Trends change from year to year, not just in fashion. In our case, we strive to stay up-to-date with the latest trends in online marketing. That’s why we’ve done our homework and prepared a list of trends we anticipate for 2022.
As you read this article, you’ll notice that not everything we list is a new phenomenon in marketing. For some trends, we believe they will gain momentum, while others will develop further.
We have compiled information from our experience in the field and created a list of some online marketing trends for 2022.
Direct Purchase from Facebook or Instagram Shops
So far in Romania, Facebook or Instagram shops haven’t been well-developed, and purchases could only be made through the website. Recently, Facebook introduced the option to buy directly from the shop in our country, but it is not yet functional for all businesses.
Assuming that this feature will be available for all pages through Commerce Manager in 2022, we believe it will be a highly tested trend.
Why? Because every marketer wants to simplify the purchase process for the buyer. It would be much more convenient if customers could see the information and buy the product directly from Facebook or Instagram.
Sale through live shopping
Photo source: https://about.fb.com/
Live shopping is essentially the same concept used in teleshopping but adapted for e-commerce. In 2021, a few brands in Romania, such as Oveit (the company that introduced this concept to Romania) and Samsung, embraced live shopping.
What Exactly is Live Shopping?
Live shopping is a live video session where products are presented, and buyers can ask questions and make purchases with a simple click from the video.
Why Should You Consider Organizing a Live Shopping Event in 2022?
- Unique Differentiation: It is still something special that can set you apart from the competition.
- Accelerated Orders: It speeds up orders, allowing you to potentially achieve in a few hours the number of orders you might get in several days.
- Video Content Preference: According to recent statistics, social media users prefer video content over static content.
- Customer Loyalty: It helps foster customer loyalty, as such presentations make customers feel more involved and closer to the brand.
Additional Benefits of Live Shopping
- Exclusive Offers: These special sessions often feature promotions or benefits that are only available during the live event.
- Brand Ambassadors and Influencers: The live session is typically hosted by the company’s brand ambassador, a celebrity, or a collaborating influencer, adding an element of excitement and trust for the audience.
By leveraging live shopping, you can engage directly with your audience in a dynamic and interactive way, enhancing the shopping experience and potentially boosting your sales significantly.
Influencer marketing
Influencer marketing is one of those well-known trends in online marketing. More and more online businesses have understood and adopted this trend. What is this trend based on? It relies on convincing a user to make a purchase or creating visibility through a well-known person in the online environment.
Depending on the niche, objectives, and budget, you can choose to collaborate with micro-influencers or macro-influencers. The difference between them is that micro-influencers are at the beginning of their journey, have a smaller community, and a lower influence power.
However, if your business is also just starting out and you don’t have enough resources, this would be the best option for the beginning. This way, you will allow yourself a balance between all marketing actions.
User generated content
User generated content refers to any type of content generated by the brand’s customers, which can help increase its visibility. Whether it’s testimonials, reviews, posts with products, or tags towards the brand, UGC is a good idea for online marketing.
Why do we say this type of content can help a business? Because:
People trust other people who have already had an experience with the product or service and are willing to share it. Each customer is authentic and original in terms of opinions. Moreover, user-generated content can be in the form of text, video, image, live, etc. It helps build a community.
You can learn more about UGC in our article.
Video Content
Video content has become the most appreciated type of content on Social Media, and statistics show that it should be one of the top marketing strategies:
- Watching a video increases purchase intent by 97% and brand association by over 100%.
- Over 80% of users spend more time on a site that includes video.
- 52% of consumers say that watching a product video makes them more confident in their purchase decision.
- Those who have watched a video are more likely to buy later.
Sources: Unruly, Mist Media, comScore
Augmented Reality
Recently, the current world situation has been a factor that led to a change in online consumption. Previously, digital marketing focused heavily on performance, but now the brand’s strategy to be likable is important. More and more specialists are looking for new ways to get closer to the targeted audience through something unique and possibly even emotional.
And how else can you do this than by offering the most realistic online experience? That’s why Augmented Reality might be the next trend in Social Media.
Filters that allow you to see how you would look with a new shade of lipstick, filters that can project the product right next to you, or other applications with 3D effects are among the examples of AR.
Starting from these experiences, some users claim they would be more likely to buy a product if they could see it via AR.
That’s why Social Media platforms have started integrating Augmented Reality: Snapchat has introduced all kinds of filters and effects through which you can play with water, fire, dance alongside animated characters, or identify objects you see with a simple scan using the camera.
See an example here:
Facebook has added those games available on Messenger for some time now, which you can play with the friend you’re chatting with, and the filters with 3D effects. In addition to these, AR ads have also been introduced. These are currently available only in some countries, can only run in the News Feed, and are of the Try-On type.
Thus, users can use the camera directly from ads to try the product: accessories, makeup, furniture, gaming, etc.
It’s needless to say that Instagram uses AR in almost all available filters. Furthermore, the platform is testing Try-On experiences based on products in Commerce Manager and Shop.
See example here:
Omnichannel Strategy
The omnichannel strategy refers to using multiple communication channels as a funnel in interacting with consumers with the brand. This strategy can include both physical and digital channels.
In practice, the omnichannel strategy is an integration of branding, community, and online and offline touchpoints that provide a better shopping experience.
An essential aspect is that the strategy should pursue the same objectives and maintain the same communication direction across all channels. Thus, consumers can more easily associate with the brand when they encounter it.
It is also important to consider the difference between the multichannel and omnichannel strategies. While both are based on the idea of using multiple communication and promotion channels, their goals are different.
Multichannel aims to use multiple channels where results are controlled and verified individually, while omnichannel refers to the connection between these channels in the consumer acquisition process.
FOMO (Fear of Missing out)
The FOMO strategy aims to create a sense among users that they need to take action quickly so as not to miss out on a product or benefit. Here are a few examples of how you could use this technique:
Use words and phrases like: „limited time,” „limited stock,” „free,” „only valid today,” „buy now!”
Display pop-up notifications on the website with available benefits/offers.
Highlight discounted products on the website.
Offer various types of benefits: free shipping, discounts, vouchers, etc.
Insert a countdown timer.
If your goal for 2022 is to have a well-structured strategy and to take into account these trends in online marketing, let’s discuss.