5 Marketing Trends That Will Impact Your Business

Revenue and traffic goals may have gotten slightly off track given the uncertainties and difficult decisions of 2020. With a shifting marketing and business landscape, it’s no surprise that 2021 looked very different. As we near the end of another year, it’s time to begin prioritizing your strategy for profitable growth and looking forward to 2022.

Here are 5 marketing trends to keep top of mind:

1. Authenticity is Key– Authentic marketing has been around for years, however, the events of 2020 brought it to the forefront. Building an authentic relationship with your customers is so much more impactful than many realize. It’s not enough to simply have a creative marketing strategy. Customers want something relatable and authentic; they want to feel a natural connection with your brand. In today’s world, buyers would much rather connect with someone that they trust or gradually build familiarity with a company before buying (compared to previously seeing an advertisement and purchasing). A big driving force behind this is the fact that Millennials and Gen X make up a good portion of the consumer market and are very research-driven in their buying decisions. In fact, 8 out of 10 Millennials read a review first before buying.
2. Interactive Content Will Continue to Grow In Popularity– The pandemic has left many consumers bored at home and looking for engaging, fun content from their favorite brands. Although this too is a trend that has been around for some time, it is now being used more than ever before. Interactive content may include things such as quizzes, downloadable guides, virtual demos, polls, or engaging videos. Some of these tools can also be leveraged to capture lead information and share something of value with your potential buyers at a later time.
3. SEO Continues to Dominate– With a growing trend in artificial intelligence and voice search, SEO should continue to be at the forefront of your marketing initiatives in the new year. For starters, ensure your Google Business Listing is up to date and optimized. Additionally, a mobile-friendly website will competitively position your business, and if you sell a product, exploring e-commerce platforms are critical. Tools such as Google Tag Manager and Google Keyword Planner continue to grow in popularity further enhancing this trend.
4. Video Content Will Be King– According to recent studies, 70% of buyers will watch some sort of video throughout their buying journey while conducting research. Companies who master short (2-3 minute) guerilla-style videos will be able to break-through advertising barriers in 2021. Coupled with that, B2B companies who implement webinars into their strategy will have an advantage. For B2C companies, having influencers and existing customers create user-generated content sharing their experience, whether it’s reviews or testimonials, will also be impactful.
5. Social Media Will Drive Sales– Up to this point, social media has been commonly used for discovery and as a way to preview a business. But now, platforms like Facebook and Instagram are making it easier for consumers to purchase products without ever leaving the platform. Creating a seamless path for your consumers to move through the buying process will be critical.

If you are looking to get back to focusing on growth in 2022, IGNITE On Purpose is here to help! Contact us today to learn more – and ask about our Pay-for-Performance Program!