Five best content marketing trends for 2022

Personalization

Today’s consumers are bombarded with marketing messages from multiple channels to the point where they tune them out. Personalized marketing is one of the most important content marketing trends for 2022, as it is one way to forge a solid connection with your target market. In fact, according to Epsilon, 80% of consumers are more likely to buy from a brand that provides a personalized experience.

Relevance spells out five of the biggest content trends for 2022

Hyper-personalization goes deeper than just calling a customer by their name; it delves into one’s individual preferences, needs and desires. This approach is data-driven, utilizing consumer data, analytics, artificial intelligence (AI) and automation to create bespoke client interactions. Digital marketers can consider their buyer’s characteristics and cater for everything from content and design to product recommendations.

The metaverse

Usage of the metaverse – a shared virtual space where avatars represent users – has increased steadily and is a content marketing trend that has more than doubled since 2017. In fact, an estimated 85 million people used augmented reality (AR) or virtual reality (VR) in 2021, according to Forbes. Digital marketers must understand the nuances of the metaverse and utilize it to its full potential.

Millennials and gen Z are avid users of metaverses, including games such as Roblox and technologies such as VR. With that in mind, aim to create digital experiences that parallel real-world experiences or what your brand already does in real life.

You can offer virtual advertising by placing ads on virtual billboards within video games or creating branded installations and virtual events that users can interact with. It is also a place to offer limited-edition assets or virtual products that consumers can only obtain in the metaverse.

Sustainability

To millennials, gen Z and alphas, the environment is not just a cause; it is their future. In fact, according to Accenture, 63% of consumers prefer to shop from purpose-driven brands and will reject brands that don’t show genuine commitment to the environment.

To implement this content marketing trend, consider incorporating re-commerce into your business model. According to Max Bittner, from Vestiaire Collective, buying second-hand can help reduce fashion’s carbon emissions by up to 90%.

Paving the way for a future of re-commerce are Apple with its buyback scheme, My Wardrobe HQ’s clothing rental brand and StockX, which is an auction house for preloved items.

Your content marketing strategy should also explore how to use resources more wisely. Using the ESG+ model, luxury brands must make a conscious effort in sustainability and innovation. Without this, consumers will reject brands that waste carelessly.

Brands should also re-examine what growth means when constant expansion can no longer be sustained. The metaverse enables luxury brands to achieve double digital growth without seeing double growth in consumption. Gucci created a virtual garden in Roblox, a game platform where players can buy virtual Gucci products, and Balenciaga digitized its collections in Fortnite.

Localization

An emerging content marketing trend following the global pandemic is to consider how your luxury brand can offer localized and unique experiences. An effective localization strategy will enhance customer experience and allow you to communicate your message to global audiences while maintaining your brand identity.

There are several ways you can improve your content strategy. Firstly, you must create a highly memorable brand identity, modifying your marketing collateral’s visuals, design and color to appeal to the target audience’s preferences or local customs. This could involve changing the style and layout of various marketing assets to match the audience’s preferences.

Marketing via communication channels popular in that market is also essential, as is optimizing your website and communication channels for local users and search engines.

A great example is Anya Hindmarch, who created a Village near her flagship store on Pont Street, harnessing the brand’s roots and building a community connection worth visiting.

Inclusivity

When marketers develop their content strategies, they tend to make their content accessible to all readers, overlooking diversity, equity and inclusion. Prioritizing inclusivity is of utmost importance in 2022, with millennials more likely to choose brands that show diversity in their advertising. Inclusive content should focus on serving and resonating with people of varying characteristics.

To do this, brands must choose their words carefully, becoming aware of how pronouns, pop culture references and idioms may impact readers. Your content should also involve carefully-selected images in marketing campaigns. Customers identify with brands when they see people like themselves reflected in your marketing.

Contact Relevance’s team of specialists for advice on navigating the content marketing trends raised in the report.