And just like that, another year is (almost) in the books. As marketers begin to map out their 2022 marketing plans, it's the perfect time to dust off the crystal ball and predict what will shape the industry over the coming year.
There's certainly a lot to consider — the continuing impact of the global pandemic, the massive shift to digital advertising, and the rise of platforms like TikTok — to name a few. Simply put, what worked for your marketing strategy in the past might not fly in 2022.
Ready to explore the future of marketing? Let's look at all different types of advertising, and the 6 types brands are investing in this year.
1. Video Advertising
As marketers look for innovative ways to engage audiences, video has become an integral part of the conversation. Video advertising uses videos to promote products and services, educate or entertain consumers, and reach new audiences in an engaging way.
But let's be honest — video isn't a new, "up-and-coming" strategy. It's here, and its impact is already undeniable. And with the popularity of video-related platforms like YouTube and TikTok, it remains a top priority for marketers.
2. Social Media Advertising
It's hard to imagine any company successfully marketing its offerings today without a social media account. With over 4 billion people on social media, it's easy to see why companies gravitate to this medium.
Social media advertising serves paid ads to your target audience on social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Aside from its reach, it also offers a wealth of opportunities to boost brand awareness, generate and convert leads, and foster customer relationships.
Social media is also great for retargeting, which is the process of targeting audiences who have previously interacted with your website or social media. SharpSpring Ads is one retargeting platform that lets users recapture lost viewers by sending them targeted ads on Facebook, Twitter, and across the web.
3. Mobile Advertising
Digital advertising is all about meeting people where they are, and more often than not, they're on their phones. In fact, as of July 2021, 56% of all web traffic came from mobile phones. If we jump back to 2011, this number was just over 6%.
Mobile advertising encompasses all forms of advertising on mobile devices — anything from banner ads and popups to SMS text messages. When done correctly, marketers can take their campaigns mobile to reach audiences exactly where they are.
4. Display Advertising
Display advertisements are mostly found along the top or sides of third-party websites. And due to their flashy style and placement, they aren't exactly subtle. However, display ads can offer impressive reach, and they are easy to create and track in Google AdWords.
During a time where consumers want less intrusive ad experiences, it can be easy to write off display ads. Although it may take some trial-and-error, marketers can create effective displays ads while providing consumers a great experience. Plus, if the ads are enticing enough, they can build brand awareness and capture leads.
5. Print Advertising
When I think of print advertising, I picture the infamous poster of Rosie the Riveter, recruiting women for defense industries in World War II. While the ad industry has evolved since the 40s, print is still an effective and universally-used medium. It's now migrated to the digital space, encompassing digital magazines, newspapers, and brochures, among others.
Unlike digital ads, print advertising is nearly impossible to track and analyze as accurately. However, many businesses have found innovative ways to incorporate print into digital ad campaigns.
6. Broadcast Advertising
Broadcast advertising uses TV and radio to promote products and services. TV ads, in particular, have a broad reach and can provide a more engaging, multi-sensory experience. But, these ads are expensive and the audience may avoid them (by clicking to another channel).
A cheaper alternative is radio, which plays spoken advertising spots between music and programs. It's particularly powerful for local and regional advertising. But if you're looking for national reach, podcast advertising is a similar method.
7. Native Advertising
Have you ever seen an advertisement on Instagram that looks exactly like a normal post from someone you’re following? That's one example of native advertising.
Native ads often resemble the design, style, position, and functionality of the content around them. They're undoubtedly harder to spot, but that's actually a good thing. Because native ads naturally integrate with other content, they’re almost impossible to spot and skip — capturing three times more time and attention than other digital ads.
For example, you may run an ad campaign across TV, print, and social media to promote a new product launch. Regardless of the medium, the singular message is there — we have a new product, and we want you to know about it.
Types of Advertising Campaigns
Here are three main types of advertising campaigns:
1. Promotional Campaigns
Promotional campaigns focus on promoting products or services and building awareness in new markets or locations. In other words, the name of the game is customer acquisition. For example, you may run a Facebook campaign to promote an upcoming business event.
2. Engagement Campaigns
Engagement campaigns have a simple goal: provide enough value that people complete an action (make a purchase, sign up for an e-newsletter, download an eBook, etc.). It's an excellent way to attract, retain, and, ultimately, convert leads and build brand awareness.
3. Advocacy or Retention Campaigns
We've all heard the statistic — it's cheaper (and arguably easier) to retain customers than to convert new ones. This is why advocacy and retention campaigns are so important. These campaigns keep your business top-of-mind for your existing client white boosting repeat business long-term.
6 Types of Advertising Brands Are Investing In This Year
Ad spending in the US will surpass the $200 billion mark in 2022. Let's find out where marketers are investing their time and money next year:
1. Short-Form Videos
Short-form videos are everywhere nowadays. In a 2021 HubSpot Blog poll of 1,000+ global marketing professionals, 85% of marketers ranked short-form videos as the most effective type of content in 2021. Additionally, 64% of marketers surveyed plan to invest their ad spend into video in 2022.
The popularity of short-form videos has continued to rise since the introduction of TikTok, and it has no signs of slowing down. Unlike its digital marketing counterparts, short-form video can create immersive experiences for users. They're more "sticky," shareable, and, in my opinion, way more addicting than other formats.
A variety of social media platforms have tried to emulate TikTok's format. This creates a lot of ground for marketers to cover — from Stories on YouTube to Reels on Instagram. For marketers who have the budget for creating, producing, and editing video content — and the creativity to make engaging videos — the iron is hot for the striking.
2. TikTok and YouTube
Since short-form videos are skyrocketing in popularity, it only makes sense that video-sharing platforms are too.
Marketers are certainly setting their sights on YouTube and TikTok next year. In a 2021 HubSpot poll, 44% of marketers plan to leverage YouTube for the first time in 2022. And 61% of marketers plan to increase their investment in TikTok marketing in 2022.
When it comes to video marketing, YouTube has become the go-to destination for marketers. It now has over 1 billion active users, and is the second most popular website behind Google (which owns YouTube). All this to say, your audience is probably on there.
Then there's TikTok. It's climbed the ranks over the past few years, becoming the most downloaded app in 2020 and 2021, respectively. Not only is it the app of choice for Gen-Z'ers, but it's also quickly growing in popularity among Millennials. The app has yet to plateau, so there's still time to leverage it.
3. Live Video Streaming
Before the COVID pandemic, I'd never heard of Zoom. Now, I use the app a few times per week. Turns out I'm not alone — many marketers did experiments with live video in 2020 and realized its power as a customer acquisition and retention tool.
In terms of expenses, live video is typically more cost-effective than producing and editing an actual business video. Additionally, many social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter have live video capabilities, presenting a great opportunity to expand your reach.
We predict live video streaming will become a default for marketers moving forward. Whether that means refining your presentation skill or learning to engage views on stream, marketers will need to keep a pulse on best practices and industry standards in this space.
4. Conversational Marketing
Conversational marketing and chatbots are becoming commonplace online. In 2021, 47% of marketers report using bots for marketing efforts, up from 45% the year before — and this trend isn't slowing down.
Here's why we're hedging our bets on conversational marketing in 2022 — first, chatbots are now much easier to use and add to websites. Second, AI powers many of these tools — which significantly impact (and improve) the way we connect with customers and manage leads.
Marketers should expect to see AI powering a growing number of customer support, ad targeting, campaign management, and automation tools. This leads to our next trend...
5. Marketing Automation
Odds are, you have at least one marketing automation tool in your wheelhouse — and we predict this number will grow in the next year.
76% of companies in 2021 report using automation. Of those that don’t, 26% plan on adopting automation in 2022.
The trend is clear — marketers are turning to automation to make their life easier. For instance, AdStage offers automation for scheduling and tracking digital ads — which frees up valuable time for other tasks.
When nearly 90% of agencies say their marketing automation strategy is successful, it's clear why it's here to stay.
6. Hybrid Events
Hybrid events occur both in-person and "virtually" through a streaming platform.
Engagement is what distinguishes a hybrid event from, say, a Ted talk on YouTube. Hybrid events cater to both in-personal and online attendees by using technology to spark participation between them. Virtual attendees can typically still ask questions (if applicable) and engage with presentations with no issues.
A report found that 93% of event professionals plan to invest in virtual events post-pandemic. That's a staggering number, and we predict it will continue to rise.
Final Thoughts
Marketers are always learning to evolve in a world where consumer preferences are ever-changing. As we inch closer to 2022, it's important to revisit the past year, pinpoint areas for improvement in your advertising efforts, and leverage emerging trends and shifts.