8 Digital Media and Advertising Predictions for 2022 – Part2

We are all looking for the next big thing, as we’ve seen a digital reform throughout all industries and how vital it is to have a presence in the digital space. It is easier said than done however, as much as we were collectively blindsided by the pandemic, we were also unprepared for the changes to come.

 Fast forward to this point in time, marketing is vastly different in comparison to the past few years. Marketing is one of the nimblest industries, as it always finds new ways to stay ahead of the game. I’m going to tell you 8 Digital Media and Advertising predictions and trends to look out for in 2022.

1. Facebook Wi-Fi

Facebook Wi-Fi is a service that offers customers free Wi-Fi, in which they are to log in and check in within a business page. This may seem overlooked currently but will prove to be beneficial over the next coming year. Bad reception, low battery or running out of data, Facebook Wi-Fi is the solution, that both the consumer and business benefit from this.

Businesses who utilize this maximize visibility, increase web traffic, and increase conversion rates. Facebook Wi-Fi will be employed by many local/big businesses, and we highly recommend jumping on it early before it explodes. Read here for more on Facebook Wi-Fi.

2. AR/VR Marketing Campaigns

AR is the future, even if it is a slow adoption process, it is what marketing is going to look like. Whether you have come to terms with it or not, it’s going to be the basis of operations and interactions in years to come. How does this impact Marketing? Let me tell you. 

AR/VR work hand-in-hand with the Metaverse, which we will talk about later, is an infinite world of possibilities. Brands are already taking advantage of this, allowing users to gain a further understanding of behind-the-scenes operations and the intricacy of perfection that goes into the product. 

It has been clearly stated that the AR/VR platforms plan to monetize their services with mass marketing and advertising. This is great news for businesses, allowing them to reach a larger market. AR/VR continues to unravel its true potential and you don’t want to miss out on the ample opportunities it has to offer. 

3. Web 3.0

There is a consensus on how powerful and ever-changing the online space is. What people don’t realize is how close we are to another great change to the web. Web 3.0 allows smaller projects to challenge large corporations like Google, Amazon and Facebook. Web 3.0 is described to give a “much greater level of freedom, decentralization, and democracy for individual users, content creators, and projects.” – Mason Nystrom from Messari.

What does this all mean for everyone? It allows individuals and businesses to gain full ownership and control of the content they create. Ultimately allowing marketers to control their data and privacy with the removal of centralized authority. This may be a little overwhelming to understand now but read here for more on Web 3.0.

4. AI Content Generators

AI evolution isn’t confined to capabilities, but its ability to mimic human behaviour. AI is being programmed to understand the psychological and emotional aspects of humans; our triggers, likes, dislikes etc. 

 There may be a possibility that AI is beginning to generate efficient content, based on recent popular posts. By not only being able to identify millions of posts at once but the keyword, designs and all the elements that go into successful posts. Could this be detrimental to the longevity of Marketers? All we can say is this could be a huge game-changer if we deem so.

5. Metaverse

Mark Zuckerberg has done what people have been prophesizing for a very long time; the creation of a digital interactive world. If you don’t know about the Metaverse, allow us to catch you up. Metaverse is a digital space that allows you to virtually explore and interact with almost anything. From playing basketball in the Bahamas or playing chess with people from across the globe, the possibilities are endless. 

Metaverse has plans to add virtual shopping with big and small brands across all industries and has already begun trials. The Metaverse is something marketers MUST get on board with, as the benefits far outweigh any outliers. If you think the Metaverse is just a fad, well guess again. It isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, so if you are a marketer looking to break barriers for your brand/business, this is the place to be.

6. Interactive content

An advertiser’s dream is to give the consumer a 100% understanding of what message they’re trying to convey. Even then, it may not be enough. Thanks to our forever adapting world, we have figured out a way to achieve this, interactive content. 

We have seen social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok create advertisements that allow users to interact with the content. Whether it’s a filter, virtual mini-game, assessing clothing options etc, this is only the beginning, and several brands are already investing and exploiting this opportunity. 

7. Ad Optimizing

Advertising platforms like Facebook are adapting to the pace of the market. With these changes, advertisements and websites are automatically optimized. This smart optimization can pick up on Google’s algorithm and any changes/trends that arise. From this data, it can suggest or even make the changes necessary. 

 This level of technology will drastically budget on SEO and Marketer costs, allowing more time to be invested in other aspects like content creation rather than site maintenance. We could potentially see this be deployed further down the year.

8. Short Form Videos

Short videos will eventually take up the entirety of the internet, as lengthy written posts/videos are slowly dying out. TikTok skyrocketed the trend of short-form videos and has seen Instagram and Facebook make efforts to replicate the idea. 

Short-form videos have significantly higher views, replays and completion rates than a video that would go longer than 15 seconds. We are seeing major high-end brands like Gucci and BMW create short 8-second videos. 2022 is the year we will see a seismic increase in short-form videos from a range of brands and businesses. 

8. Podcasting

In addition to short-form videos and blogs taking up the majority of the content of businesses and brands, we are witnessing the rise of podcasting. Strict lockdowns globally during the pandemic resorted to people working remotely. As a result, people explored the innovative and extraverted side of themselves, speaking about diversified issues to the full extent on their podcasts.

We have seen people investigate topics including social controversy, brands/businesses that are a must-visit or merely simple interests. Podcasts are a great way to engage with a larger audience that is normally difficult to reach, allowing for monetization, advertisements to be promoted and even new products/services available. Many partnerships are being made between brands and podcasters, which is expected to escalate as the platform will continue to increase in popularity. 

The digital space is perpetually growing, and new opportunities are constantly arising businesses that adopt new practices first are at an advantage. Something helpful today may be irrelevant tomorrow, therefore the digital space offers boundless opportunities for explorations and therefore we cannot stay complacent. The current market refuses to sit still, so these mentioned trends in our near future are a must if you want to stay lucrative and agile.

Written by Costantino Papamikroulis