The article defines the most significant changes in digital marketing over the last five years and outlines trends to follow for 2022. Also, it shares Adromeda expertise in creating advanced marketing strategies.

It seems like five years is not a long time for fundamental industry moves, but the latest changes in digital marketing trends and practices illustrate the opposite. In the last five years we have had a COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in the rapid growth of e-commerce. It also saw the US election and great attention to big data analysis for marketing campaigns. Moreover, we had new policies for influencers, the growth of advanced technologies such as AI, machine learning, blockchain, and a metaverse as a new reality. It definitely changed consumer behavior and, as a result, digital marketing.

Adromeda has broad expertise in building advanced digital marketing solutions for various industries. In the following paragraphs we will share our view on the latest trends in the market and some best practices for good marketing campaigns in 2022. This article will outline the fundamental changes in digital marketing and define the most promising future strategies.

New Normal For Digital Marketing

The last five years were determinative for a lot of industries. First of all, the COVID-19 pandemic shifted everyone online. People started to buy more online, work remotely, have Zoom meetings with friends, and even visit the doctor online. It became a huge challenge for digital marketing to adapt to the new reality.

Another influence has been VR technology. There is even a new term derived from it — metaverse marketing.

Let’s look at these issues more precisely and focus on marketing best practices in the new normal world.

How the Pandemic Changed Marketing Strategies

The pandemic has made people spend more time online. It has had a significant influence on behavior, and as a result, brands should rethink their digital marketing strategies to meet clients’ current expectations. Here are the things that define the new reality:

● Growth of eCommerce (digital marketing should have a human approach and adapt to new consumer priorities);

● Hybrid events (make marketing campaigns more flexible);

● Personalized communication with clients;

● Use of real-time data to customize clients’ needs.

Metaverse Marketing

Another important change we faced was a shift to a digital environment with virtual avatars. This is a new place for brands to promote products and interact with clients. For instance, 65% of Gen Z spend more money on virtual items in games. What does this mean for digital marketing? Obviously, it is a new way to target an audience and create independent communication campaigns on new platforms.

Also, there are already some successful digital campaigns in the Metaverse. For example, Vans launched a virtual skateboarding park in Roblox (one of the biggest metaverses). Nike is working to open digital stores in metaverses. Hyundai also has a unique level in Roblox with exclusive cars.

Digital marketing changes with new environments, the new reality, and consumer needs.

Short Video For Social Media And Influencers’ Digital Marketing Strategy

The last five years also saw some changes in content strategies for digital marketing. Content is still the key to good community building and growing brand awareness. At the same time, there has been a considerable shift to short videos. The rapid growth of TikTok made all other social media adapt. That’s why we have seen the launch of Reels from Instagram and Facebook and Shorts from YouTube. Digital marketing also shifted to video production instead of texts.

Moreover, social media platforms introduced in-app e-commerce functions, and now consumers can purchase products without going to a website. In some ways, digital marketing has changed business, as it needed to adopt a new ideology. Communication with the brand online in social media makes campaigns more personalized.

Another critical point in marketing best practices over the past five years has been the growth and development of influence marketing. In this case, we need to mention the creator economy. Influencers who produce content have become game-changers. It is already a huge industry and an essential digital tool. An influencer is not one person with a blog. It is a production team. For marketers it opens various opportunities, as a team can manage the community better, adapt the content for a specific auditory, and navigate brand communication. Most importantly, brands have started to outsource video creation to influencers, making the content more natural and native.

Also, the massive growth of podcasting brought us a new type of influencer.

The last five years have also increased digital marketing automation. More companies use social media for social listening. It has really changed brand strategy in the digital world.

AI, Machine Learning, IoT and Blockchain: Advanced Technology for Digital Marketing

It would be unfair not to mention the rapid growth of advanced technological solutions in the last few years. Let’s discuss the most influential tech tools for improving digital marketing strategy.

1. Artificial Intelligence (AI). AI has become a vital tool for conversion and marketing strategy optimization in recent years. It has become easy to add a bot to websites and improve customer communication. AI in digital marketing is also used for targeting, campaign personalization, and even content creation.
2. Internet of Things (IoT). Smart houses, watches, voice assistant devices, medical sensors and fitness trackers have become essential tools for marketing research. The IoT has allowed us to learn so much about clients that it has changed digital marketing. Marketers can learn about consumer behavior and even predict trends with such advanced technologies. It is a powerful instrument for digital strategy planning.
3. Blockchain technology. The blockchain influenced the way we work with data, and it has had an effect on digital marketing. It has improved data security and allowed payment alternatives, and can make digital communication with clients more trustworthy.
4. Voice search technology. The next tech trend of the past five years that changed digital marketing was the growth of voice search. Consumers look for information about your product using Alexa or Siri. For digital marketers, it means a focus on creating answers for all possible voice search requests. It makes the content strategy more sophisticated and detailed.

Final Thoughts

You may think that digital marketing has not changed a lot in the last five years. But in fact, there have been a lot of significant challenges to the market. We already live in a new post-pandemic reality. The future of digital campaigns is already defended by advanced new technology, social media trends, and the creator economy. We have been introduced to the Metaverse. Also, the most recent presidential election in the US, Brexit, and the Black Lives Matter movement all caused digital marketing to re-think its strategy.

Adromeda has worked on digital marketing for years and has expertise in creating trending and efficient campaigns. If you need to discuss your marketing strategy and improve it, contact our specialists.