18 Nov B2C Marketing Trends You NEED To Jump On In 2022
If we’ve learned anything from 2021, it’s that content that’s short, sweet and to the point is king. In 2022, 51% of B2C (business-to-consumer) marketers plan to raise their marketing budget. But where exactly is that budget going? From influencer marketing to virtual events, there’s a wide range of outlets businesses can focus on. Let’s take a deeper look, shall we?
Short-Form Video
Short-form video blasted off in early 2020 and shows no signs of slowing down. At the time, TikTok, which originally launched in 2016, was the number one source for short-form video content. However, due to its increasing popularity, other platforms are jumping on the bandwagon. Instagram introduced their Reels in July of 2020, with YouTube joining the party late with the release of YouTube Shorts in March of 2021.
This is good news for marketers and brands, as short-form video trends offer the second-highest ROI for B2C marketers in 2021, just behind influencer marketing. Despite being second-best, it’s the trend that marketing teams plan to invest in the most in 2022. That said, roughly 33% of B2C marketers are already taking advantage of short-form content, while one-third of those who haven’t yet will do so for the first time in 2022.
Why now? Short-form video content is a key feature in social media today, and according to the data, social media takes the lead in marketing investments for businesses. With the use of social media, brands can accomplish brand awareness targets and even revenue targets by utilizing in-app shopping experiences. Users today are looking for content that is quick and easy to digest and covers a specific area of a topic, rather than going into too much detail.
Influencer Marketing
Years ago, the influencer marketing space was limited only to celebrities and a handful of dedicated bloggers. Now, thanks for the rise of social media, finding an influencer that makes sense for your brand is easier than ever. The power of influences is clear.
HubSpot recently conducted a B2C marketing survey and the results speak for themselves. In 2022, 61% of B2C marketers plan to utilize influencer marketing in 2022. The results show that it’s the third-highest trend they plan to prioritize, just behind short-form videos and inbound marketing.
This is because in 2021, it offered B2C businesses the best returns. When the surveyees were asked to choose their top ROI driver from a list of 27 tactics and strategies, 11% of them chose influencer marketing.
Historically, brands have focused on the biggest and most popular influencers to partner up with. However, data suggests that micro-influences with under 100K followers may be more effective. While the verdict is still out on that, one thing is for sure: Influencer marketing is here to stay.
Audio Content
As we discussed earlier, video seems to be the leader when it comes to content marketing. However, audio content is slowly creeping up into the mix and shouldn’t be ignored. More and more B2C marketers are looking to use podcasts and other audio content in their marketing efforts. Although adoption in 2021 was seemingly low, marketing teams and brands are looking for less-known avenues to increase their awareness and target a rather untapped audience.
So what exactly do we mean by audio content? Of course one of the most recognizable are podcasts, but there’s so much more available. For example, audiobooks, audi advertisements and voice search. Voice search, or audio SEO, is a huge opportunity to take advantage of a feature that may rule search engines in the near future.
Social Responsibility
Now more than ever, consumers want and expect brands to be more transparent and take a stand on social media. The concept of social responsibility holds that businesses should be good citizens, balancing their money-making operations with activities that benefit society.
Interestingly, a report by Nielsen that surveyed 30,000 consumers in 60 countries found that 66% of consumers were willing to pay more for goods from brands that demonstrated social commitment. Furthermore, a study by public relations marketing firm Cone Communications found that 87% of Americans will purchase a product simply because its company advocated for an issue they cared about. That is a pretty big deal.
Inbound Marketing
In simple terms, inbound marketing is the process of helping potential customers find your brand. This happens long before a consumer is even ready to make a purchase, but making contact early and leaving a good impression can turn into brand preference and loyalty.
So how do you start attracting the right people? This strategy consists of content marketing, blogs, events, SEO, social media, and more. The key here is to not make people feel like they’re being sold to. This is where this tactic shines versus outbound marketing techniques, which focuses on “renting attention” rather than retention.
Between publishing consistent video and audio content on social media and developing a strong inbound marketing strategy, B2C marketing experts are ready to go full-force in 2022.