Stress isn’t just a cultural trend — it’s a performance risk. Cognitive overload, multitasking, and nonstop content exposure are making it harder for brands to connect, stick, and convert. 

• A peer-reviewed study in Applied Cognitive Psychology found that excessive advertising doesn’t just mute messages — it erases them 

• A study from the University of Swat found that excessive advertising can diminish brand awareness and recall 

• Research by Neurons Inc. revealed that cognitive overload can result in negative brand experiences 

The result? More creative, more budget, more pressure, and a lot less impact — unless you change the strategy. 

Be the Alternative to the Noise 

In a culture of doomscrolling and digital fatigue, the brands that break through aren’t louder. They’re clearer. 

To show up well during Stress Awareness Month (and beyond), consider these strategies: 

• Simplify your message. Strip away anything that feels like marketing for marketing’s sake. Say what matters — and say it cleanly. 

• Reduce friction. If your ad, landing page, or content experience takes work to understand, you’re adding to the problem. 

• Dial down urgency. Not every CTA needs to shout. Calm, confident direction stands out in a sea of high-pressure sales tactics. 

• Use your platform to pause. Consider how Calm ran 30 seconds of silence during election night. That wasn’t fluff — it was strategy. Could your brand offer a moment of peace? 

Brands That Are Guiding the Way 

Calm has mastered the art of showing up without shouting. Its campaign during the 2024 U.S. election — a 30-second primetime ad featuring nothing but silence — was a bold, brand-aligned acknowledgment of cultural stress. 

Spotify’s “Take a Beat” curated playlists that encourage mindful pauses during the day — integrating directly into user behavior rather than trying to change it. 

Maybelline’s “Brave Together” campaign tackles anxiety and depression head-on, offering resources and peer support. It’s not a feel-good add-on — it’s a meaningful extension of their brand’s connection to self-expression and confidence. 

These aren’t just feel-good moments. They’re performance plays. Because when a brand earns trust in a high-stress environment, that affinity lasts. 

Your Move: Make the Experience Lighter 

This isn’t about rebranding your company as a wellness brand. It’s about recognizing the role your brand plays in someone’s day — and making sure it’s a positive one. 

Audit your message. Adjust your tone. Streamline your UX. 

If you’re not part of the solution, you’re probably just more noise. 

We get it — marketing is high-pressure. But your media strategy doesn’t have to be. At Acronym, we help brands cut through the chaos with performance strategies that feel effortless, not overwhelming. If you’re looking for a stress-free path to real results, let’s talk. 

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You’re not imagining things: campaigns are aging faster than they used to. 

Seasonal relevance isn’t just a creative consideration — it’s a performance advantage. Platforms are favoring recency. Audiences expect immediacy. And advertisers who don’t move in real time are losing traction fast. 

Spring is a pivot point. It’s the end of post-holiday carryover and the lead-in to summer’s major campaigns. Consumers are shifting gears — resetting routines, planning travel, preparing for outdoor and lifestyle changes. Your messaging needs to match that momentum. If it doesn’t, you’re signaling irrelevance at the exact moment your audience is re-engaging. 

If your ads still look like they did last quarter, you’re already behind. Static creative, slow pacing, and stale targeting are the culprits behind sliding CTRs, rising CPAs, and campaigns stuck in the learning phase. 

Here’s what needs to change — now.

1. Outdated Creative Signals You’re Behind 

Still running winter visuals in April? You’re not just off-brand — you’re off-pace with your customer’s mindset. 

Front-facing creative should be refreshed quarterly — imagery, copy, offers, and CTA structure. We’ve seen fatigue kick in as early as 4–6 weeks in high-frequency environments. Structured refresh cycles prevent audience erosion and algorithmic decay. Use a structured creative refresh cycle that pairs performance diagnostics with scheduled creative sprints — not just reactive swaps when performance slips. 

2. Fatigue Isn’t a Feeling. It’s in Your Metrics. 

Ad fatigue shows up long before performance crashes. 

Watch for frequency above 5, falling CTRs, and “below average” rankings on engagement or conversions. If your ad’s softening, kill it. Don’t wait for the algorithm to penalize you — or for your spend to spike without results. 

3. Most Campaigns Aren’t Underperforming. They’re Under-Managed. 

Flatlined campaigns usually aren’t broken. They’re just neglected. 

We’ve seen how learning phases drag on, budget pacing gets sloppy, and targeting stays static. A monthly check-in is baseline. We’re also deploying AI auditing tools like Optmyzr and Adalysis to identify pacing issues, flag creative fatigue, and surface anomalies in conversion paths. These tools provide actionable diagnostics that accelerate our ability to intervene with strategy — not just troubleshooting. 

4. Audience Fit Is a Moving Target 

Messaging that worked 60 days ago may already be off. 

Audience assumptions should expire by default. If competitors have shifted or new terms are trending in search and social, your targeting needs to catch up. Reassess monthly — not yearly. Align campaigns with seasonal trends, emerging needs, and shifts in buyer behavior. If your message doesn’t reflect what your audience is solving for right now, it’s noise. 

5. Innovation Outperforms Volume

You don’t need more ads. You need smarter ones. 

Top-performing brands are moving faster, not louder. Motion-first assets. Interactive formats. Front-loaded storytelling. Test fast, learn faster — and stay optimized without inflating spend. 

Make the Reset Count 
A spring refresh isn’t a nice-to-have. It’s how you stop waste and regain momentum. 

If we can help you with spring cleaning — or any seasonal refreshes — let’s talk. Our team can tailor recommendations that meet your moment and move your metrics. 

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Examples of SGE: 

Google’s Search Generative Experiences (SGE) and Its Potential Impact on SEO

Google’s Search Generative Experiences (SGE) launched in May 2023 and is currently in Beta but could potentially represent a huge shift in how search results are presented and optimized. For the first time, search engines are not just organizing but generating content, affecting how brands and products are perceived online. This AI-driven model is expected to roll out sometime in early 2024 and will potentially revolutionize the way users interact with search engines. 

Our POV

While SGE is still in beta, it’s too early to predict the impact, however Acronym anticipates that SGE may have some impact on the amount of SEO traffic that was remarkably similar to ‘zero-click’ results. To a certain extent, SGE feels like the evolution of Featured Snippets.  

Since the SGE will take up prime real estate on the search result pages, SGE could satisfy user queries directly on the search results page, which might cause a reduction of users clicking through to a web page. However, it depends on their query and response from SGE.   

How Can I optimize for SGE?

At the moment, in terms of earning SGE results, SEO best practices still should be followed. Here are some key strategies you can implement to potentially improve your chances. 

Content 

Content Quality and Topical Authority: having high-quality, unique content is very important.  Google SGE prioritizes content that demonstrates experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness (E-E-A-T). Instead of relying solely on keyword optimization, always focus on creating content that establishes topical authority in your niche and provides value to users. Think users first and not search engines. This includes using a conversational tone and addressing questions directly within the text​​​​. 

• Target relevant keywords, but don’t keyword stuff. Aim for natural language within your content that reflects the user’s search intent. 
• Consider adding concise summaries at the beginning of your content, especially for longer pieces. This helps SGE quickly grasp the main points. 
• Go beyond just factual information. Offer unique insights, opinions, and perspectives to stand out from the competition.  
• Optimize for Long-Tail Queries: SGE is expected to excel at answering complex, long-tail queries, making these an important focus area. Creating content that comprehensively answers user queries will be beneficial​​. 

Technical SEO Will Still Be Important:

• Ensure your site is mobile-friendly and loads quickly. SGE prioritizes user experience. BrightEdge, a leading SEO platform, found in their analysis that top ranking pages are now loading faster than ever before.  This is an element of SEO that you can control so always make sure your pages are optimized to load as quickly as possible, especially on mobile.     

Source: BrightEdge

Structured Data is Key

• Implement schema markup. This helps Google understand the structure and meaning of your content, potentially making it more eligible for SGE snippets. In BrightEdge’s study they also found  that though schema tags are not a ranking factor, those sites that are marked up with structured data tend to be ranking higher.  
• Optimize your on-page elements, i.e., meta descriptions and title tags. Make them compelling and relevant to your target keywords, but also ensure they accurately reflect your content. 

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What does it mean to put the audience at the center?

Putting the audience at the center of your digital marketing strategies means creating content and campaigns that are tailored specifically to their needs and preferences. It means focusing on what your target audience wants, rather than simply pushing out content on every available channel.

Why is this important?

First, it allows you to create a more personalized experience for your audience. By understanding their interests and preferences, you can tailor your messaging to speak directly to them. This helps to build trust and rapport, which can lead to increased engagement and conversions.

Second, it helps you to prioritize your efforts. Rather than trying to be everywhere at once, you can focus on the channels that are most effective for reaching your target audience. For example, if your audience is primarily active on Instagram, it makes more sense to focus your efforts on creating engaging content for that platform, rather than spreading yourself too thin across multiple channels.

Finally, it helps you to measure the success of your campaigns more effectively. By tracking engagement and conversions on the channels that matter most to your audience, you can gain a better understanding of what works and what doesn’t. This allows you to make data-driven decisions and continually refine your approach.

How can you put the audience at the center?

There are several ways to put the audience at the center of your digital marketing strategies:

1. Conduct market research: To truly understand your audience, you need to conduct research to gain insights into their needs, wants, and preferences. This can involve surveys, focus groups, or analyzing data from your website and social media channels.
2. Develop buyer personas: Once you have a good understanding of your audience, you can develop buyer personas to represent different segments of your target market. This allows you to create content and campaigns that speak directly to each persona.
3. Use data to inform your approach: As mentioned earlier, tracking engagement and conversions on your channels allows you to gain valuable insights into what is working and what isn’t. Use this data to continually refine your approach and optimize your campaigns.

Placing the audience at the center of your digital marketing strategies is essential for creating a personalized experience, prioritizing your efforts, and measuring success.

By understanding your audience’s needs and preferences, and tailoring your messaging to speak directly to them, you can build trust and rapport and ultimately drive conversions.

So, before you dive headfirst into every available channel, take a step back and focus on the audience you are trying to reach. If you need assistance leveraging audience-based insights to enhance the personalization of your digital marketing campaigns and improve your ROI, please contact us today. We’re here. to help.

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1) SEO Title and Description

To enhance the appearance of your articles in search results, you have the ability to modify the title and description. By doing so, you can increase your article’s visibility, attract more readers, and generate additional clicks. To edit the title and description of your article, simply access the “publishing menu” and click on “settings.”

Next, you can enter the title and description while following SEO best practices.

2) Schedule your posts

By scheduling your posts based on the times when your audience is most active, you can effectively increase your post reach. To access this feature, simply select the ‘schedule’ button on the share box and choose the desired date and time for your post to go live. Proper utilization of this tool can prove to be highly beneficial for your social media strategy.

3) Highlight your best work

LinkedIn has also introduced a valuable feature that enables you to showcase your top work in the activity section of your profile.

This feature allows you to display your most successful post or article at the top of the section. To utilize this feature, click on the top right of the post and select ‘feature on top profile’.

The chosen posts will then be prominently displayed under the ‘Featured posts’ section of your profile.

4) Analytics and Post creation tool

The platform has recently introduced a new feature that combines analytics and post creation in a central location. By activating your ‘creator mode’ and selecting the analytics tools, you can create your posts and monitor their performance all in one place. This collection of tools can enhance the visibility of your LinkedIn posts and assist you in achieving your objectives.

If you need assistance increasing your brand’s reach and results on LinkedIn or any other digital platform, please contact us today. We’re here to help.

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Current Audience Ads Tactic: Allows advertiser ads to appear across partnering sites as well as on premium sites like MSN, Outlook.com etc. This has been Microsoft’s version of the Google Display Network.

There is a setting to input a manual bid modifier to increase or decrease max bids for this traffic vs traditional Search. Also, can opt out of serving on these placements with a -100%. Campaigns do not use multi-channel automated optimizing.

Future of Audience Ads Tactic: Starting on February 21, 2023, the manual lever will no longer be available to advertisers and all campaigns will serve some portion on the Audience Network.

To replace the manual lever, now advertisers will choose an automated bidding strategy in which the algorithm will optimize across channels as a holistic campaign.

The option to use eCPC will remain available, however, your ads will serve across the Audience Network as well.

Microsoft Leans into Multi-channel Automation for All Campaigns

• On February 21st, when all accounts are moved to multi-channel, a portion of Search budgets will serve on the Audience Network.
• Over the last year, they piloted real-time auction signal optimizing across channels with strong beta results.
• Results show accounts using multi-channel management have seen 14% higher conversion rates at 21% lower cost per acquisition.
• tCPAand tROAS are the strategies that they’ve seen the best success utilizing.
• Adding image extensions has also proven to improve performance.

Acronym Recommendations:

Microsoft has invested greatly and has a lofty goal of doubling its ad revenue. We have seen good results using their automated bidding while most have opted out of Audience Network. We believe they’ve likely made strides in their algorithms and user targeting to warrant an adopt and learn approach.

Test and Learn

If you’re still manually bidding in Microsoft Ads, develop a limited testing plan for shifting to bidding strategies. We recommend utilizing tROAS or tCPAtied to your business objectives. Based on performance in your test, roll-out in phases throughout your account.

Monitor and Analyze

If you set your Audience Network to -100% and will now have a portion of your traffic on the Audience Network, monitor and analyze performance before and after the change. You may need to perform different optimizations or shift budgets accordingly to still drive most efficient performance.

Utilize Exclusions

If you’ve run on the Search Partner traffic, you’re aware you can pull reporting on performance by publisher sites and can exclude any poor performers. The same is true on Audience Network traffic, we recommend using this valuable way to optimize traffic.

Add Image Extensions

We recommend taking advantage of their Image Extensions which will help optimize your traffic and performance.

If you need assistance preparing for this transition, or with any of your digital marketing programs, please contact us today. We’re here to help.

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Currently, ChatGPT can answer questions, create FAQs and answers, compose blog posts, research papers, content briefs, outlines, articles, and even write code, to name a few uses of this tool.

ChatGPT is currently free and open to the public because OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, is collecting research and feedback and wants to see how it will be adopted.

Sam Altman, OpenAI’s chief, said on Twitter that ChatGPT had more than one million users in its first five days after launching and that the content is so good, sometimes it is indistinguishable from human-crafted prose.

With ChatGPT being very good and capable of creating great content, would it replace human writers, and should your brand create AI content for PPC, SEO and Social? 

Let’s find out.   

ChatGPTs potential use cases for SEO

With ChatGPT, marketers can perform SEO tasks faster, easier, and more efficiently. ChatGPT will not replace the need for SEO managers and leaders; however, as the models get better trained, Search marketers can optimize and create content quicker and be more efficient, which may require fewer resources. ChatGPT does have a lot of positives that can help SEOs do the following:

Pros

• Generate meta descriptions and title tags at scale.
• Create image captions, generate robots’ files and code.
• Create high quality content, including articles, blogs, FAQs and answers.
• Generate a list of relevant keywords for a topic, which can help with on-page optimization.
• Summarize content of a webpage or article which will improve content quality and readability.
• Solve writer’s block. Sometimes it can take a human time to think of new ideas and topics for content creation. ChatGPT can help streamline the ideation process and provide ideas or even draft the content.        

Limitations

While ChatGPT is ridiculously good and can generate human-like copy, it is not capable of understanding the nuances and subtleties of the human language the way that we do. For example,   

• ChatGPT’s content needs to be fact checked and edited because it is not 100% perfect or current.
• ChatGPT is trained on text and not user inputs, so it won’t always respond well to dynamic user inputs.

• The content needs to be checked for grammar. While the current model is testing well, and it will continue to get better overtime, the grammar is not always correct.
• If anyone asks the same question, they will get the same response, therefore content is not original and will still require a human to add that originality.
• ChatGPT does not state the source of the content and there are no built-in plagiarism tools to detect content that is not original.  
• The results are sometimes inaccurate and could lead to misinformation or safety issues.  

Should I create all my content using ChatGPT rather than human writers?

With ChatGPT being so good, you may ask yourself should I use it to create content instead of relying on human writers?

The answer is you can use both – if you do it the right way.

If you utilize ChatGPT and other AI content generation tools as your primary source of creating content, then you may want to do it with caution.

Google stance on automated content

Google stated that content generated using AI writing tools is against Google’s Webmaster Guidelines. In other words, Google views automated content as spam, which could trigger a manual penalty.

With Google’s helpful content update, content should be useful to end users. If you’re using AI-generated content that is not helpful and useful to end users, then you should proceed with caution.

Here is Google’s stance on auto generation content:  

“For us these would still fall into the category of automatically generated content which is something we’ve had in the Webmaster Guidelines since almost the beginning,” explains John Mueller, Google’s Search Advocate. “And people have been automatically generating content in lots of different ways. And for us, if you’re using machine learning tools to generate your content, it’s essentially the same as if you’re just shuffling words around, or looking up synonyms, or doing the translation tricks that people used to do. My suspicion is maybe the quality of content is a little bit better than the really old school tools, but for us it’s still automatically generated content, and that means for us it’s still against the Webmaster Guidelines. So, we would consider that to be spam.”

Google’s spam policies state: 

Spammy automatically generated (or “auto generated”) content is copy that’s been generated programmatically without producing anything original or adding sufficient value; instead, it’s been generated for the primary purpose of manipulating search rankings and not helping users. Examples of spammy auto-generated content include:

• Text that makes no sense to the reader but contains search keywords.
• Text translated by an automated tool without human review or curation before publishing.
• Text generated through automated processes without regard for quality or user experience.
• Text generated using automated synonymizing, paraphrasing, or obfuscation techniques.
• Text generated from scraping feeds or search results.
• Stitching or combining content from different web pages without adding sufficient value.

If you’re hosting such content on your site, you can use these methods to exclude them from Search.

Where do we go from here?

Acronym’s CEO, David Rollo says, “AI will not only be a force for good; it will be, in fact, everywhere all the time. And that’s why it’s so crucial that we make it a reliable, safe, and responsible force in our lives (personally & professionally). Thanks to AI, humanity is no longer limited – we can work smarter, faster, and better.”

In fact, AI has been around for many years and has been used in content creation for a long time. Recently with the release of ChatGPT, AI has improved and become more widely available and adopted by the public.

Early forms of AI-generated content were primarily used for news summaries and weather reports. With the advancement of technologies such as natural language processing and machine learning, AI-generated content has become more sophisticated and human-like and is now being used in a wider range of applications and virtually has the potential to enhance content generation amongst other things. 

AI can help us learn how to write better, organize our thoughts better for writing, etc. Most jobs require some fluency in writing and it’s not something that comes easily to everyone – even talented writers have writer’s block. Throwing our thoughts on the

page, then leveraging AI to help organize those thoughts can be very helpful not only in the moment, but also as a tool for how to write more effectively.

As AI learns from us, we learn from it.

However, one consideration when utilizing AI-created content is authenticity. Millennials and younger Consumers want authenticity and honest commentary. It’s why they prefer TikTok. They are tired of echo chambers on social channels and AI has the potential to start curating echo chamber content.

In fact, there is a significant risk that content will become indistinguishable as more marketers rely on AI-curated copy, in the same way many websites look alike with the mass adoption of templated site design.

Therefore, it’s critical that marketers keep that human authenticity in their writing. While AI can help to make the writing process less challenging and to organize our thoughts more effectively, the human element must not be lost.

The use of AI in content creation is still in the early stages, and it is expected to continue to evolve and become more integrated into various industries. Microsoft is continuing its multi-billion-dollar partnership with OpenAI to accelerate the development of AI technology and make it accessible to everyone. ChatGPT also has a paid version which offers unlimited access to a faster version of ChatGPT, with the promise of new (paid) features on the way.

Will Google be able to detect AI content?

Over time Google will become smarter at detecting AI content but as long as the content is edited, written with accurate statements, factual and useful information, humans and machines can work together to create content, quicker, easier and faster while being useful, helpful and relevant.

There is talk that a new concept of Watermarking text will be coming to ChatGPT. This concept involves cryptography in the form of embedding a pattern of words, letters and punctuation in the form of a secret code so we can know if content was generated from ChatGTP.

Moving Forward

If your brand is using AI content and not checking to make sure that it is helpful, useful and has true and accurate information, you could potentially receive a manual action from by a manual reviewer, which could have a negative impact on your organic performance.

Google has raised alarms with the introduction of ChatGPT and according to reports from The New York Times, Google has plans to “demonstrate a version of its search engine with chatbot features this year,” including unveiling more than 20 projects powered by artificial intelligence. At the moment, Google is considered behind the curve and needs to play catch up.

POV By Winston Burton, SVP, SEO

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Benefits of Video Advertising:

• Increases brand awareness and recognition: Video ads can leave a lasting impression on viewers, increasing their familiarity with a brand and leading them to learn more about the product or service. This can ultimately result in increased sales.
• Drives sales: By creating videos that are genuinely relevant to the target audience, businesses can increase the likelihood of viewer engagement and potentially drive sales through word of mouth and social media sharing.
• Can be used as standalone content or integrated into other marketing campaigns: Videos can be used as standalone content or easily integrated into other marketing efforts, such as social media posts or blog articles.

Tips for Creating a Great Video Ad:

• Be authentic: To connect with viewers, it’s important to convey a message in a natural tone that feels genuine. Avoid using staged scenes or phony actors and instead focus on appealing to consumers’ emotions through real stories or relatable characters.
• Collaborate with relevant organizations: Partnering with like-minded organizations can help to expand the reach of a video ad and target a wider audience.
• Encourage viewer engagement through comments: Asking for feedback from viewers in the comment section of a video ad can help to build relationships with potential customers and gather valuable insights for improving the product or service.

Ways to Decrease Content Barriers:

• Create content that resonates with the target audience: By understanding the behavior and interests of the target audience, businesses can create content that is more likely to be engaging and relevant.
• Use clear, easy-to-understand language: To make it easier for potential customers to find what they’re looking for and engage with the content, it’s important to use language that is easy to understand.
• Include subtitles or closed captions for accessibility: Subtitles and closed captions can make videos more accessible to a wider audience, including those who are deaf or hard of hearing. Subtitles can also be leveraged on social platforms like Tik Tok and Instagram for those consuming content with the sound turned off.
• Adopt a professional tone of voice: Using a professional tone of voice can help to establish credibility and avoid alienating potential customers.

Reasons to Believe:

• 82% of people say they are more likely to buy a product from a brand they are familiar with through a video ad.
• 90% of marketers believe that video advertising increases the reach of their product to users.
• 61% of consumers are more likely to purchase a product through referral or influence.

Video advertising is a powerful marketing tool that can help businesses increase brand awareness and drive sales. By following best practices and creating authentic and relevant content, businesses can effectively reach and influence their target audience.

If you’d like assistance determining the right video strategy for your brand, please contact us today. We are here to help.

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TikTok explains the new feature:

“Photo Mode allows you to share carousel posts of still images that automatically display one after another. You can add music to soundtrack the images, which viewers can swipe through at their own pace.”

We expect the addition of carousels will spark new trends, like before and after shots of DYI projects, makeovers, lawn and garden improvements, and other views into progressive change will provide another way for brands to reach an audience.

TikTok’s also added some new editing tools to make it easier to refine content before posting and launched longer captions, allowing creators to utilize up to 2,200 characters with each clip.

This represents a significant increase from the 300 characters previously allowed for video descriptions. This is no surprise given TikTok’s increasing role as a discovery platform.

In fact, Google itself recently noted that almost 40% of young people now use TikTok and Instagram for search, instead of the search engine. Allowing for longer descriptions will help users grow their reach and their “search engine” value within the app via more keywords.

If you need assistance leveraging TikTok or any social media platform, please contact us today. Our award-winning social media team is here to help.

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To help marketers and digital leaders navigate this new landscape, we’ve identified the key trends to help you improve engagement and drive conversions this year.

1. SOCIAL MEDIA TRENDS

TikTok Will Continue to Grow & Brands Need to Take it Seriously

The rapid rise of TikTok has seen the app reach 1 billion users and counting. The platform has enormous engagement (U.S. users spend up to 850 hours a month on the platform) and enables brands to create hyper-personalized content that truly connects with customers.

In terms of the platform’s revenue, TikTok was the top-earning non-game app in 2021 with more than $110 million spent by users. This just shows the earning potential of the app for marketers looking to drive sales amongst young consumers. 

Influencers have also played a role in TikTok’s rise with many earning huge amounts through sponsorship deals. Battisby believes that brands are now taking notice of influencer marketing on the platform.

In the platform’s early days, it seemed to be a place for kids and teens and the influencer who want to reach them. But, today, we are seeing influencers like Gordon Ramsey and financial influencers like @johnefinance and @breakyourbudget who help GenZers learn about planning for their financial futures.

Social Commerce Will Become Seamless

During the pandemic, social commerce took off and is expected to reach $1.2 trillion globally by 2025 according to an Accenture study – a growth that’s three times faster than traditional ecommerce, aided by hashtags like #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt.

2022 is set to see the experience of social shopping evolve as platforms work behind the scenes to enable customer payments without leaving social media apps, creating a seamless customer experience. Gen Z and Millennials are predicted to be the biggest spenders as they will account for 62 percent of global social ecommerce revenue by 2025.

The key to driving engagement is for brands to create compelling shop windows on Instagram. It’s no longer enough to rely on one great image, companies need to have multiple images per product and add keyword-rich descriptions. Video is also crucial as the popularity of the format  – as witnessed by TikTok’s growth and Instagram’s recent transition – is exploding across all audiences. 

YouTube Advertising Will Explode

YouTube is going to explode in terms of investment from advertising in 2022. As more people move away from linear TV, fragmentation with subscriptions, and streaming services all means that more advertising spend is going to move to YouTube.

Last year YouTube’s global revenue (through its parent company Alphabet) grew to nearly $29 billion, up almost 46 percent from 2020. This level of revenue puts the social media platform on par with Netflix and is a result of the rise in more traditional TV advertisers on the channel, direct response ads, and brand advertising.

2. DIGITAL MARKETING JOB TRENDS IN 2022

Marketers Need to Upskill in Digital

As brands clamor to engage, promote, and convert successfully online, the need for digital talent across industries is intense.

A recent whitepaper, ‘Perpetual Evolution’, from The Economist Group, revealed that securing talent with the right skill set is the number one challenge that the digital marketing industry faces, while the lack of training to upskill marketers ranks seventh.

This demand is great news for marketers but poses a challenge for many in the industry who lack digital know-how or experience in digital marketing. So what digital marketing skills will be in demand in 2022? Social media skills remain in high demand, along with SEO and SEM.

The Digital Gig Economy is on the Rise

Over the past decade, many workers are pursuing a more flexible ‘gig’ lifestyle for their professional lives. The emergence and rise of online services and apps such as Airbnb and Deliveroo have offered new ways of working for people rather than a 9 to 5 traditional job.

In fact, according to a recent Mastercard study, half of the U.S. population will do gig work by 2028.

This gig economy opens up the door for marketers with in-demand skills. We are seeing more creative or digital marketing professionals choosing the digital nomad route as this enables them to dictate their own working hours and have flexibility.

3. DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY TRENDS IN 2022

The Metaverse Will Become a Marketer’s Playground

While it has existed and evolved for years, the metaverse saw a boost in interest after Facebook changed its parent company’s name to Meta in October 2021.

This move, according to Facebook’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg is because “the metaverse is the next frontier in connecting people, just like social networking was when we got started. Over time, I hope we are seen as a metaverse company, and I want to anchor our work and our identity on what we’re building towards.”

So what is the metaverse? Basically, it’s virtual worlds in 3D that people can connect through Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR). Imagine having an avatar that looks exactly like yourself with you exact measurements shopping in a virtual store. You would be able to try on clothes and see what they look like on your body from the comfort of your own sofa.

While we are still a few years away from reaching critical mass with the metaverse, brands are beginning to embrace it now to build on their customer experiences.

According to eMarketer research, there will be 65 million people that use VR and 110 million using AR every month in 2023. That’s a lot of potential young customers to have in one space.

Artificial Intelligence Will Hinder & Help Data Privacy

Privacy issues continue to plague brands as more customers demand transparency and control over their own data and we are seeing increasing concerns as AI continues to evolve the customer experience.

According to a Gartner study, 40% of privacy compliance technology will use AI by 2023 while global spending on privacy is expected to reach $8 billion by 2022.

However, companies can use AI in their data privacy initiatives to classify sensitive data and use it to search data to identify individuals that have asked to be forgotten (a specification covered under privacy regulations like GDPR).

The bottom line is the digital marketing space is changing rapidly and brands need to ensure they are testing new tactics and technologies while building the right presence across these new channels. If you need assistance taking a future-forward look at your brand’s digital presence and engagement, contact us today. Our experts are here to help.

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