Whether you’re reading this with the new year waiting just around the corner or not getting around to it until March, or even October, if you’re here, it means it is time to buckle down and get to work on your marketing strategy. How will you tell your story through branding, content, and social media efforts in 2022? From fun giveaways to visual storytelling, the possibilities are endless! If you’re short on ideas for your next great marketing initiative, look no further.
Step one: Watch Your Highlight Reel
What worked in 2021? Before you can decide where you’re going next, it’s time to take a moment and look at where you’ve been. What worked? What didn’t work? Start your Start, Stop, Continue List. This information will help you figure out what angle to take going forward. Is it still enough to simply buy TikTok views? Maybe you had a blog that did really, really well—how can you use that content again going forward? A successful 2021 blog can become a bang-up video in 2022, or a series of social media posts, or even a blog series. You don’t always have to reinvent the wheel, not to mention that understanding what your audience wants to see can help you know what to produce next.
Relatable Content, Yo
As visual brands and influencers only continue to grow in popularity, the need for personalized and relatable content has increased. No one wants to feel like they’re being marketed by a business, authenticity is the name of the game these days. Consumers want to hear your voice and your story, as if you’re just another one of their friends on Instagram. They want a look behind the curtain of professionalism. Show them who you really are, and you’ll engage your customers without once making them feel like they were marketed at. (Ew!)
Video Has Taken Over the Internet
If the prevalence of ads on cat videos hadn’t already convinced you: video is a powerful marketing tool now, and it will only become more useful as we find more ways to use it to tell stories and showcase brands. Check this out:
- Internet video traffic will account for 80% of all global consumer Internet traffic.
- On social media, video generates 1200% more shares than text and images COMBINED.
- Companies using video marketing get a whopping 41% more web traffic from search than non-users.
- Videos allow the consumer to absorb information passively and create a feeling of personalization. They are a fantastic connection-building tool, as again we move more and more towards greater personalized care for the consumer.
It’s no wonder more and more people are into filmmaking.
Mobile is Your New God
Google has turned the tide, and mobile-first indexing now reigns supreme. To rank well and engage with consumers, your website must be designed with mobile in mind. This goes for more than just your website, however. It includes things like ads, social media, and email marketing as well. Your content will be viewed 62% of the time by mobile users, and those numbers are only growing. What does this change? Everything.
Site Elements and Content Formats that mobile viewing will change
- Font and text size
- Image size and orientation
- Vertical video FTW!
- Interface organization
- Patience for load time (3 seconds, we really are worse than goldfish)
- Your dryer filter
Okay, maybe not that last one. But mobile is here, and it has become the primary method used to access the internet. If you want to stay ahead, prioritize mobile design in everything from web design to social posts.
Digital marketing continues to grow and evolve at the lightning pace of new technology, year after year. Keeping up can be a challenge, but if you can adapt, stay flexible, and always keep learning, you’re in a position to succeed in 2022. The year is full of opportunity, so don’t hesitate to plan your 2022 marketing strategy! It’s really never too early or too late.