2022 is just around the corner. And this is the right time for you to evaluate the strategies for your small business in Canada. You should have a solid digital marketing plan which will help you navigate through any unforeseen emergencies in the coming year with ease. Why digital marketing in particular? That’s because we have witnessed a major shift in the digital space in the past two years. The social norms have changed, the way of doing business has changed. We have now become digital beings, to be precise. The pandemic had a great impact on changing our habits. And even when all this is over, consumer habits will remain the same. So, how do you think your business would cope?
As per Gartner, on its State of Marketing Budget Report 2021, marketing budgets for businesses have gone down to the lowest level, dipping by 6.4% of the company revenues in 2021 from around 11% in 2020. Marketers are facing disruptions due to the pandemic. And that’s not all – between new technological applications, business models and regulatory changes, whatever digital marketing strategies have worked for your business in the past might not work today. So, with 2022 on the horizon, you will have to find ways to digitally engage your customers by harnessing the potential of different technological innovations.
Heard About the Death of the Cookie?
Google recently announced that it will end cookie tracking in 2022. What does that mean for small businesses? Pretty simple. It is bad news and will require certain drastic changes. For businesses across the web, tracking user activities is essential. However, maintaining user privacy is also important and it is said to be the perfect time to implement GDPR strategies, which are all set to make customers better aware of their online privacy. Although there’s always an option to opt-out from third-party cookies, digital advertisers are constantly looking for ways to alter their tactics.
Ways to Boost the Digital Marketing Game for Your Business
The best marketers are constantly looking for ways to implement new trends in digital marketing to boost their sales. If you are looking for similar ways to pump your business online in the coming year, here are 5 trends to keep in mind.
1. Make Use of Data-driven Technologies
In the past, companies faced several challenges in adopting new technologies. But now, times have changed. No matter what, you need to adapt to the digital transformation if you wish to stay ahead of the rest. In 2022 and beyond, AI will become the king in most industries. From chatbots to VSEO (Voice Search Engine Optimization), AI will create a massive change in the digital environment. So, if you wish to rank higher on the search engines, think about incorporating AI with your SEO practices.
2. Try to Include Mobile-first Marketing
As people are now using tablets and mobile phones more than laptops and desktops, businesses should create content that’s mobile-friendly, and which will keep their websites higher on the web pages. Mobile marketing strategies could be simple. However, optimizing those properly is a trick. Make use of responsive website designs which will fit into any screen. In 2022, it is vital for your website or app to allow customers to browse your products and services on any kind of device they are using. AMP (accelerated mobile pages) could be another option to make your content load faster on tablets and smartphones.
3. Consider Video Marketing Strategies
Although it’s been lurking there for a long time now, video marketing is still something overlooked by business owners worldwide. In 2022, you should definitely give it a thought if you have been one of them. Video marketing is one of the most effective marketing tools which businesses can implement to market their products and services better. According to the video marketing statistics 2021 by Wyzowl, 70% of consumers have either shared a brand’s video or 50% of them have said that their confidence in online buying is boosted after watching a product-related video by a brand.
4. Go for Geofencing Technology for Targeted Messaging
By 2023, 2.3 billion consumers will use geofencing technology to learn about a particular brand. It is a location-based service that allows businesses to send across targeted messaging to people who will enter their ‘fenced’ area. The messages could be through emails, texts, social media, or app notifications. It has already been used by Burger King, Waze, and so on. The best part is, more than 50% of people who receive a geofence alert actually act on it. Isn’t that great?
5. Embrace Omnichannel Commerce Solutions
We’ve heard about omnichannel commerce solutions before. And now it’s time to implement the same for small businesses in Canada. Companies, irrespective of their size, should focus on reaching potential customers through each and every avenue, from social media to physical stores. With social media gaining a lot of momentum in the past two years, you can even think about promoting your products on Instagram and Facebook. This will create an additional avenue for you to reach consumers who could become your loyal customers in the long run.
Wrapping it Up,
With such a long stay-at-home period, customers have now reset their expectations from their preferred brands. So, it’s important for businesses to find out marketing ways to better engage their consumers. Keeping in mind the above-mentioned digital marketing trends will allow you to provide better services to your customers in the years to come.
Do you wish to learn more about such trends and techniques of operating your small business in Canada the right way? Subscribe to our monthly CanadianSME Small Business Magazine.
