6 Digital Marketing Trends for 2022

Discover why the creator economy, e-commerce, and short videos are predicted to take center stage over the next year

There's much more to consider than tech progress or new ways to sell products and services when you talk about digital marketing. You need to observe people’s behavior, changes in consumer habits, and the major events that shape our way of interacting with the world.

The Covid-19 pandemic has forced businesses and companies of all shapes and sizes to transform their strategies and adapt to a new world, and this pattern will remain constant throughout 2022.

Currently based in Portugal, Brazilian digital marketing specialist and Domestika teacher Gustavo Miller (@gumiller) has worked with brands including Red Bull, TV Globo, and Shopify.

Also a journalist with over fifteen years’ experience working for major companies and global startups and a digital strategy consultant who was named one of the 2018 Top Voices of LinkedIn (Brazil), Gustavo has his finger on the pulse in the world of digital marketing.

Here, he shares his predictions for digital marketing trends to look out for in 2022 and tips for staying up to date over the next year.

The trends Gustavo identifies below are the consolidation of movements that began over the past two years as the result of new consumption habits born out of the pandemic.

1. Creator economy

Gustavo believes the main trend for 2022 will be the consolidation of the creator economy, catalyzed by the boom in short videos.

Explaining that influencers will lose sway to auteur content and video creators, he gives the example of former Brazilian president and candidate for the country’s forthcoming presidential elections, Lula da Silva, appearing on Podpah, a non-political podcast that shot to fame over the past eighteen months. "It's a good example of how these figures are creating auteur content and achieving prominence through their work,” Gustavo highlights.

Successful content creators will go from strength to strength as the market responds by shifting more investment into this sector, sponsoring and supporting people who generate large followings.

2. E-commerce and digital native vertical brands

E-commerce has gained momentum all over the world, especially in light of the pandemic shutting down physical stores. “Personalities and content creators are realizing their strength in particular niches and making the most of the opportunity to launch digital native vertical brands (DNVB). These companies are fully digital and don’t depend on [offline retailers],” Gustavo notes.

“At Shopify, where I work, I’ve seen numerous celebrities opening online stores and selling their own products. Content creators will start doing the same, becoming entrepreneurs and selling through their social media channels. It’s already possible on Instagram and TikTok. So digital native brands founded by content creators will gain ground," adds Gustavo.

As such, 2022 looks primed to be a year of maturation for creators who have built up communities and realize that their fans are willing to invest money to support their work—whether via Lives, crowdfunding, or by buying a licensed product. This will stimulate sales on social networks.

3. Hybrid work and events

While we're all pondering over theories about the future of the metaverse, this expert believes that the hybrid model (in person and online) is the one that’s really going to take off.

“There will be no return to normality, which means that we have to stop thinking that it’s possible to go back to 2019. From events to festivals via ways of working and meeting, everything is going to be designed and configured so as to allow for hybrid experiences," explains Gustavo.

He believes, “companies and organizations that create hybrid offerings will stand out—and the possibilities are endless. It could be a live broadcast, a gamified experience, or even virtual reality".

Over the next year, marketers will need to pay close attention to this model to help develop and understand the needs of our new world.

4. Short videos

Short videos are predicted to stay strong into 2022 as Instagram invests in the format with the same intensity as TikTok. Platforms like YouTube are also gaining strength with Shorts.

With this in mind, Gustavo has no doubts that "short, vertical content creation will continue to boom.”

The format is also gaining ground as people migrate to bigger screens like TVs and computers, not just smartphones. Plus, 5G will encourage more growth in such rapid, dynamic content, thanks to faster internet connections.

5. Podcasts

Podcasts are another format that will continue to grow, as they provide a more in-depth experience.

“We’ve heard that 'This will be the year of the podcast' for decades, but I really believe that 2022 is going to be the year in which podcasts mature as a format. During the pandemic, people got used to listening to podcasts while doing other things, like washing the dishes or walking their dogs. And podcast consumption has surpassed the number of people listening to music. It’s an endless source of information and entertainment,” explains Gustavo.

6. Niches and communities

A trend that ties in with all the other trends Gustavo highlights is the formation of stronger niches and communities. This trend means that brands will need to talk to their audiences through real campaigns and honest language—something which is already happening and will continue to grow.

We will also see the issues around privacy becoming increasingly important as companies take decisions to allow users to decide whether or not to give them access to their data. This will have a big impact on people who depend on cookies and browsing data to make money,” notes Gustavo.

The expert also believes that marketing campaign budgets will be directed towards talking to these communities, from running campaigns with creators to building closer relationships: “We’ll hear more about how to monetize these communities and how to make this a source of work and revenue.”

Bonus tip: what’s the best way to stay up to date with the latest trends?

Gustavo’s main tip for people who want to stay up to date with the latest marketing trends all year round is to find content producers and vehicles in alternative media.

Listening to podcasts is a great way to do this because the format is currently bursting with creativity. For example, try the Domestika Curious Minds podcast (available in English below).

Find good newsletters (and learn how to create them) and seek out content written in more accessible language. “It’s a way to get out of your own bubble and see what the others are doing, and to discover what young people are creating,” concludes Gustavo.

What digital marketing trends do you see coming in 2022? Let us know in the comments below.

If you want to learn how to plan, create, and execute a content marketing strategy for your own brand or business from scratch, check out Gustavo Miller’s online course, Content Marketing: From Planning to Execution. And keep an eye out on the marketing section of our blog to discover more industry trends and top tips.

English version by @studiogaunt.

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