From Katrina Williams, Marketing Manager
Read Time: 9 minutes
“There are no mistakes. Only opportunities.”
Tina fey
Even though comedian Tina Fey has little to do with the nonprofit fundraising and marketing industry, she does understand one of the most critical rules for markets: seize the opportunities that you encounter.
In marketing, there are only opportunities… more opportunities… and even more opportunities to market your organization’s offerings and grow your support network. Good marketers are not afraid to fail, they test everything, and they anticipate and prepare for major marketing trends.
As we start off the new year, now’s the time to dive into new marketing opportunities and prepare for the marketing trends that lie ahead in 2022.
Today, I want to share the top 7 marketing trends that both nonprofit and B2B marketing teams should prepare for in 2022…
1. Marketing will become more specialized to the individual
We live in a world of customized content. From targeted Social Media ads, the “Recommended For You” list on Netflix, and “Suggested Listening” on Spotify, consumers have grown to expect a curated experience when engaging online. The same is true for supporters who receive communication from your organization.
In 2022, nonprofit fundraisers and B2B marketers alike should be prepared to elevate their specialization strategies for direct and digital marketing campaigns. Start by creating customer personas that represent your audience’s specific needs, behaviors, and interests. This will help your team to assess your most effective content, and decide what and how to increase segmentation and personalization.
2. Influencer marketing will evolve into a common marketing tactic
According to a recent Hubspot’s Annual Marketing Report, 34% of global marketing professionals said that influencer marketing is at the top of their investment list for 2022. Additionally, 11% say it’s the top ROI-generating trend they’ve tested.
When leaders in your organization collaborate with influencers and industry thought leaders, you are able to reach a new audience, and potentially gain new supporters! And the best part is, you don’t have to find a big-time celebrity influencer to be effective. Teaming up with micro-influencers and industry thought leaders will still capture the attention of a new audience and can potentially gain your organization new supporters.
3. Artificial Intelligence (AI), Augmented Reality (AR) are still on the rise
Nonprofits and B2B marketers are expected to continue to invest even more in augmented reality and Artificial Intelligence in the coming year. In fact, Hubspot’s Annual Marketing Report showed that 35% of marketers were leveraging AR or VR in their 2021 marketing strategies. Of those marketers, 42% plan to increase their investment in 2022.
As far as the conversation of Artificial Intelligence continues to evolve, companies are expected to embrace it even more in 2022 – especially in these top categories:
- Chatbots and virtual assistants
- Predictive lead scoring
- Predictive marketing
4. SEO will become a vital part of marketing
Even though SEO (search engine optimization) is a relatively new discussion topic in the nonprofit fundraising industry, it is quickly becoming a vital asset to most organizations. Making sure that your website and content are discoverable as possible can provide both long-term and short-term traffic returns, and help your organization gain new supporters.
According to a recent research study from Hubspot, 84% of marketers who use SEO plan to invest the same or more amount of SEO into their marketing strategies in 2022. This will only increase as more and more marketers begin to use organic SEO in their organizations.
5. LinkedIn Video is on the rise
In 2021, LinkedIn added several new capabilities to their platform, including direct article publications, LinkedIn events, native one-to-one video messaging, and LinkedIn’s new Creator Accelerator Program.
Because of these recent additions, more and more individuals are starting to use LinkedIn as a social media tool to connect with other professionals and display their personal brand. This increased engagement has boosted the popularity of LinkedIn Video.
LinkedIn Video provides an easy, engaging and interesting medium to view a “person behind the profile.” For nonprofit fundraisers, consider posting weekly video encouragements, footage from volunteer events, or behind-the-scenes videos of the incredible things happening at your organization!
6. Audio content will take a front seat
According to a recent survey, roughly 43% of marketers plan to increase their investment in podcasts in 2022, while 38.4% plan to keep it the same. Wow!
These numbers are expected to increase as audio chat and audio-only content continues to be used in the coming year. This includes Facebook’s Live Audio Rooms – a new feature that allows you to connect with supporters through audio-only!
7. Hybrid is the new ‘In Person’
Over the course of the pandemic, consumers and supporters have become familiar with gathering virtually…and today, many would rather hop on a Zoom call than drive to an event.
2022 is going to be a crucial year for hybrid events. Without providing online engagement options for those who feel more comfortable online, nonprofits and B2B businesses alike run the risk of losing connectivity to important supporters.
And don’t forget the power of Youtube and Facebook live! They provide a great opportunity to connect in real time with your followers and increase engagement among your supporters. If you would like more information on how to run a hybrid event for your nonprofit, check out BDI’s recent webinar on “Why Virtual Events are Here to Stay.”
In Conclusion…
As your team continues to prepare for whatever lies ahead in this new year, remember one thing: “There are no mistakes, only opportunities.”
My hope is that you can use these 7 major marketing trends to get ahead in 2022, and approach every new opportunity with boldness… unafraid to fail.
If you would like more resources to strengthen your marketing efforts, check out BDI’s Resource Hub – where our expert thought leaders post weekly articles on the latest and greatest in nonprofit fundraising, marketing, leadership, philanthropy and more.
Resources:
https://www.globaltrademag.com/what-b2b-marketing-trends-can-we-expect-to-see-in-2022/
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