Digital marketing is a constant challenge – as well as a world of opportunity – for every business. Even the definition of what we consider to be ‘marketing’ has now shifted, leaving us with a much broader scope that is so much more than just advertising and branding today. Ultimately, the customer relationship is at the heart of everything when it comes to digital marketing in 2022, and every part of an organisation needs to be focused on building this. When it comes to bringing your digital marketing investment up to date this year these are some of the key aspects to focus on.

Customer experience at the heart of everything

73% of people say that customer experience has an important role to play in buying decisions so it’s not just a nice to have in 2022. There are a number of factors that consumers identify when it comes to a positive customer experience, including convenience, efficiency, how knowledgeable and friendly staff are and how easy it is to pay. Focusing on improving this can build stronger long-term customer relationships – which are very profitable. One study found that just a 5% boost in customer retention could result in a 25% profits increase.

Conversational marketing

Gone are the days when selling was a formal process. Today, consumers want their interactions with brands to be polite and professional but conversational too. No one wants to feel like they are being read a script – instead, consumers want to feel like there’s a human specifically focused on their needs or issues.

Improved employee engagement is profitable

46% of consumers will abandon a brand if its employees aren’t knowledgeable, and friendliness and attitude also have a big influence over customer choices. Employees often represent the human face of the brand, which is why engaging your employees is such a vital part of digital marketing. That means staff need to feel content at work, whether that comes from the business providing more training and opportunities, better working conditions or giving employees more of a voice.

Visual content and storytelling remain vital

Despite the proliferation of voice search and smart speakers, research has shown that many people still prefer to engage with visuals. There are plenty of statistics to support this, including that 85% are more likely to buy a product after watching a video about it. Putting visual content at the heart of digital marketing in 2022 will not only help to boost sales but also make your brand more memorable and give consumers points of reference to return to when they want to buy again.

Personalisation is still riding high

Personalisation is an effective tool to engage consumers, especially given the flood of marketing most of us are subjected to today. This goes much further than just using someone’s name – advanced tech and the integration of AI now make anything possible, from personalising design to product recommendations.

Digital marketing in 2022 is changing and these are some of the key aspects that are going to have an influence. Iconic Digital is a full-service digital marketing agency in London that has the skills and know-how to help your business reach its full digital capabilities in 2022. To find out more about Iconic Digital’s award-winning digital marketing services get in contact today on 020 7100 0726.