As another year comes to a close and Auld Lang Syne begins to softly play in the background, we often look back on what the year has brought. We also tend to look forward and try to predict what the new year will bring.
Based on current customer behaviors and reports, we’ve gathered some top marketing trends for small businesses in 2022. But a trend is only as good as what you do with it. Creating an annual marketing plan is crucial to the success of any business.
Which of these could your business benefit from?
TREND #1: MAKE MARKETING PERSONAL
Have you ever received a piece of mail with “Current Resident” as the only addressee? Or received an email with “Dear” and no name as the first line? We all have, and research shows that over 60% of customers feel a lack of connection with generic advertising.
If you want to stand out and make an immediate connection with customers, personalization is key – from emails to direct mail, and everything in between.
The more personalized your marketing, the more authentic the customer connection feels.
Before social media and review websites existed, customers relied on the opinions of their friends, family and neighbors to make a purchase. Today, that universe is exponentially larger, with the online community being happy to share their review of any business or product. So how can you make the best use of reviews?
First, it is ok to ask for reviews! Whether on social media. or in-store, customers are accustomed to being asked to share their opinion. Make it easy for them to do so, with short links that direct to a particular review site or giving various platforms to use.
Responding to reviews is critical, whether they are positive or negative. Not only will the original customer feel heard and appreciate the acknowledgement, other potential customers will see your level of attention. As an added bonus, major search engines boost organic search results if you respond to reviews left on their platforms.
Finally, include reviews on your website. While many people will turn to Google or social media to read reviews, it is important to include on your own channels. As a customer is reviewing your services or products, a well placed testimonial or review can help move them down the sales funnel. And research has shown they lead to increased conversion rates.
While the tried and true approach of searching on Google is far from gone, new technologies and platforms are introducing alternative ways to search and purchase for customers.
Voice Search
Devices such as Amazon Alexa and Google Home are more popular than ever, and the trend is expected to grow over the next few years. As these devices find their place in the home, voice search is also increasing, with 50% of all services in 2020 being completed by voice and nearly a quarter of those included “near me” searches.
To help ensure your business can be found, you will want to optimize your online presence. One quick way to do this is to claim your Google My Business profile, which is one of the most visible listings. You should also review your website to ensure your SEO is updated and includes phrases or content that a customer might search via voice as opposed to typing.
Social Media Conversion to Sales
Platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest are working on e-commerce integrations that will make it possible to purchase from vendors without leaving the app. This has the potential to revolutionize
If a picture is worth a thousand words, imagine what a video can create! Video is one of the simplest and clearest ways to share information with customers, and they agree! Video plays a key role in decision making, with 52% of consumers stating that watching a video gives them confidence in their online buying decisions.
If your site includes video, it is 50 times more likely (50 times!) to generate organic search results compared to text. And it can be repurposed on social platforms or other mediums to appeal to a wide audience range.
But video is only for big brands with big budgets, right? Wrong! Videos do not need a high budget to create messaging that is polished, business-appropriate and informative for your customers.
Chatbots are integrated platforms that allow for webchat, which is one of the most convenient forms of communication for both consumers and businesses. The quick response time makes customers feel heard while removing businesses from their email inbox being bogged down by simple questions.
Although the technology might seem unrealistic for a small business to manage, there are many vendors who integrate directly to your website and allow for you to respond to questions easily, even when you are on the go.
Facebook Messenger is another popular option to quickly connect with customers, with a staggering average of 10 billion messages between individuals and companies per month. Be sure your messenger is properly configured and you are checking messages so that customers do not become lost in the shuffle.