What’s in Store for Marketing in 2022?
Published on Apr 22, 2022
No one can deny that recent global events have had a marked impact on commerce. Even in previous years it proved challenging to keep up with trends and best practices, but with the pandemic of late 2019 and 2020 causing widespread disruption there has been a high level of uncertainty to contend with.
B2B and B2C brands had to roll with the punches as customers (and competing companies) were increasingly driven online to do business or to look for the products and services they needed. While the global market is settling into something resembling normalcy, certain trends have started emerging on the back of this unprecedented period.
The growing power of digital
Online shopping has never been more popular, and most people will freely admit to having a preference for online shopping over everything else. Ecommerce continues to grow every year so if you want your campaigns to be successful it’s important to place your brand exactly where your customers are looking for you: online.
Social media
It’s no longer enough to have your marketing focused entirely on your own website and brands ignore the power of social media at their peril. Not only are social channels a place to engage with your customers, it’s also another way to showcase and sell your products in a way that is convenient for your users.
Over the coming months and years, it’s expected that the lines between social media and ecommerce will be blurred, and users will be able to enjoy a seamless experience between the two. Gen Z and Millennials are expected to take social commerce up more rapidly than other demographics - something that might influence your marketing decisions in the near future.
Marketers need to be more digital-savvy
These days it is no longer enough to be proficient in old fashioned marketing techniques and marketers are increasingly needing to take up new skills relating to digital marketing. Upskilling increases the value that a single team member can offer to your company, but it can be expensive to provide training. Companies that are unable or unwilling to make such a large investment have the option of seeking the services of agencies that provide marketing campaign management in Hong Kong. This is a cost effective way to benefit from an upskilled team without having to take on the costs of upskilling their own teams.
Intensifying competition
The coronavirus pandemic signalled a boom in ecommerce. Not only did existing companies rush towards digitisation but there was also an increase in new companies looking to stake their claim to a corner of the market. It is rare for a company to offer something that is completely distinct from other products and this means that there will be many variations of the same product available online. This increased competition has driven home the importance of using strong, unique branding to capture an engaged audience and better guarantee sales and customer loyalty.
Not every company will be able to carve a niche for themselves in this way, but those that are able to do this effectively are more likely to come out of this period of intense competition in a stronger position than others. Branding and marketing management agencies will feel the benefits of this competition as it will encourage more new and existing brands to seek professional services that will give them a competitive edge.
Larger emphasis on engagement
A modern, conscious consumer will tend to seek out meaningful interactions with the brands they use. In this context, meaningful interactions are ones that give the customer a sense that the company they are considering is closely aligned with their personal ethos and this makes them much more likely to opt for your brand over your competitors. Some companies have become so successful at crafting meaningful experiences for their customers that they can be considered to have influenced popular culture in overt and covert ways.
The rising importance of social media goes hand in hand with curated, meaningful content because it helps to blur the lines between ecommerce and social engagement. Brands can no longer get away with being sterile and must present a well defined personality if they want to be able to resonate with their customers and influence their spending decisions.