The world of digital marketing changes so frequently that it can be hard to know what’s next in store. 2021 has been another year that has kept us digital marketers on our feet. As people land upon a sense of ‘normality’ following a turbulent 2020, consumers’ priorities evolve and we at Loom have reshaped and refined our strategies to keep up with the rapidly changing landscape.

As 2021 comes to a close, we’re looking ahead to 2022 and sharing our digital marketing predictions. Keep reading to see what we think lies in store.

Agencies as solution providers, not just service providers

Most businesses have faced numerous challenges this year which has put them under a huge amount of pressure. Boardroom agendas have not only been dominated by Covid, but also supply-chain woes, digital skills talent shortages, sustainability, diversity, digital transformation, and more. These have created different challenges for Marketing departments, which are here to stay for 2022 and beyond. Agencies have a role in helping businesses to solve some of these pain-points and together help shape a better and more successful future for all. Agencies of the future need to become solution providers rather than service providers.

2022 quick win:

• Continue to nurture and expand your professional network and peer-to-peer support – a great source for ideas, insight, knowledge and solutions.

Time to own your own data

With third-party cookies well on their way to dying out, owning your own data will only become more important. Having a robust strategy around collecting, segmenting and utilising first-party data will not only help you, but also give your customers a far better experience of your brand.

This can be done with a good CRM, some clever tech (such as metorik.com) and a clear and transparent privacy policy. But more importantly, you want your customers to be signed up because they want you to reach out to them on their devices. With some nicely segmented first-party data, your customer will receive more personalised ads, which will lead to a far better brand experience, and your retention rates will only get better. Off the shelf audiences from the major ad platforms are on course to become far murkier, so take back control and give your audience the experience they deserve.

2022 quick wins:

• Choose a CRM that allows you to segment your customers logically
• Be transparent with how you use your customers’ data
• Give your customers a more personalised experience

Stand out or stand down – time to get creative with your paid social ads

Businesses will continue to harness the power of social media ads in 2022, with Hootsuite’s latest report identifying that 51.4% of marketers are planning to increase their paid social ads next year. So, that means just a massive increase in the same old, brand-driven narratives, right? Think again.

Consumers are wise, and the same old ad techniques just won’t fly anymore if you want the clicks – and of course, the conversions. Users (particularly Gen Z) are now acutely aware they are being advertised to, so there’s no pulling the wool over their eyes. It’s time to get real. But how? Brands will need to get increasingly creative in 2022 and begin to adopt the less traditional social media networks for paid ads such as Snapchat, Pinterest and, of course, the rising (mega)star, TiK Tok.

It’s important to add that it doesn’t mean Facebook and Instagram are null and void, your ads will just need to get more creative to keep up.

Brands will get to the heart of who they are and their personality. This will be key in discovering where they fit into the narrative. Harnessing this and the value they bring to the customer will be vital to creating authentic, entertaining ads that work seamlessly on the chosen platform.

2022 quick wins:

• To stand out, don’t play it safe – you need to be fearless. As long as it feels authentic to you and not the familiar ’self-serving’ ads we’ve all seen, then it should work. If not, you’re at least heading in the right direction. Test (it’s unlikely to happen overnight!), experiment and provide your team with the space (and training) to facilitate this on the right social media channels for you.
• Creators or ‘Influencers’ aren’t new – it’s time to start working with them more creatively. Ads should feel authentic and the creators should be the right fit with your brand voice and the platform. Coming up with an idea and then handing over the creative reins to a creator may pay off. Also, remember, subtle brand mentions can be key in making the ad a seamless experience.

Semantic SEO & topical clustering

Semantic SEO and topical clustering is nothing new. At Loom, we’ve taken this approach to website content for years. It’s got to the point now though that if it’s not guiding your SEO and content strategies in 2022 then you risk being left behind in the organic space.

Search engine algorithms have become increasingly intelligent around semantics and understanding user intent (the meaning behind the search query). Alongside that, they rely more on the relationship between topics. Our job as SEOs and content marketers is to show that we understand the topics related to our clients’ service and how best to meet users’ needs through our content. Structuring your content and in turn website based on topical clustering should see improved and expanded rankings, more relevant traffic and very satisfied users.

2022 quick win:

• Move away from keywords as your starting point and embrace topic clusters – groups of related content around a much broader area of knowledge. What you’re aiming for is a website that makes connections between relevant topics and delivers genuine value for users. What does the user actually need? And what other questions are they going to want answers to? Consider how you answer these questions on your website and you’ll be off to a good start.

For more predictions and quick wins from our digital experts, head over to the Loom website.