This month we’re taking a look at the emerging trends in digital marketing for 2022. The pandemic and it’s continuing effect on the way we live, and work has had a huge influence on the marketing industry. These are difficult times in many ways and all industries are having to adapt to the ever-changing landscape.

So, as we slowly step into 2022 what can we expect to see trending in digital marketing?

Metaverse and Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality experiences
When Mark Zuckerberg announced the transformation of Facebook to Meta it was met with mixed reviews. But whatever your opinion on the ‘Metaverse', it can’t be ignored. There are loads of apps that work in augmented reality via the smartphone camera and as mobile devices advance VR will become more accessible too. AR and VR are a great way for consumers to experience products and services and interact with brands!

Voice Search
It was hailed as a digital marketing trend a few years ago but never really took off as predicted, however it looks like it might be finally catching on so you might want to consider including optimisation for voice search in your marketing strategy for 2022.

Personalised Messaging
Targeted marketing is a huge trend for 2022. When you’re planning your marketing strategy for the year be sure to hone your customer lists so you can ensure you tailor your ads to their preferences.

Micro Moments
Closely linked to targeted marketing, micro moments is a term coined by Google to describe the way we make snap-decisions. The key here is to make sure you have a presence on all the same platforms as your customers, using short and snappy targeted ads and personalised marketing.

CSR
Brands and businesses need to show they care about their communities and act with respect and authenticity. Recent reports in the US showed customers will actively boycott companies that have unethical practices or values.

Influencers
During the pandemic consumers put more trust in influencers than they did big brands so there’s no doubt influencer marketing is set to rise this year as well.

Creator Led Shopping
By introducing affiliate revenue Instagram is making it easier for Creators to share and earn money on the products they love.

Clear Communication
Make searching and shopping a breeze with a clean, simple and easy to navigate website. If it’s not clear what you sell or the services you offer then you are going to lose customers so make sure your website communicates well.
 
Takeaway message: This fast-paced industry is not slowing down but don’t panic, there are lots of exciting opportunities and developments to embrace that will help your brand soar in 2022!
 
If you’re not sure your website can stand up to the fast-paced world of 2022 get your FREE website audit here.

We’ve avoided saying it for as long as we could, but it can’t be denied any longer - get ready, Christmas is coming!

It comes around so fast every year, I won’t even tell you how many shopping days you have left. But don’t panic, you still have plenty of time to get your business ready for the festivities, but you need to act now! Christmas is a great time to make meaningful connections with your customers and clients as well as a fantastic opportunity to show off your amazing brand with some top-notch Christmas inspired marketing.

We’ve done some of the hard work for you (we can’t help with the Christmas shopping, sadly) and put together a festive filled guide to get your business in the Christmas spirit!
 
Christmas 2021 Marketing Strategy
If you haven't already reviewed your marketing strategy for Christmas then you need to act now. This year is slightly different to Christmas 2020, but Covid is still affecting how businesses run and customer behaviour:

• Think about how your customers have changed the way they do business with you. If you’re finding they are more likely to interact with your business online then focus your marketing on those online platforms. However, if you’re finding your customers are embracing being able to do more face-face business then you should turn your attention to printed festive marketing materials that will entice your customers.
• Don’t forget to set a budget when you’re devising your plan. It’s so easy to get carried away but be realistic and stick to your budget.
• Market Research- what are your competitors doing? What do your customers expect and how do you plan to meet those needs?
• If you sell products, do you want to provide a wrapping service? Will you need branded/promotional wrapping paper?

Dec the Halls...
If your business has a physical premises where customers visit then you need to be thinking about festive marketing materials such as boards, banners, posters and decals for the windows. Don’t forget twinkly lights, Christmas tree and, if appropriate, music inside.
 
…and the Virtual Halls
Don’t forget the online window dressing:

• If you have a website with an online shop, then make sure you have a Christmas themed online shop front. You could temporarily change your colour scheme to more festive colours, add a Christmas banner to your landing page or some festive decorations to your brand logo.
• Give your newsletter/email marketing campaign a festive flourish. Include lots of details of any Christmas offers/sales you have planned, consider a Christmas countdown and make sure you include links to your social media channels.
• Run a series of Christmas themed social media posts (don’t forget the appropriate Christmas hashtags!)
• Change your profile pictures/backgrounds to a Christmas themed image.
  
• Create Christmas inspired content

 
Get Personal
To say thank you to your customers and to wish them well for the new year, why not send a branded calendar, stationary or Christmas card? Handwritten for that extra personal touch.
 
As always Creative Remedy are on hand to help with any of your branded printing materials including calendars and cards as well as your Christmas digital marketing. Don’t forget the more notice the better, we can’t change print lead times unfortunately!

1. Give Away Branded Treats
Give away branded treats with every purchase or order. Cupcakes and treat bags are always popular but think a little outside the box… it might just grab you a bit of attention!

2. Hold a Halloween Event
Be part of the Halloween spirit and if appropriate make it a dress up day at work.

3. Halloween Themed Graphics
Create spooky or Halloween themed graphics and add a funky graphic to your branding... this can used on your social media and website.

4. Get Creative with #Hashtags or Voucher Codes!
You can brainstorm a bespoke hashtag or voucher code for your customers to use to promote how they use your products or services or to save money on products and services just for that day. #Halloween2021, #Boo, #FindTheSpider, #TrickOrTreat

5. Hold a Halloween Competition
Hold a Halloween competition with public voting on a specific theme e.g. For a veterinary practice… best spooky dog costume. You will need to advertise this through your website or social media.

Treat by the way!... Happy Halloween!

To stand out from competitors a successful business needs to have a unique brand. But it’s important to remember that your brand is more than just a name and a logo, you need your brand to tell your unique story. You want your customer and target audience to connect with you and your business so it’s essential your brand communicates your key message.

Your Story
You need to communicate your brand to your customers and a great way to do this is by giving them the low-down on your business values, qualities, products and services. You are aiming to capture the essence of your business and create a connection between you and your customers.

Use a Consistent Tone

• In order to stand out from your competitors and become recognisable to your audience you need to make sure you use a consistent voice through all your marketing channels including social media, blogs and any print marketing. Make sure you don’t lose sight of your brand message and always stay true to your values- your customers are more likely to remain loyal to your business if your business remains loyal to your brand values.
  

Your ‘Why’
When you tell your story make sure you tell your audience what it was that inspired you to start your business and what you were trying to achieve. Again, this will help to build trust with your audience and make them see that your business is about more than just sales and profit- building your brand!
 
Make sure you tell your employees about your ‘story’, this will ensure you are all sending the same message to your clients and reinforce your brand identity. Telling your story and connecting with your customers will help build strong relationships and brand loyalty.
 
Your Visual Brand and Logo
Your visual brand needs to be on all your branding material both online and any printed materials such as stationary, business cards and any marketing materials. You should use colours that reflect your brand and the design of all your branding needs to clearly show your tone and voice. This is where you should consider using a graphic designer to help you create a logo that encompasses your identity.
 
Even if your business is fully established, it's important to review how your branding reflects your identity- is it giving the right message? Does it give a clear message about what you and your business are trying to achieve?
 
It’s a good idea to make sure your brand is conveying your key messaging and communicating with your target audience. Business’s change and adapt to the economic climate so there is a good chance your message has changed if your business has been running for a number of years.
 
Take a look at Marketing Donuts invaluable ‘Building a Brand - checklist’.
Do you need help shaping your story? Contact us for a FREE Health Check!

Hopefully you’ve already got email marketing set up as part of your marketing strategy for your business- if not then we recommend you read ‘Email Marketing For Small Businesses’ to find out why having one is an essential part of your marketing plan.

If you already use email marketing as part of your marketing strategy then great, but it’s important to update your email marketing strategy regularly in order to get the best results for your business. It’s no good just planning then leaving it for a few years. Over time your business changes and so do your customers. If your products or services have changed in order to meet demand, then your customers or your customers’ needs will most definitely have changed too.

Update Your Customer List
It’s so important to make sure you have an up-to-date customer list. If you’re using old contacts the chances are there are several incorrect details as well as subscribers who are no longer interested in your products or services. You need to be tough and cull any contacts that are no longer interested. Finding out who to keep and who to delete might seem like a bit of a task but it’s vital not only for your engagement but also to keep on the right side of the law with GDPR.

Email marketing services such as Mailchimp and Campaign Monitor will help you weed out the old customers and see which customers might just need a bit of a push to re-engage with your business.

Organise Your List
Once you’ve decided who to keep and who to throw out it’s a good idea to organise your customer list, whether that’s by the service they are interested in or behaviour such as previous purchases. Once you’ve got your groups sorted it makes it easier to tailor personalised email campaigns and hopefully increase engagement.

Make Privacy a Priority
You want to build trust with your customers and one way of ensuring that is by letting the customer know that their privacy is paramount to you. Keep on top of all legislation regarding privacy and make sure your customers are aware of the things you are doing to keep their data safe and secure - this can be detailed in your privacy policy. Finally, ensure it is easy for the customer to unsubscribe- make it clear and simple.

Make your Customer Feel Valued
Personalised email marketing is bound to have a much more positive effect on your customer engagement than the scatter-gun effect of just random content that might not resonate with all your subscribers. If you sell a product, you could consider sending out personalised birthday emails with discounts or for services- let them know how you are there to help and support them. You could also look at what's happening in the world currently- many businesses offer discounts to NHS staff or Key Workers in thanks for their continued hard work.
 
Book a health check if you need any support reviving your Email Marketing or Marketing Strategy.