1.TikTok continues its meteoric rise

Few people grasp how significant the growth of TikTok is: it took YouTube over 8 years to reach a billion users; TikTok achieved it under 4 years. Last year the Chinese app overtook YouTube for average watch time in the US and UK: 25:38 hours monthly per user vs 22:40 hours monthly per user.

With ever more eyes glued to TikTok, it's little surprise that brands are beginning to see greater reach on TikTok than on other platforms. Expect to see more brands embrace viral video marketing on the platform.

2.Digital spending will leapfrog agency spend

Gone are the days of traditional advertising. According to a 2021 survey, almost three-quarters of marketing budgets were allocated for digital marketing. What's interesting is that passive marketing strategies like SEO and social media are starting to outpace paid digital marketing like search ads.

In fact, SEO and social media strategies can lead to outsized gains on shoestring budgets compared to paid ad strategies. We can therefore expect the global digital ad spend to decline from the $378 billion spent last year.

3.Competition for talent will intensify

After the so-called "Great Resignation", the digital marketing talent pool is more competitive than ever. Companies across the world are struggling to find and retain talent.

The reason is simple: there are fewer workers replacing retirees.

We can expect this labor shortage to continue for decades to come. For marketers, it means the gig economy is here to stay, with talented freelancers preferring to go it alone as demand for their skills skyrockets.

In the UK, for example, up to 60% of workers say they're considering changing their careers. Marketing companies must bid fiercely to hire and retain their best and brightest.

4.Google Business Profile for local SEO

Digital marketing trends often prioritize the global over the local. The internet was about extending reach beyond regional and national boundaries.

Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is Google's answer to local businesses – for example, boutiques, restaurants, plumbers, dentists, and more. Under the service, companies can rack up reviews, market their services, appear in local "near me" searches, and get pinned in Google Maps.

For marketers, going after businesses rooted in their local community could be the big frontier for the next year or more – especially as consumers are opting to search for something unique.

5.Move towards interactive content

Passive content, like social media posts and blog articles, has dominated the past decade. Sure, you could comment, like, or share, but the interactivity was consumer to consumer (C2C), not B2C.

That's all changing. Companies are now sparking engagement on social media and with blog posts using quizzes, polls and surveys, contests, and more.

Brands build loyalty, grab attention, and hook users into their products by promoting interactive content. It's also a fantastic way to sample the market.

6.Reduced clicks with shoppable posts

There's a rule in marketing: reduce a consumer's work. The more clicks between an ad and a product, the more chances consumers will change their minds.

The answer to their prayers: shoppable posts.

Instagram's Shoppable Posts, for example, let users see the product they love, tap the link, and be transported directly to the product page. Even better, the product info is displayed in the post, e.g., price and description.

We can expect this digital marketing trend to expand rapidly in 2022 and beyond.

7.More influencer marketing

Alongside the rise of TikTok, influencers are gaining more and more ground. These fledgling megastars can earn hundreds of thousands of dollars per post through sponsorship deals.

Nor is TikTok alone; Instagram is perhaps the original home of the influencer – and continues to see prominent demand.

But influencers need not be global megastars. Getting a local chef or celebrity to back your product on social media can also work effectively for smaller businesses. After all, we buy from people we trust.

8.Mobile website dominance

While few businesses have neglected mobile optimization, it's never been the priority. It was assumed the bulk of customers were accessing websites via desktops. No longer. As of 2019, more than half of all online traffic comes from mobile devices.

That means we see the rise of mobile-first, desktop-second sites. Companies aren't just optimizing for mobile; they're designing their sites with mobile in mind: less text and streamlined, touchscreen-friendly navigation.

9.Increase in personalization

Copywriting excels when it speaks directly to the customer – using a name is a powerful tool. With greater customer data, businesses can leverage their knowledge to create personalized content – be it emails, landing pages, and more.

From calls to action to email headlines, asking "Hi Sam, it's time to renew your subscription" works better than no-name every time.

10.Video marketing boost

Video marketing has soared upwards since 2019; there are no signs of a slowdown. As 72% of customers prefer learning about a product or service through video, this easy to consume medium is likely to overtake all others.

Just remember, most video is still watched without sound – in-video text is a big part of its success.

References:

https://www.visualcapitalist.com/timeline-the-march-to-a-billion-users/

https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescommunicationscouncil/2022/03/17/four-predictions-for-digital-marketing-in-2022/?sh=4bec7f07ccb6

https://www.oyova.com/blog/the-rise-of-video-marketing/

https://www.educba.com/digital-marketing-trends/

https://www.forbes.com/sites/henrydevries/2021/12/16/10-trends-for-digital-marketing-in-2022/?sh=27602f9f755a

https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/the-next-big-digital-marketing-trends

https://www.bluewhalemedia.co.uk/digital-marketing-trends-2022/

https://www.theedigital.com/blog/digital-marketing-trends

https://www.smartinsights.com/digital-marketing-strategy/digital-marketing-trends-innovation/