Expected Digital and Direct Marketing Trends for 2022

The marketing industry changes fast based on consumer behavior. In the last year, it evolved around the pandemic and the effects it had on consumers. We navigated through both quarantine and reopening of the country in 2021. This had a direct impact on what and how we marketed as consumer needs shifted.

To succeed in a changing world, businesses need to be aware of new trends and marketing tactics. Darwill has created a list of marketing trends that we expect to take off in 2022. We believe every business should consider new marketing strategies. Use trends that align best with their industry and marketing goals.

Informed Delivery Rises in Popularity

Since its creation, informed delivery has taken off. 59% of USPS customers take part in informed delivery. This service benefits your campaign with both physical mail and a digital experience. This combination has time and again proven to bring in better results. 

Informed delivery allows your customers to see what they are receiving in the mail each day. Allowing consumers to engage and interact with their mail before it even arrives. While viewing their mail online, they can click on the image of the mail piece. Upon clicking, they are further directed to view an offer or the business’ website. Once the mail arrives, the engagement becomes full circle with a physical piece that they can hold on to. 

This service increases the reach of your marketing campaign through multi-channel touchpoints. As more households sign up, businesses will start to see impactful results. They'll see higher-than-average email open rates and many impressions from a single piece.

First-Party Data Impacts Digital and Direct Marketing

Businesses should do everything they can to collect first-party data. First-party data is collected from the web browser. This is important as third-party cookies are being phased out. Firefox and Safari have already turned off third-party cookies. Google is to follow, turning them off for Chrome by 2022. Businesses and marketers will want to find alternative first-party strategies. Set up a code on your website or ask for first-party information through direct mail.

A first-party code stores on the web visitor’s computer upon visiting your website. This creates a better user experience. This code remembers passwords, basic data about the visitor, and other preferences.

First-parties are accepted automatically when a consumer visits your website. Whereas consumers must accept third-party cookies. First-party cookies can tell you what the visitor did on your website and how often they visit. Knowing this information helps you automate an effective marketing strategy. Create a plan based on their behavior and interests.

You can even leverage direct mail to collect first-party data. Use QR codes on mail to get consumers to fill out a form or a “click to accept” option that gathers their data. These options are a great way to get consumers to volunteer their information.

Surveys and business reply cards (BRC) are another option to gather first-party data. These generate responses by offering incentives. All the consumer has to do is fill out their personal information and return it in the mail. The free postage offered on BRC’s may also entice consumers to complete the form. Data from mail can further nurture consumers through email and other methods.

Understand Consumer Intent

In 2022, businesses need to gain a better understanding of consumer search intent. This will help you understand "why" they are making a search. Focus on what drives the consumers to make a search and craft content around it. If your approach focuses on the “what,” you could be missing out on connecting with consumers. 

Create content to target the intent of the consumers' search. Leverage real-time searches to understand what motivates the prospect in the moment. Review the customer journey to gain more insights. Learn what they are looking at, where they are stopping in search and any potential gaps in the content. Study their search process for a better grasp of their intent. Enhance your content to make their search more seamless.

Social Content Trends

Consumers want to do business with brands they trust. In your planning, create social content that shows empathy and builds trust. Think about how you convey your brand and story to potential customers. Take time to create content to win the business of your dream prospects.

Additionally, consider how you are presenting the information. Is your story best told through imagery or video? Is your audience using mobile or desktop? 

Consumers are engaging with interactive, short-form content. Short video content is going to be one of the main trends in the New Year. One study shows that as much as 82% of online content will consist of videos by 2022. As attention spans decrease, adapt your content to be digestible. You may only have seconds to capture a prospect and keep their attention.

Use brief videos across your social profiles and through over-the-top (OTT) video ads.

Consider adding permanent organic social to your strategy. Permanent social could overtake ephemeral content. Ephemeral content disappears after 24 hours. Consumers want content that they can view again and share days later. Organic content may be more effective as it stays on your profile page and is easy to find later.

Better Web and Mobile Optimizations 

Optimization will remain prevalent in marketing strategy in the New Year. Google continues to release core updates which you'll need to stay on top of. Optimize your website based on these updates to continue to rank high in search results. Use the beginning of the year as a fresh start. Further align with Google guidelines and optimize your website to perform better.

Businesses and marketers will also want to focus on their mobile optimizations. Mobile users continue to rise. Be sure to check that your website functions right on all devices. If you don’t do this, your mobile site could have errors. It may not display the way it's intended to. This causes prospects to leave and find what they need from your competitors. Optimize in advance and make sure your website works the way it’s supposed to for every type of user. 

You can take another step ahead in optimization by applying real-time insights. Analyze the consumers as they are on your website. Gather information on what they are looking at, why they came to your website, and what they may click on next. Real-time monitoring reveals live insights. This allows you to act and make a quick fix before the customer experiences an error.

Data Remains Intelligent and Sophisticated

Intelligent marketing is here to stay in 2022. Businesses will continue to leverage data with marketing technology, also known as MarTech. MarTech supports business objectives and drives innovation.

Use data to market smarter. Data does the work for you through rapid automation and triggered campaigns. Combine data with artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning. This will help you set up automated communications. Allowing you to send one-to-one marketing and personalized, omnichannel messaging.

Compile multiple sets of rich data to gather more consumer insights. These will direct you to make better marketing decisions that drive better results.

Implement 2022 Marketing Trends with Darwill

Darwill can help you start exploring the 2022 marketing trends that best fit your goals. We'll implement them into your overall strategy. Contact Darwill to start seeing better results in the New Year.