Has it been two years since COVID-19 shook the world? Short answer: yup. Since the shutdowns began in early 2020, the fogginess and transience of the virus have lingered for B2B and B2C marketing spheres. To further exacerbate the issue, now industries are grappling with another surge of coronavirus infections, a labor shortage, and supply chain issues out the wazoo. Yet, the almighty U.S. dollar still reigns supreme, which is the driving force behind reaching even more customers in even more ways. With innovation and flexibility at the forefront, here are what we consider the top five marketing trends to look for throughout 2022.

McCoy & Associate’s Top 5 Marketing Trends for 2022

1. Social media’s reign

2. Subscription delivery surging past supply chain roadblocks

3. Experienced-based marketing boom

4. Doing less, but better

5. Integrating marketing into conversations

Social Media’s Reign

Whether it’s TikTok, Instagram, or YouTube, social media continues connecting businesses with customers in more interactive and engaging ways. Think about it: how many times have you found yourself lost in an Instagram reel for your favorite business after loving the recap of your bestie’s weekend adventures? Or, how often have you seen a product advertised on TikTok, and it magically appears on your steps days later? In 2021, influencer marketing nearly reached $14 billion and is expected to grow beyond that in the coming years. Further, more and more businesses realize the utility of incorporating social media into their marketing strategy to reach younger customers in a more impactful way. However, this continued growth in popularity has not been without challenge. Updates to privacy data and the anticipated removal of cookies from websites are expected to negatively impact the data needed to provide important metrics and data.

The Rise in Subscription-Based Deliveries

It was estimated that 70 container ships were stuck on the coast of southern California in late 2021. This further exacerbated the holes in the supply chain caused by the initial COVID-19 shut down and forced businesses to shift their fulfillment and shipping models to salvage hits to the bottom line, where possible. And we expect this to continue in 2022. Organizations that make, sell, or distribute products fulfill orders virtually from warehouses or suppliers with the existing stock of their product(s) and circumvent the cogs in the supply chain.

Experience-Based Marketing Boom

As more and more businesses tap into the digital marketplace, it’s difficult to get above the noise because - well, there’s a lot of it. Companies like 19 Crimes, Tesla, and Oculus have, in our opinion, created immersive experiences that create memories customers carry with them beyond their sales experience. It has paid off handsomely for those who’ve taken the chance to create an experience. No, it is not cheap - but an experience doesn’t have to be exorbitant. A small gesture can still go a long way. Consider a personalized gift with thoughtful promotional items; or even a virtual face-to-face meeting instead of an email, at times, can be the differentiator. A differentiator that we know other companies have begun tapping into.

Doing less, but Better

We’ve all seen it. A mom-and-pop shop with seven social media channels, two apps, a Linktree, and three websites. If you’re like us, you have a hard time figuring out where to engage and when with businesses like this. A word of caution: STOP IT! Companies consolidating their social media presence to maximize the reach and engagement of their most productive channel is a trend we've observed. We predict that more of these consolidations will continue in 2022. We believe so much in the crawl before you walk mentality, that it’s one we’re doing with our company. (Hence why we only have a website and Facebook right now. Baby steps.)

Integrating Marketing into the Conversation

What do your website and your social media accounts have in common - other than your brand and products?

They are both places where busy consumers come in contact with your likeness. Big-box brands understand this and have begun weaving everyday language into their marketing materials to reduce confusion and demystify unclear efforts of products. Minor tweaks in the language have effectively turned marketing collateral that spoke AT consumers, into pieces that meet their customers where they are. In an instant, products became more relatable and conversational. They were transformed into something an average, reasonable consumer could endorse without going on a quest to find out whether the chicken or the egg came first. This should be a goal for your business going forward, too.

Strategy is the magic word. As you take a long, hard look at your business goals for 2022, be sure to incorporate a marketing strategy into that mix. Use what you know, and what you do best, to be the best in your industry. Be sure to tell your current customers as well as potential customers what you’re up to and what you’ve achieved. Not sure how to do this? Lucky for you, McCoy & Associates specializes in tailoring strategic marketing tactics to align with the objectives of small and medium-sized businesses like yours. Schedule your FREE consultation today.