling to move to plan C.
While third-party cookies are seemingly heading the way of the dodo, first-party data continues to be a valuable asset. Now is the time to make sure that your CRM data is in tip-top shape because you will need it more in 2022. The online advertising industry is moving towards zero-party data, which relies on data that users proactively agree to share.
Cryptocurrencies – the ecommerce trend for 2022
Still a doubter? Well, maybe you should think again. From BitCoin to DogeCoin, Ethereum to Litecoin, cryptocurrencies are on the rise. As digital stores of value, these currencies continue to rise in popularity and price. Each BitCoin is worth around £40,000 as of May 2021 but was less than 20% of that a year before.
One of the amazing properties of Bitcoin, DogeCoin and its ilk is one of tokenisation. That means that you don’t need to hold a whole £40,000 BitCoin, just a fraction of one, which means that you can use it to pay for small purchases.
Don’t believe us that crypto is here to stay? Well, JP Morgan announced on 26th April that they are going to let clients invest in BitCoin funds for the first time. This came hot on the heels of Morgan Stanley becoming the first big US bank to offer clients access to BitCoin funds on 17th March.
Paying with crypto is nothing new. In fact, many gaming and international eCommerce sites accept BitCoin and have done so for a long time.
What next for digital marketing trends?
The pace of change continues apace. Think Beyond is acutely aware of the rapid evolution of digital and that’s why we keep you up-to-date. We offer a range of digital marketing agency services, all of which are supported by our expert consultants. Ultimately, we want to give you confidence in the advice we offer.
If you would like to find out more, why not email us at sales@think-beyond.co.uk or call us on 01565 632206.
Alternatively, please feel free to pop a few details into our form and we will call you back.
Finally, if you are looking for digital, check out our guide to hiring a digital agency.