2022 brings marketing trends that feature a diverse selection of tools that connect with digitally savvy audiences. The move closely follows customer trends that favor personalized marketing over standardized or impersonal campaigns. According to a Salesforce report, 97% of marketers witnessed improved business outcomes with personalized campaigns.
As such, businesses need to make a lasting, positive impression by appealing to individual emotions, senses, and preferences. While a traditional marketing strategy benefits from compelling storytelling that sets a brand apart from competitors, the latest marketing trends are taking proven processes to another level.
Sensory Marketing: “Fine Dining” for Customers
Sensory marketing techniques have taken the branding world by storm as a unique promotional approach that calls out to at least one of the five senses. Specifically, marketers who apply the sensory marketing approach attempt to elicit emotions and set a suitable mood across physical barriers.
Before the pandemic, studies showed that more than 50% of shoppers visit stores to engage in a high-touch physical experience. However, recent shifts in consumer patterns caused a boost in e-commerce sales of $183 billion. In response to recent trends, marketers will likely focus on recreating in-store experiences in 2022.
Brands can achieve the effect via sensory marketing. This marketing trend offers increased engagement and interaction through the senses. It's comparable to fine-dining practices in which diners enjoy immersive, multi-sensory experiences.
Leveraging NFTs
Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) have also taken the world by storm through 2021 and show few signs of stopping. These virtual innovations defined by unique and non-interchangeable properties will continue to support and enhance innovative marketing campaigns in 2022 as part of a broader marketing strategy.
NFTs enable marketers to store, manage, and present promotional items in secure and convenient methods through the power of smart contracts.
Metaverse Emergence
The upcoming metaverse provides marketers with additional avenues of enticing customers with realistic, interactive content. Metaverse campaigns will likely emerge as a gold standard throughout 2022 as brands connect with communities of online users through a chain of immersive 3D environments via AR and VR innovations.
Lifestyle Imagery
COVID-19 threw a wrench into the living standards of millions worldwide with effects that continue to influence a brand’s marketing strategy. It will be advantageous for brands to connect with their target audience through empathetic images that reflect the post-pandemic landscape and modified lifestyles through 2022.
Brand empathy has become a prominent strategy for big names such as IKEA (i.e., showcasing home-based living during lockdown) and renowned home appliance brand OXO, known for constantly optimizing user experiences.
Influencer Marketing
Collaborative efforts with influencers on the nano and micro level will continue to give brands a competitive edge via social proof, garnering audience response through relatable reviews in real-world settings.
Influencers from specific niche markets can provide detailed feedback that wins customers’ trust. By working with experienced influencers, marketers can develop credible brand ambassadors with a strong influence on buyer habits.
Customers tend to prefer peer-like responses over the carefully prepared presentations of brand representatives. And with the influencer marketing industry expected to hit $15 billion by the end of the year, you'll do well to jump on board if you're not already.
Short-Form Video Content
Short video format platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok dominated the social media scene in 2021 and will likely remain a prioritized tool for marketers in 2022.
Modern consumers prefer spending minimal time on content browsing through newsfeeds and websites. Therefore, an optimized short video ad will likely remain more effective than standard long-form campaigns when conveying brand value.
Short video content is especially effective for mobile users who have less time to spare as they travel on the road. With 71% of millennials (one of the largest groups of spenders) making online purchases via mobile devices, marketers can improve conversions with short video promotions.
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