Top 5 Digital Marketing Trends in 2022
Towards the end of each year, QB Agency experts traditionally share anticipated trends for the following year. In this article, we present five significant trends in both the global and Russian advertising markets that cannot be overlooked while planning marketing activities in 2022.
Trend 1: Embracing Alternatives to Cookies On June 24, 2021, Google announced a two-year delay in phasing out third-party cookies, extending the deadline until the end of 2023. This decision was made to allow the market more time for preparation, ensuring that publishers and advertisers do not lose their earning potential.
Google is exploring new methods to gather data for advertisements, including:
- Grouping users with similar interests to enable targeted advertising without individually identifying each user.
- Local user-specific data storage.
- Developing an anonymous profile of a user’s interests in Google Chrome, used to display relevant ads.
As a result, zero-party and first-party data have gained increased importance. Zero-party data refers to information that users willingly share with you. This data can be obtained through surveys, gamification, etc. For instance, when a user visits your website, you can immediately inquire about their specific product or service preferences, allowing you to display the most relevant content. Essentially, zero-party data falls under the umbrella of first-party data.
First-party data includes login information and user behavior patterns on the websites they visit. Users provide their contact details and consent for their use, including for advertising purposes, when they sign in. These cookies are set on the client’s side when a user interacts with websites through advertising campaigns, social media, and other channels.
Trend 2: The Resurgence of Contextual Targeting With the absence of third-party cookies, contextual targeting is experiencing a resurgence. This technique aligns advertisements with the content of web pages, ensuring that users are presented with relevant ads while maintaining their privacy. For example, a user reading an article about stock market quotes will see ads related to that topic.
Contextual targeting provides a level of confidentiality as ads are based on page content rather than specific user data.
Trend 3: Phygital Technologies – Innovations in Communication Phygital (physical + digital) technologies, such as augmented reality, are revolutionizing the way users interact with products and services. The concept of blending digital and physical experiences offers users new and interactive access to goods.
In 2022, social media and e-commerce, which currently exist solely in digital form, will seamlessly integrate with physical objects, becoming an integral part of the user experience. This transformative process will have a significant impact on marketing strategies.
While virtual storefronts like IKEA in 2017 and Benetton in 2012 were initially isolated cases, the adoption of phygital technologies will become more widespread in 2022.
According to the “State of Phygital” report by Devar and LETA Capital, the foundation of the phygital landscape for the next two years will encompass the following elements:
- Human-machine interfaces and digital twins
- Cyber-physical systems and smart infrastructure
- Machine learning, artificial intelligence, and big data
- Augmented and mixed reality accessories (headsets, lenses)
- Brain-computer interfaces and whole brain emulation
- Wearables and beacons
- Internet of Things (IoT), smart sensors, and robotics
- 5G and 6GHz Wi-Fi
Trend 4: Embracing Inclusion The evolving landscape of social media, where individuals have a platform to express themselves and be heard, is driving changes in the advertising industry. Brands are moving away from generic characters and products that fail to cater to the interests and needs of their diverse consumer base. Moreover, the creation of inclusive products has become a powerful tool to enhance brand loyalty.
Inclusive marketing goes beyond simply meeting minority representation quotas. It is about establishing genuine connections with clients and demonstrating alignment with their values. The key is to choose narratives that resonate universally, as everyone has experienced the pain of public rejection at least once. Brands in 2022 cannot afford to ignore this important trend.
Trend 5: Hybrid Events The lockdown period witnessed a significant shift towards digital events. From Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia to IgroMir and Comic Con, numerous professional conferences, business forums, and other gatherings transitioned fully or partially to online platforms.
In addition to conventional tools for hosting live online events, unconventional solutions are gaining popularity in the market, such as:
- SpatialChat, offering virtual space for afterparty conferences.
- VirBELA, an immersive tech platform for business meetings, entertainment, and education.
- AltSpace, a VR platform.
- In-game events, like the game conference of HSE University in Minecraft, held in a virtual replica of their campus.
Therefore, when planning offline events in 2022, it is imperative to integrate digital technologies such as live streaming, virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and other IT solutions to enable virtual participation alongside in-person experiences.