The digital hub is constantly changing. The two last years were meant to survive and recover from the worldwide pandemic. The end note ? ‘Embracing the new normal’. It is what it is afterall. This coming year, we are hoping to evolve towards a more striving environment with some post pandemic trends to consider. We have here 5 tactics to focus on to efficiently engage with your audience for maximum efficiency.
1. Hybrid Events
Covid-19 has certainly left a global footprint on every industry. The impact was massive where many businesses had to shut down. Now that the new normal is in place, some businesses are getting back in shape. The fact that the pandemic affected the way people work, buy and live, many businesses are now opting to adopt hybrid practices.
A hybrid event is one that uses a combination of in-person and digital elements, tailored to each audience for optimal experiences such as a live streamed presentation. It is known to be more inclusive and sustainable for both parties. Organizations can host events for their stakeholders to connect and engage.
2. Influencer Marketing
Influencer Marketing emerged and proved its effectiveness. It is known to be a top ROI generating tactic. Although it requires a big fat budget, many firms are opting to lean towards influencer marketing to promote their brand and products.
It proves to be a great marketing tactic because influencers master their platforms such as Instagram skilfully. They already have a well engaged audience who are into and influenced by the information and products they promote. This also increases brand awareness and bring in followers to your page.
As stated before, it is an expensive way however you can always start small by collaborating with micro influencers. They are everyday people with a smaller audience but their posts still have high levels of engagement. People tend to trust their recommendations closely. It is true that the number of followers is tempting when choosing an influencer but remember engagement rates are very crucial too. You know what they say; ‘Less is More’.
3. Content Marketing
Content Marketing fuels growth. This is what Google taught us and this is not going to go away very soon. Content allows you to rank in search engines. That’s why firms will choose to increase their content marketing budget in 2022.
Your content can be in the forms of blogs or live stories and those will never be outdated. Apart from driving engagement and conversions, blogs help to make your website discoverable online. It also makes it easier to implement SEO strategies which is key to more visibility online.
Let’s say for example you own a beauty parlour providing general tips on skincare that one can use; a prospective client might find it very interesting and choose to book an appointment. Long story short, Good content will eventually bring in clients and that’s what we are targeting in 2022.
4. Video Marketing
Video content is considered as a powerful medium to engage customers. Many users prefer to watch a video than read an advertisement. Videos form a greater connection with an audience. It can be short videos, reels, live stories or live streaming. If we go back some years, video making was known as a costly operation based on its resources but today, it is more accessible and more integrated as a marketing tool.
2022 will witness an increase in video marketing as organisations have realized that it is a very convenient way to engage with their audience to boost growth. Again with nowadays technologies and well advanced cameras, you can start small by just shooting on a smartphone and use an affordable editing software. Apple even launched a cinematic mode on the new iPhone 13. (No, not a promotion). Tips and tactics of shooting are easily available online. You just gotta roll.
5. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
According to HubSpot, 45% of companies are aiming to invest towards corporate social responsibility. This is because more and more audiences believe in green practices and are supportive of companies integrating a CSR plan and giving back to the community.
When Covid-19 emerged like a crashing wave, many employees went through a tough time which led them to voice out more about ethical practices and better treatment. Now customers tend to support companies who demonstrate care for employees and the world.
Therefore, companies are now working towards being more socially responsible and focus on green initiatives and promoting causes that they support. Afterall there is no Planet B and that’s why we believe that this is a good trend to follow for a good cause. A little goes a long way; you can start by a simple partnership with NGOs and it will showcase a win-win situation for the world and your brand image.
Wrapping up, the digital world changes at the speed of light. That’s why you should always evolve along. You might have to increase your marketing budget but you still have many affordable ways to lower these costs. There are many trends that can be predicted to be used for 2022. These are a few to kickstart your strategies for this coming year.
