The old saying goes that there is comfort in familiarity. This applies to companies and their marketing strategies. Sometimes, a brand just finds a promotional campaign that works so well for its business model, it can’t imagine ever doing something different. However, getting too comfortable with one thing can be a problem.
In today’s hectic internet era, the market is constantly changing. It seems like every week there is some new trend for consumers to fawn over. And if a company doesn’t come up with ways to maintain the public’s interest, they risk losing revenue.
So, any brand that wants to stay at the top of its industry should focus on targeting its market. By updating its marketing strategy to align with the latest trends, a brand will accomplish two goals. First, it will leave its competitors in the dust. Second, it will become the trendiest company for consumers to do business with!
How to Target Your Market the Right Way
It’s undeniable that the global pandemic has impacted every aspect of consumer life. The lockdown meant people couldn’t leave their homes. Subsequently, many turned to online shopping to meet their needs. To keep up with demand, a lot of brands changed their business models to be more internet-friendly.
But the pandemic didn’t just affect how brands did business. COVID also influenced marketing strategies and made them more internet-based too. Therefore, it’s not surprising that the biggest marketing trends in 2022 are almost exclusively digital. This is something brands should pay attention to if they want to upgrade their promotional game.
1. Video Marketing Is the New Black
When it comes to marketing, visual appeal is everything. So, it’s no wonder video ads have become such a huge part of raising brand awareness.
According to a recent study, younger people respond to video ads the best. Over 80% of millennials say that promotional videos play a crucial role in their decision to buy a product.
Understanding the appeal of such videos isn’t difficult. A well-thought-out promotional video can grab the viewer’s attention. Moreover, it can keep them engaged better than any old promo poster or leaflet. Plus, videos allow brands to highlight the added value of their product, instead of just pushing consumers to buy things.
2. Authenticity Is Key
So many businesses prioritise clever marketing strategies that they forget the core principle of good ads — engagement. And not just any kind of engagement — but a deep, personal connection a brand makes with its customers on an individual level.
As unprofessional as it may seem to address consumers personally, it’s very effective. Though social media makes establishing connections easy, it removes the human element from these interactions. Companies carefully script their content to show their brands in the best possible light. This may be great for PR, but it makes customers feel like brands aren’t authentic anymore.
Therefore, any company that uses its social media platform to interact with its audience will automatically stand out. For example, a brand can use the corporate Twitter account to tweet humorous things. It can also use its Instagram page to organise giveaways. Either way, fostering a more personal relationship proves to customers that a brand sees them as individuals, not just sources of income.
3. The Underrated Potential of Live Streams and Podcasts
Videos are an invaluable part of online marketing. However, in recent years, they’ve been overtaken by live streams and podcasts. The reason for this directly ties into customers’ desire for authenticity.
Live streaming allows brands to present themselves in a vulnerable way. What’s more, it lets them give customers an insight into what’s going on behind the scenes. Similarly, podcasts provide consumers with a convenient way to access information while they’re on the go. Companies can use this medium to relay useful info, like industry-specific news, or helpful advice to improve their customers’ lives.
However, the biggest advantage of podcasts is that they can authentically entertain an audience. Brands can use them to engage with their customer base, make them laugh, and make genuine connections. Such a personal approach is the surest way to increase a company’s value in the public eye.
4. Influencer Partnerships
Influencers get a bad rap. It seems like every other day there is a story about some wannabe celebrity demanding freebies in exchange for a shoutout on their Instagram. However, ignoring the bad apples, it’s undeniable that legitimate influencers play a big role in marketing.
Over 89% of marketers agree that microcelebrities increase brand awareness. There are two reasons for this. For one, established influencers have a dedicated fan base who trust their product recommendations. They also have high engagement rates, which helps a brand get attention.
In short, influencer partnerships let brands tap into a new demographic of loyal customers.
5. The Only Good Content Is Meaningful Content
Following trends is how a company keeps up with public demand. However, this doesn’t mean a company should just create content to ‘rank’. The market is oversaturated. Consequently, a search engine isn’t just going to take into account how popular a keyword is. They’ll also check if the content has any value.
What does this mean, exactly? Well, for one, it means that companies shouldn’t just publish content to sell products. Their adverts need to provide something else customers can use. Be that a useful piece of advice, or new information, customers want to feel like a company cares about them beyond just selling them something.
Another way to add value to marketing content is data-rich research. Customers want to see statistics that prove that using a specific product is going to improve their lives. They also want useful products to help solve everyday problems.
A company that can give both will definitely top their reputable-businesses list.
6. Interactive Content is a Game-Changer
One of the biggest reasons marketing campaigns fail is because they look like marketing campaigns. Customers don’t want to feel like a brand is pushing them to buy their products. Intrusive ads are annoying. Plus, they remove one of the key components of successful marketing— customer autonomy.
Therefore, if a company wants to effectively raise brand awareness they need to do a campaign where the main focus isn’t buying a product — it’s entertainment. This is why interactive content is such a game-changer.
Companies that use interactive content like mobile games, online quizzes, and puzzles to advertise have been seeing major success in recent years. The reason behind this positive outcome is simple — games shift the focus away from sales to fun. Therefore they don’t feel like traditional adverts.
However, the games still include logos and product placement. So the brand stays in front of customers’ eyes at all times. Moreover, since users have to actively choose to play the games, they won’t feel like a brand is pushing the product on them. It’s a win-win for everyone!
7. Customer Input Is Crucial for Success
Ultimately, the main purpose of any company is to create a product for an audience. And a brand can’t do that unless it first listens to its customers. So, another marketing strategy brands can employ in 2022 includes asking customers for feedback.
Companies can create polls on social media to encourage their audiences to post pictures and videos relating to the brand’s products. For example, one of the most common posts brands use to drive engagement is: “Tag a friend that could most benefit from ‘XYZ’ product.”
These calls to action motivate customers to interact with the brand on a fun and personal level. They also help companies understand their consumer base better, what they like about the brand, and what they would change.
Final Thoughts
Sticking to tried and proven marketing strategies is usually a good way to raise brand awareness. But in the long run, it may prove detrimental. The market is always changing. So if a company wants to stay ahead of the competition, it needs to evolve along with it.
The easiest way to do this is to research current ad trends and target the market. Going digital with some promo videos, influencer partnerships, interactive content, and more is a great strategy for companies to stay on-trend. What’s more, it also lets brands diversify their content in a way that’s most appealing to their audience.
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