Digital marketing is an industry that is constantly changing. It seems like not a day goes by without Google changing its algorithm, companies releasing new marketing tools, and people setting up online businesses. The search for a perfect user experience while browsing the web will never end!
As a digital marketing benefactor, you should always stay on top of the trends. If you don’t, you risk your business getting left behind! With so much competition going on online and offline, that’s the last thing you want to happen. Never give your competitors an excuse to be better than you.
So, without further ado, here are the current trends that are making waves in the digital marketing world in 2022. We surmise that these three will have lasting impacts for years to come.
No Cookies for You!
In a world where users’ cybersecurity is at constant risk of attack, it is no surprise that third-party cookies are set to end in the next few years. Google announced its monumental decision to reduce the use of third-party cookies after more and more users expressed concern about their privacy. Indeed, many proactive users have even started browsing the web incognito or with virtual private networks (VPNs) to prevent websites from accessing their information.
For years, third-party cookies were incredibly important in digital marketing strategies and trends. They provided marketers with valuable customer information such as browsing histories and demographics. They would then revolve their marketing campaigns around said information so their audience was effectively targeted. Now, with the imminent death of cookies forthcoming, marketers have to come up with other effective ways of connecting with their customers.
This has led to a resurgence in email marketing. Unlike third-party cookies, the customer holds most, if not all, of the power in email marketing. Most businesses can only email the customer if the customer consents to it. Any marketing email that isn’t welcome can get flagged for spam instantly. User experience is significantly improved.
So, hop off the cookie train as soon as you can and start working on your email marketing skills.
Less Clicking, More Shopping
Generally, the faster you can get your customer from A to Z, the better. The longer you take getting them to the end of your marketing funnel, the more chances they have of backing out of their purchase!
That’s why many social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube have started flawlessly incorporating sales pitches into their content. Instead of having users click off the advert, head to the description box, and head to their website, users can now just click on the linked content and get taken to the checkout page. You want to shorten their shopping experience as much as possible.
This trend will probably lead to more emphasis on social media marketing. Now that the path to purchase is considerably shorter, digital marketers should focus on uploading high-quality content on their social media platforms. This helps direct more customers onto their websites. We could even argue that social media is now an extension of business websites. They’re not just an advertisement for business websites.
Netflix (and Advertising) and Chill
One of the main reasons why streaming services like Netflix and Hulu became so popular was because it was a breath of fresh air. Customers could watch their show peacefully at any time at any place without being interrupted by a constant barrage of adverts.
Nowadays, however, streaming services are considering adding adverts back. Disney+, in particular, has announced they were adding an ad-supported tier fairly soon. Their users could enjoy a lower subscription price in exchange for a few ads. And, while other streaming services like Netflix have publicly stated they weren’t planning on following suit anytime soon, it’s not unreasonable to think it’s in the works.
Now, whether you like ads or not, you can’t deny that the growth potential for ads in streaming services isn’t immense. Like social media platforms, millions of users enjoy streaming services to access movies, TV shows, and podcasts, so even having a single ad can expand your business by a lot. This is an excellent opportunity for any digital marketer to tap!
Conclusion
As you can see, digital marketing is almost like a roller coaster. It’s always one thing to the next and then back again. That can be pretty hard to keep up with even as a top digital marketing agency in Los Angeles.
All we can really advise you is to always be on top of your game. Don’t be afraid to be experimental and innovative, but also remember what’s true, tried, and tested!