If you’re reading this post on the day it goes live then it is the day after Thanksgiving here in the US. So, Happy Thanksgiving to all of you. I really hope you were able to take time for yourself and your family while enjoying the holiday.
I don’t know about you, but the last couple of years have really felt like an eternity and a blink at the same time. It’s been a really long couple of years for all of us. The thing that has shown up for me the most is realizing that time is short, and there’s a lot of distractions in the world. In my personal life, I’ve experienced many distractions, like my daughter going away to college. I’m going to really take the last six weeks of this year to focus on what is important to me. And that’s spending quality time with my family. I really hope that you’ll do the same.
As I just said, there are only six weeks left of 2021, which is kind of insane if you ask me. Today I wanted to chat about 2022 and some predictions in the marketing world for the coming year.
2022 Marketing Predictions!
The year of the creator
First, I think 2022 is really going to be the year of the creator. What 2021 has shown us is that it is incredibly important to have more than one social media platform that you are engaging on.
We all know there is a ton of competition out there, and 2021 just proved that as more businesses than ever have taken online to social media. Audiences have shown that they will follow creators who provide valuable content from one platform to another. This makes creator engagement a key competitive point between the networks.
We saw a greater focus from the social media platforms on providing tools to their creators to better help them monetize and manage their personal brands. This will continue and get much more growth over the coming year. Each platform is going to have more of a focus on helping their users monetize their business and content.
This means making sure you are creating valuable content to engage your audience. Each of the social media platforms requires engagement in order for your presence to grow and expand. If you’re planning to be successful in the online space, make sure you are planning to create content that your ideal client connects with. Pro-tip: go back to the fundamentals of storytelling with real creative content, that is based on who you are, what you do, and who you serve. Make sure it’s authentic to who you are.
Focus on video content
Since we’re talking about creating content, let’s really focus our attention and effort on video content. Video has proven to be the king (or queen depending on your pov.) TikTok has really demonstrated this, which means that more platforms are going to be focusing on engaging video content. Instagram has already developed Reels to compete directly with TikTok. LinkedIn has launched LinkedIn Live, and then we have the ever-present YouTube, which is growing by leaps and bounds.
In 2022 we want to make sure that we are creating engaging video content for every platform we’re on. Keep in mind that each platform has different strategies. So make sure that you are aware of the types, lengths, and topics that do best for any social media platform you use.
Privacy concerns
Since we’re chatting about social media, 2021 showed us that more and more people are concerned about their privacy. The IOS update made major changes to the data gathering ability for almost every platform out there. The exception is Apple. They’re still able to gather a ton of data on their users, which means they are also able to provide a better experience for them and market directly to them. So, I would expect to see more and more brands beginning to use Apple ads to directly target those Apple users.
What this really means for you is being able to adapt to the reality of less clear attribution of data. Consider social media as part of an overall, holistic marketing strategy as opposed to tying results directly to one social platform. We are going to see more of a multi-use platform for successful marketers.
Community and connection
If 2021 showed us anything it was that people are looking for community, connection, and, most of all, transformation. That means creating more private or closed online spaces, groups, forums and most importantly moving people off of social media altogether.
If you think about it, Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp all went down for an entire day. For those people that rely on just those platforms to communicate with their clients, that was probably pretty painful for them (especially if they were in the middle of a launch!)
Moving off of those social media platforms and onto your email list allows you to connect with your audience in a way that is much more real and controllable for you. Because they have opted in to connect with you, they are much more likely to be welcoming of your content and attention. Brands reaching their interested customers directly through text messaging and emails will become even more important in 2022.
However, consumers will continue to get their news and information from social media platforms, so make sure you are still able and willing to show up in those locations. Be prepared to continue the pay-to-play model that most platforms have implemented
LinkedIn is the place to be
I think LinkedIn is going to become more and more important for those trying to reach professionals. While LinkedIn has historically been a site for B2B marketing, I really think LinkedIn has the potential to draw business to consumer marketers as well.
Quite frankly there’s less competition and with the advent of LinkedIn Live, we’re able to reach more of our target audience in multiple ways. Not to mention that LinkedIn Live videos see more organic engagement with seven times more reactions and twenty-four times more comments than regular video uploads. If you look at where LinkedIn is right now, it’s kind of where Facebook and Instagram were five years ago. You have a wider reach and an easier time creating organic engagement.
The reality is less than 4% of LinkedIn users are creating consistent content. This means that as a content creator you have an entire blue ocean to grow in. Starting now gives you an advantage over others who are still swimming in the red ocean of Facebook and Instagram. NOW is the time to establish your presence on LinkedIn and assert yourself using video, writing posts, and writing articles while it’s still relatively easy to get people’s attention there.
What’s it all mean?
Keep in mind that marketing, social media, and the world, in general, are ever-changing. Being able to pivot based on what is working right now, is the most important ability to take with you into 2022.
If you’re ready to get your marketing strategy on track, contact me today! For more of my 2022 marketing predictions, listen to the latest episode of the Marketing Matchmaker Podcast! And, if you want to grow and scale your business to 6-7 figures, take the Profitable Scaling Quiz today to make a difference in your tomorrow!