Muve’s Marketing Forecast For 2022

SarahHughes

November 29, 2021

Muve's Marketing Forecast for 2022 featured image

The marketing landscape seems to change drastically each year. We all know the needs and wants of the consumer remains at the heart of everything. This is what drives the creation of new products and services. However, new tools and new techniques are constantly being devised and implemented to market to the consumer and get that critical edge on the competitor set. Companies must continually adapt to these changes so they can stay ahead of the curve. In our 2022 marketing forecast, we discuss the main trends that are likely to lead the pack.

Short-Form Videos To Become Even More Powerful

Put simply, TikTok has changed the game. Since its global release in 2018, it has boomed all over the world. The UK market is no exception – by the end of 2021 it had around 13.3 million users. This is will grow to 16.8 million by 2024. Built on brief video content (usually around 15 to 60 seconds), the platform has already made huge inroads into younger audiences. And now, the demographic is slowly moving upwards. The format has completely shaken up the social media world, and the other social giants have been quick to react. Indeed, a 2020 study revealed that videos are shared at twice the rate than other forms of content, so it is no surprise we’ve seen the likes of Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts launch. So, businesses of all sizes will increasingly look to short-form video content to leverage their brand over the coming years.

The Rise Of The Micro-Influencer

Influencer marketing, where a public figure endorses a product or service, is everywhere. Brands love it and its powers as a ROI channel are undisputed. Worldwide the influencer marketing industry was worth $9.7 billion in 2020. In 2022, this will rise to $15 billion. However, although the sector will grow to the greatest heights yet, it won’t just be more of the same. There are distinct signs that trust in the “mega-influencers” (1,000,000+ followers) is eroding. It seems people are tiring of the largely unrelatable lives many of the more popular influencers lead. Increasingly, consumers are looking to authentic content rather than slick, Hollywood-style material. Recent stats back this up; on Instagram micro-influencers (10,000 to 50,000 followers) get an average engagement rate of 3.86%. Meanwhile, mega-influencers deliver a rate of 1.21%.

So, make no mistake, brands will continue to partner up with the most popular influencers. However, we forecast the major marketing growth in this sector next year will be with smaller and niche influencers.

Increased Spending on Inbound Marketing

Inbound marketing, where content is used to attract users rather than targeting them directly, has grown increasingly popular with marketers in recent years. 2022 will be an exceptional year for inbound marketing. A recent Hubspot report noted that over 80% of marketers plan to maintain or increase their spending on it. Inbound marketing is composed of three main parts: attract, engage, and delight. Brands use the three in combination to take consumers through the purchasing journey.

In 2022, “attracting” strategies will include heightened use of SEO and increased social media advertising. Ads themselves will be carefully curated to target specific audiences. As with influencers, the importance of finding and exploiting “niches” will be paramount. “Engaging” strategies will involve constant social media activity; replying to social media users and providing relevant ads to keep them interested. “Delight” strategies will consist of higher quality chatbots and marketing surveys. These will ensure the customer is happy with their purchase and help to secure ongoing custom.

Audio Content To Become More Widely Used

As we’ve already discussed, video content will be a major priority for marketers in 2022. However, it is not just video channels that are predicted to grow. We forecast that marketing spend will increase in audio platforms next year. In a very visual age, it can be easy for brands to neglect their audio content. Yet, consumer demand for audio experiences continues to increase with the likes of Spotify, Twitter Spaces and Clubhouse. All have grown rapidly, expanding to fill the gap. In recent years, audio platforms have not been particularly favoured by marketers, but this is changing. There is now evidence that brands looking for new audience engagement strategies will move towards audio in 2022. This will be strongly evident in the case of podcasts. A recent survey found 43% of B2C marketers plan to raise their investment levels there.

Consumers are constantly calling on brands to respond to environmental and social issues. Brand accountability has become a critical factor in the purchasing process. Increasingly, companies have to be seen to believe in something. We all know businesses exist to make a profit, but they now have to demonstrate their values clearly and publicly. And it’s no longer enough to bang out a few hashtags in social media posts or make a corporate donation to a charitable cause. Increasingly, businesses need to establish what they believe in and give those causes tangible support. 2022 will see companies communicating how they are combating current issues to a higher degree than ever before, and this will not just affect multinational corporations. Local businesses will come under pressure to show what they are doing to help their communities too.

Taking Advantage Of The Trends

Marketers will have a lot to think about in the coming year if marketing forecasts prove accurate. New avenues that are not being currently used could provide great returns. Understanding how to get the best from these opportunities can be difficult and time consuming, so it can be a wise policy to get assistance.

Need help?

If you’re in need of professional and experienced marketers to help jumpstart your marketing efforts, we can help. Our creative marketing team helps businesses like yours achieve the marketing targets you are striving towards. Contact us today to arrange a call to discuss all your marketing needs.

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Wondering what marketing trends will dominate next year? Stay ahead of the game with our 2022 marketing forecast.

Rhys Hughes

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