Digital Marketing: Industry Insights

There’s a lot going on in the digital marketing landscape, but here at Pennock, we have our finger on the pulse — from what’s happening in the world of creative to paid social, and what we’ll be looking for as we head into Q3. 

Creative & Messaging

Start with eye-catching designs that conflict with the norm, with the goal of standing-out in crowded platforms. Think punchier, statement-making color palettes, cutouts and bold, jarring typography. This rebellious, non-traditional trend is a great way for brands to boost their visual impact and enhance their visual storytelling.

Focus on video ads like, short, catchy video content. With social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram announcing that they prioritize video over an image in their algorithms, brands will have to adapt to the changes quickly. If you’re not creating video ads, now is the time to make it your priority!

With authentic inclusivity as a focus, brands are paying more attention to how their imagery, words, iconography, and other visuals may attract or exclude potential customers. These elements are key to a favorable first impression; being intentional about inclusivity can help convey a brand’s integrity and dedication to serving its customers equally.

Paid Social

We’ve said it before, but we’re going to say it again — every brand should use UGC (user generated content) to its advantage. Anything from unboxing videos to customer reviews and testimonials is considered UGC and it’s a dream for building trust and authentic relationships with your customers. 

Use multi-platform placements. Gone are the days when brands spend their marketing dollars on just one platform — customers aren’t on just one platform, so why should your brand be? In order to do this, you’ll need to know your goals, expand one channel at a time and align your creative and storytelling to fit your audience on each channel.

Email & SMS

For email marketing, keep it short, sweet and non-salesy. Show behind the scenes imagery or videos, share your backstory or feature the founder. Not only do these tactics make your emails more personal, it also shows the legitimacy of your brand. 

Jump on the SMS bandwagon! A whopping 95% of SMS messages are read within the first 90 seconds — meaning SMS marketing has great immediacy capabilities. Your SMS marketing can be highly customized and reach a particular audience in real-time, when and where they are consuming information (on their mobile phones), which allows your marketing messages to cultivate more meaningful connections and interactions with consumers.

Cookieless Future

Google announced that it is on track to launch Privacy Sandbox in 2023, phasing out support for third-party cookies. Privacy Sandbox aims to prioritize the privacy and safety of users by limiting the amount of personal data that can be shared with companies and measuring response in a way that allows individuals to be kept anonymous. Stage 1 of the initiative is set to begin later this year, with the full transition completing in 2023. With this change, brands are already seeking alternative ways to gather information about customers and facilitate online conversion. Effective Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and Zero-Party data acquisition will be key to maintaining beneficial knowledge about consumers.  

By leveraging these insights in your paid social campaigns, you can stay one step ahead of your competitors. Start by creating a solid strategy and clearly defining your goals. Experiment with different social media platforms, use SMS marketing to see higher open rates and get creative on how to showcase your brand. If you want to learn more about these 2022 marketing trends and other tactics, get in touch with our team.