2021 has been a turbulent year, for people, for companies and for marketing.
Turbulent but far from stagnant. Politics, technology, and industry developments have shaped the marketing sphere for 2022 tremendously.
Time to ask, what are the latest social media trends?
With the world and the economy still and again impacted by the pandemic, virtual presence is more crucial than ever. This year and also in 2022.
We have scouted down the key social media trends for 2022 and what this means for your business.
Step into the new world: metaverse
Facebook announcing its rebranding as meta was only the first step into the future of our digital world. Some see Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg's metaverse as the new digital hub, a second reality for users and brands. So far, most of it is merely theory and vision.
But many brands have already invested in the new world and is one of the main social media trends for 2022. Brands like Gucci, Nike, and Louis Vuitton have already taken their first steps and launched digital products as well as virtual stores.
How to:
For now, creating a metaverse store is not a hot topic for most brands (yet). But it is likely that the metaverse will shape and influence social media as a whole. 2022 will definitely be the year that brands should establish a solid digital representation to remain relevant. One of the main marketings 2022 is becoming more digital.
Community engagement is still trending
77% of respondents stated in a study conducted by Facebook and the NYU Governance Lab that the most important groups they're part of, exist online.
And if we consider the accelerated popularity of the metaverse, the digital world users are building, social media groups will become even more significant in 2022.
Establishing your brand community is the ultimate goal of social media trends in 2022. This means direct market insight, trust in your brand and customers that communicate with you.
How to:
Establishing a community like, i.e., Nike has, takes time and resources. Instead: Make use of existing communities that match your market through social media creators.
Especially on platforms where it is harder for brands to break through, like TikTok, working with influencers can accelerate your success.
The key digital marketing trends for 2022 are investing in meaningful partnerships, building trust with the community, and being active in the co-creation of content. We’ve explained how to create a compelling content strategy in a previous article.
Rethink the way you do social media ads
While marketing budgets have been at an all-time low in 2021, according to Hootsuite, 51% of respondents plan to increase their spending in 2022, especially for social media ads.
Where should you use social media ads?
Instagram and Facebook are undoubtedly the social media favourites. But there has been a shift in the latest social media trends: TikTok, Snapchat and Pinterest seem more effective to marketers.
Snapchat shows a 1200% increase in perceived effectiveness, comparing 2021 and 2020.
In the meantime, Facebook has fallen by 25%, as published by Hootsuite.
At the end of 2021, Snapchat & Co are still far from dethroning Facebook, which dominates the social media ad market.
But it is not just the where that matters, it is also the how. Users on TikTok, Snapchat, and Pinterest are more responsive to ads there, compared to other social media platforms. And that has two reasons. On one hand, those networks encourage companies to create ads that entertain, inspire and cultivate conversation. On the other, ads blend better into the social media content on these platforms. Consumers are less responsive to ads that are easily identified as such, digital marketing in 2022 is all about becoming smarter and more authentic.
How to:
Social media moves fast, and so should you!
To keep up with the social media trends 2022, be experimental and try new things (including platforms you haven't used yet), but stay consistent with the social media channels you are currently using too.
Google announced the end of cookie tracking by 2023, making 2022 the perfect time to rethink your ad strategy, implement data and metrics to connect with your audience on a deeper level.
We’ve revealed the SMART way to online advertising in a past article.
Fight your fear of TikTok
The social video app TikTok was the world's most downloaded app, and its growth hasn't stopped since. And in early 2021, it also became the first non-Facebook app, with 3 million global downloads. TikTok is one of the biggest social media trends in marketing.
Yet, it is a platform that many brands still have to discover for themselves.
The fast-paced and entertainment-focused characteristics have misled some marketers into not taking the platform serious enough, but you cannot tackle the latest digital marketing trends in 2022 without considering TikTok.
How to:
The TikTok audience consists of Millennials and Gen Z, making it the ideal hub to connect to a younger target group. To what extent your marketing department will follow the TikTok trends is an individual preference, but the app opens the doors to increasing brand awareness and engaging new audiences.
Expand your social media traction
The trust in social media and the return of investment is rising and will continue to grow in 2022. The social media trend of more precise marketing attribution tools has helped companies identify their most effective social media outlets. And social media gains traction beyond marketing, in 2022 we will see employee advocacy programs established on social platforms too. The digital marketing trends 2022 will reshape our perception of apps like Instagram and Facebook (now Meta).
How to:
Regardless of your individual ROI of Instagram & Co, social media has a "priming effect" for the rest of your marketing. Make sure all aspects of your marketing relate to each other.
Social listening, check what your customers have to say and make smart use of that insight.
Last but not least, combine paid and organic content. The first will attract new customers, and the second will keep your existing customers engaged.
E-Commerce takes social media
Online shopping is a trend that is here to stay and even to increase in 2022. But that will not only increase the necessity for brands to offer online shops. More and more consumers research brands on social media, which becomes part of the customer journey and impacts the purchase decision. With social media platforms implementing shopping features, social commerce takes the centre stage in 2022. Social media trends in 2022 mean that marketing and e-commerce come together on social media channels.
How to:
If you are selling offline, think about ways to connect your online and offline presence. Social media becomes your virtual shopping window, rewarding your customers with sneak peeks and exclusive insight for engaging.
The rule of thumb for E-Commerce remains: The easier the process, the more likely it is that the customer completes the purchase.
Prepare your customer service on social media
The sharp increase in online shopping paired with a labour shortage and supply change problems has also led to more unhappy customers.
And those dissatisfied shoppers want to speak to someone!
Integrating customer service into Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter is the latest in digital marketing trends.
In 2021 social media has become a new contact point for customers to engage, ask questions and even complain.
And from a consumer perspective, this makes a lot of sense. Social media is often the first point of contact and representation of a brand before someone looks up to the customer hotline. Sending a direct message, a tweet, or a comment is also way more convenient than getting stuck in a hotline queue.
How to:
Responding to customer queries might overwhelm your marketing team, related to capacity and expertise. In order to manage the shift from traditional customer service to social media, you need to train your marketing team or connect your customer service to the marketing channels.
Serve your content as snacks
Social media is not a whole meal, we don't have time for that. Instead, your content should be bite-sized.
What does that mean?
The digital marketing trend for 2022 is to portion your content. There is still a need for comprehensive content like videos, podcasts, or blogs. But when it comes to social media, turn this content into little bites that don’t take long for your audience to read. The attention span of social media users is short, and your long-form content might not get the attention it deserves.
How to:
Turn one big piece of content into multiple “content bites” for social media. This works way better with the audience, but also saves time because you produce more posts with one piece. Use for example video or podcast snippets for your stories. The key points of an article can look great as an image-based infographic on your feed.
Trends are helpful to determine your direction in the new year. And the social media trends for 2022 predict a fast-paced marketing future. We hope this article was insightful for you and answered the question of what are the current trends in digital marketing.
Which developments or social media trends for 2022 excite you? Which ones leave you feeling confused?