Learn about the main trends in the digital market for 2022
The end of 2020 has been marked by tension and a lot of uncertainty. With the pandemic underway and the world getting used to the “new normal”, the expectation was that 2021 would be a year of socio-economic recovery, largely supported by digital technology.
The prognosis was confirmed: we are more than ever inserted in the physical environment, where online and offline experiences are integrated to “reset” post-COVID-19 life. The new outbreaks of the disease keep remote forms of work and relationships relevant, and e-commerce continues to grow and launch increasingly sophisticated customer service strategies.
The second year of the pandemic also consolidated some trends and pointed out promising paths for the digital market trends. In addition to hybrid models of work, study and commerce, we saw important transformations in the production and consumption of content for the web and the definitive role of artificial intelligence applied to business.
To find out what happened and what is to come, we show you 7 outstanding trends for marketing and sales in 2022. Read on and discover how each one can benefit your company!
Digital Market Trends 2022: What your company needs to know
Our list of what is on the rise in the digital market left out what is already assimilated (such as remote work and the use of chatbots) and the points that, although announced as the future of digital, are not minimally signed as corporate trends (case of the metaverse, bet of Facebook/Meta for the short term).
And if you think this emptied our ranking, get ready: a number of other phenomena will have new unfoldings in 2022. See below:
1. 360° vision of the client – and of the entire operation
Being Customer 360 our CRM philosophy, we couldn’t put anything else first, right?
The logic of convergence is transforming all forms of organization of life. Offline leads to online and vice-versa. Devices connect to each other and systems are integrated in the generation, processing and activation of data. It is natural, therefore, that the actions of different sectors turn towards cooperation. In the era of digital transformation, departmentalizing work as before has become unfeasible.
In this sense, digital market and sales act more and more together to attract and qualify leads, prepare assertive proposals and strategically generate results. At the same time, customer service, product and technology teams inform and are informed by the commercial area, sharing knowledge to improve the customer experience.
Which brings us to the second point…
2. All data-driven
To keep teams on the same page and operate with excellence, accessing complete and consistent data and managing it in an agile way has never been more important. In general, marketing and sales strategies continue to prioritize quality over quantity – and a data-driven mentality is a key element to undertake them.
Decisions based on data direct investments and optimize the company’s work, generating better results. The data-driven stance supports growth in an increasingly volatile world, where innovation is necessary and risks are compensated as well. Among other issues, the main challenges in this regard are related to:
- IT infrastructure;
- Selection and continuous updating of professionals;
- Development of business models that support the agile framework;
- Integrations and construction of secure and well-designed ecosystems;
- Data security and compliance.
3. First and zero-party data
Google has postponed until 2023 the suspension of the use of third-party cookies by Chrome users. Likewise, digital marketing strategists are already looking for alternative ways to obtain customer data, in order to preserve the segmentation and effectiveness of campaigns.
The trend, therefore, is the mining of first and zero-party data – data generated by the company itself or intentionally provided by users. The movement accompanies increasingly rigorous data protection measures and seeks to establish a relationship of trust, focused on elevating the consumer experience.
While there is time, you should use existing data to analyze your audience and understand what truly connects them to the brand – and what can motivate them to give away information in a conscious way. The task increases the importance of personalization, and doubles the bet on the creation of loyalty bonds and brand advocacy.
4. Social Selling
When talking about connecting with the public, interactive marketing stands out – and is then associated with social selling. Selling through social networks was already a trend before the pandemic, but the way products and services are offered is changing. After all: who accesses Instagram or YouTube to see an ad?
The differential of social selling is humanization, often promoted by influencers, officials and personalities from the company itself. In this way, advertising occurs more organically, increasing users’ identification with the universe, values and language of the brand.
When well planned, the strategy also elevates customer service and lead qualification for marketing and sales. After some time, the balance of interactions familiarizes the public with your business and promotes conversions through the relationship.
5. User-Generated Content (UGC)
You must have noticed that we entered the topic user-generated content (UGC), or content generated by users. This topic deserves a special topic because, in the pandemic, the intense use of social networks and the boom in e-commerce increased exposure to ads – and led many people to information burnout.
In this way, many people reduced screen time and began to follow few good profiles, aligned with their interests and their day to day. In this sense, micro-influencers (accounts with up to 100 thousand followers) and word of mouth marketing have become even more reliable bets to reach specific audiences.
The isolation also drove customers away from physical stores, increasing the search for reviews, unboxing videos and product tests. Bottom line: Finding the right partners and valuing audience “shares” not only optimizes outreach costs, but also generates top-tier leads and strengthens the community around the brand.
6. “Tiktokization” and the sovereignty of video
You must have noticed that we entered the topic user-generated content (UGC), or content generated by users. This topic deserves a special topic because, in the pandemic, the intense use of social networks and the boom in e-commerce increased exposure to ads – and led many people to information burnout.
In this way, many people reduced screen time and began to follow few good profiles, aligned with their interests and their day to day. In this sense, micro-influencers (accounts with up to 100 thousand followers) and word of mouth marketing have become even more reliable bets to reach specific audiences.
The isolation also drove customers away from physical stores, increasing the search for reviews, unboxing videos and product tests. Bottom line: Finding the right partners and valuing audience “shares” not only optimizes outreach costs, but also generates top-tier leads and strengthens the community around the brand.
In 2018, a Cisco report predicted that by 2022, 82% of web traffic would be driven by video. Now that the deadline is approaching, we see that the prophecy has been fulfilled: since the emergence of TikTok and the implementation of Instagram Reels, digital market trend is adapting to incorporate these new formats, along with pieces for YouTube and streaming networks like Twitch. .
In addition to reiterating trends that we have already mentioned, such as UGC, video poses a double challenge: depending on the platform and the audience, there is room for very short videos and others lasting hours. Balancing those plates is an increasingly strategic task, requiring a deep understanding of the audience and creativity to shape the content. At the same time that they need to relax and entertain, companies need to know when to take on a more technical or thoughtful tone.
And speaking of which…
7. Slow content rescue
“What?! ‘Slow content’ in the middle of the TikTok era?” That’s right: although it seems contradictory, the margin for dense content and with a slower pace of production is growing. In addition to long articles and videos, we can include podcasts and newsletters that, in addition to products, also offer content curation.
As we already mentioned, a portion of the users is saturated with the large volume of information generated by the logic of the algorithm. And on the other hand, the focus on personalization is increasingly refining the audience and character of campaigns, creating the space for niche and bottom-of-the-funnel content.
Slow content is perfect for filling this gap, introducing opportunities to invest in branded content and differentiated relationship channels (such as mailings, blog platforms and audio streaming). Although it demands more from the planning and creation teams, this is one of the most powerful ways to consolidate brand authority, adding value and substance to your portfolio.
