Spring is just around the corner. That means new trends to look forward to that will help grow your marketing strategy and stand out. 

We’ve identified some trends to look for this upcoming Spring that will be sure to optimize your marketing strategy and generate ROI.

Video content
The use of video content continues to dominate in 2022. It is an essential part of any marketing strategy and allows for increased consumer engagement. It is important to remember that successful video content needs to stand out especially in today’s digital marketing environment. Get creative with your video content and try out new features to separate yourself from the competition. 

Short, entertaining videos have always been a trend but they are continuing to become more and more popular. Instagram Reels are a strategic way to increase your creative video content. It still allows for short-form content because let’s face it, our audience's attention span is getting shorter. Not only are Reels organic, but they also allow for a more authentic interaction with your consumer. You can even turn your Instagram Reels into an ad which will allow for further engagement and the ability to reach new consumers.

BUILDING TRUST
Let’s be real, trust is always on trend. New forms of building trust are on the rise and they are important for connecting with your consumers on a different level. By focusing on building more trust, it allows for you to understand your consumers' needs and identify your target market. 

Organic Instagram features are an emerging way to build trust with your audience. Instagram’s Live feature is a great way to connect with your audience on a more personal level. The feature even allows for you to have guests while live. This can also result in new audiences as their followers will get a notification when they are live. The Q&A feature for stories also allows your audience to directly ask questions. Try building more trust by responding to questions through a video format.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
Artificial Intelligence remains a crucial part of any growth-driven marketing strategy. It allows for a unique personalized user experience which results in optimized sales. AI is both effective and efficient as it can complete tasks that people usually have trouble with. It can also help with identifying your consumers' buying behaviours and online habits. Like it or not, AI is present in our everyday lives. It continues to be an important part of digital marketing while also allowing for further insights of data analytics.  

This also includes the rise of Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) technologies. These visual technologies have been a popular part of any digital marketing tool kit. In fact, 64% of consumers say they would want to try using AR for shopping. It allows the consumer to visualize what items would look like before purchasing. This could include clothing, makeup and household products such as furniture. The use of AR and VR increases consumer personalization and convenience. What consumer doesn’t like highly personalized content?

Socially responsible marketing
Authenticity is key in the marketing world. Consumers are more likely to purchase from brands that are socially responsible and more involved with the community. This includes brands with a better corporate social responsibility (CSR). Be sure that your business is authentic in their CSR efforts as it is a valuable way to build trust with your audience. Diversity and inclusivity are also important when marketing to your audience. Using inclusive language and images are essential when marketing on any social media platform. When participating in socially responsible marketing, make sure to be authentic and vocal about the social issues your business stands for. 

Many brands have turned to socially responsible marketing when interacting with their consumers. Wellness brands have been giving free subscriptions to their mental health services because of the impact of the pandemic. This built good customer loyalty for those brands which then led to a larger audience following. Many consumers have also turned to brands who are more sustainable. Make sure to highlight any of the sustainable initiatives your business stands for to allow for better transparency with your audience.

Social media e-commerce
In-app shopping continues to reign supreme. Consumers enjoy the simplicity of not having to leave the app to make a purchase. Many new features also allow businesses to tag their products which results in increased sales and awareness. The seamless integration allows the consumer to have a personalized experience. Curated brands that users might be interested in and innovative recommendations for products they potentially want to buy. 

We are seeing a rise in social media apps adding a shopping function. Pinterest recently added an in-app shopping experience where consumers can purchase “pins”. The checkout process can be completed right through Pinterest. This highlights an accessible, user friendly interface that allows users to purchase goods right from the app. Quick purchases are also an important part of the in-app shopping integration as it allows for an efficient checkout process. TikTok is also rumoured to be adding an in-app shopping function later this year. 

Marketing is constantly changing and evolving. This means that new strategies are essential to implement in order to build connections with your consumers. It also allows for a growth-driven strategy that helps you stand out and optimize sales.

Looking for an optimized marketing strategy? H&C Inc. is here to help. Contact us today!