What trends are marketers utilising in 2022

There are a variety of trends that marketers are currently using to form part of their marketing strategy but Influencer marketing, mobile-friendly website design, short-form video, virtual events, and experiential marketing seem to be top of the list. Let’s take a look at these trends courtesy of our friends at Hubspot.

Influencer Marketing

While influencer marketing was once less accessible to small brands that couldn't budget a high-priced celebrity or a top-tier social media user, the growth of social media has led to an abundance of influencers with nano to macro followings.

Now, as more businesses invest in influencer marketing, they're beginning to see solid benefits. In Hubspot’s survey, Influencer marketing was the most popular and most effective trend with the biggest return on investment.

By working with an influencer that's gained trust, expertise, or notability in a specific industry, brands can gain awareness, traffic, and potentially conversions from that influencer's audience.

Short-Form Video

As TikTok's virality grew in 2020 and 2021, other social media platforms like Instagram and YouTube rushed to get into the short-form video game. And, as more platforms continue to shift to prioritising quick, fast-paced content, so have marketers.

Hubspot’s Marketing Strategy Survey results show that short-form video is popular, effective, and still growing, especially among social media marketers.

In fact, 30% of social media marketers plan to invest more in short-form video than any other social media marketing strategy in 2022. Meanwhile, 33% plan to leverage short-form video for the first time in 2022.

Virtual Events

Virtual events are popular, effective, and will continue to be a top trend marketers leverage this year. However, 17% of marketers who leverage virtual events will decrease their investment in 2022, the second-highest decrease of any trend marketers invested in during 2021. Additionally, while 31% of marketers currently leverage virtual events, just 9% of marketers plan to leverage them for the first time in 2022.

If you have virtual events planned, don't let this research panic you. Virtual events are still the third most prominent trend marketers will invest in throughout this year. Additionally, the decreases noted above could signal a natural transition from virtual to hybrid or physical events as more public venues are fully re-opening. As an event marketer, it will be important to weigh all of your options and local mandates to determine which event type will be most effective and comfortable for your audience in .

Which trends were marketers planning to leverage for the first time in 2022?

Short-form video, social responsibility, and inbound marketing are the top trends marketers plan to leverage for the first time in 2022.

Brands are taking more Social Responsibility

In 2020 and 2021, consumers paid more attention than ever to how companies treated their customers, audiences, employees, and the world around them. And, many companies used this time to take a stance on their values. As these brands took on more social responsibility, they found that current or new audiences shared their values and gained trust, credibility, memorability, and awareness from those consumers.

In 2022, more marketers are recognising the importance of social responsibility. Investment in social responsibility will continue to grow from those already leveraging it and from marketers using it for the first time.

Digital Transformation boosting Inbound Marketing Use

This year consumers have been more connected to the web and digital platforms than ever. To meet customers and audiences where they are, 23% of marketers will leverage inbound marketing for the first time.

Channels being utilised

Marketers are currently utilising a number of channels including:

Social Media

Social media is the most popular and most effective marketing channel, with the highest Return on investment.

The use of social media has continued to grow, with 39% of those who didn’t use social media utilising it for the first time in 2022. Additionally, 26% of marketers plan to invest more in social media than any other channel this year. 

In 2022, 51% of marketers who leverage social media plan to increase their investment in social media marketing, and 37% will continue investing the same amount.

The Top Social Media Platforms

Instagram

Instagram is the most popular social platform, just ahead of YouTube and Facebook. However, Facebook has the biggest ROI of any platform, and 25% of social media marketers say they will invest more in it than any other platform this year.

YouTube

YouTube is No. 2 in terms of usage, but return on investment lags behind Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok. Still, expect to see the platform continue to see marketing growth as brands continue to leverage it for its ginormous audience and growing brand opportunities.

TikTok

While TikTok is the No. 6 platform in terms of usage by social media marketers, 62% of those who leverage it plan to increase their investment in 2022, the highest of any social platform.

The Top Marketing Content Formats

Video content, blogs, images, and infographics are the top media formats.

Videos

Video leads across the board as the most popular and effective format with the highest ROI, and 30% of content marketers investing in video more than any other format in 2022.

Blogs

Blogs are popular, effective, and have the 3rd highest ROI of any format.

The use of blogs continues to grow in 2022, with 29% of content marketers planning to leverage blogs for the first time and 10% planning to invest more in blogs than any other format.

Infographics.

Adoption of infographics continues to grow as 45% of content marketers currently leverage them and 38% plan to leverage them for the first time in 2022. Additionally, 56% of content marketers who leverage infographics say it is the most effective content format they use.

Podcasts and Audio Content

Only one in three content marketers use podcasts or other audio content. While 51% of those who do plan to invest more in 2022, 43% plan to continue investing the same amount 

Despite low ROI reports, 53% of content marketers who leverage podcasts and other audio content say it is the most effective format they use.

Audio Chat Rooms

Just 14% of social media marketers leverage audio chat rooms like Clubhouse and Twitter Spaces, but 68% of those who do say it's the most effective social media strategy they use, despite low ROI.

Additionally, 49% of those who already use audio chat rooms plan to increase their investment in 2022, while 47% plan to increase their investment in 2022, while 47% plan to maintain their current investment next year.

If you’re looking to increase your marketing through content, digital, video or web contact us.