The new year is upon us and the innovations and advancements in digital technologies continue to amaze and challenge marketers across the whole spectrum of commerce. Evolutions in technology have initiated another revolution of new and dynamic business models that completely change how businesses connect and engage with consumers at every level. So, what new and exciting trends in digital relationships can be expected in the coming year?
Virtual and augmented reality made its debut several years ago but the trials and tribulations of the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated its adoption and expansion. In 2021 Facebook announced a major rebranding. META, short for metaverse, is a new virtual world where people socialize, work, and play. Recently the new company launched Horizon Worlds, a free app for socializing in virtual reality that is available to users ages 18 and up in the U.S. and Canada. Augmented reality has been adopted by a few major brands in the past to make online shopping more efficient and experiential, but 2022 will see increased momentum in adoption across direct-to-consumer and B2B brands.
The adoption of voice search technology will continue to grow in the coming year as 71 percent of consumers have shown to favor voice-searching over traditional typing commands. The easier, hands-free approach to searching is projected to see revenues surpass $40 billion in 2022. It is projected that $8.4 billion voice devices will be in utilization by 2024.
The year 2021 saw the emergence of a global eSports audience with 474 million users and revenues of nearly $1.1 billion. While still emerging, eSports are on the rise and promising to be substantial opportunity for those with the knowledge and skill to get the delivery process spot-on.
Large and small businesses are moving to online payment platforms in significant numbers. The increase in digital payments has led to a 31 percent increase at PayPal in 2021. Newer digital payment platforms like Venmo and Zelle made significant strides last year and are poised to grow the share of the digital payment market. In Q3 2021, Zelle processed $127 billion on 466 million transactions.
Micro-Videos, the mainstay of TikTok and a few other innovative social media platforms, have widespread support and adoption, particularly among younger consumers, and will likely continue to mature and evolve in the coming year. 2022 may be the year that nano-Influencer marketing reaches $13.8 billion. It is predicted that the coming year will see a tipping point in the traditional influencer marketplace where micro-influencers, those with fewer than 5,000 followers, will drive the highest engagement rates with consumers. A recent survey indicates that 77% of marketers would rather work with micro-influencers than celebrities.
The coming regulations governing consumers’ private data are set to go into effect in early 2023 and the elimination of third-party cookies has begun. Google announced Chrome will phase out support for third-party cookies by 2023 and Apple has already launched a pop-up on iPhones that asks users for permission to be tracked by apps. Facebook is currently working on a workaround to serve relevant ads to users without leveraging personal data. Additional platforms are expected to institute changes in the coming year in response to the 2023 deadline. The moves will challenge advertisers to develop successful responses to the limitations imposed by the regulations.
This year 5G will be going mainstream across all carriers. AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile are launching broad rollouts throughout the year. 5G provides higher reliability and bandwidth connectivity to allow for richer, more responsive experiences on mobile and desktop devices. The long-awaited implementation of 5G may be the most impactful technological advancement in 2022 and the one that poses the greatest challenge to marketers who are falling behind on developing competitive, mobile, multi-device digital marketing strategies.
Is your brand prepared to take advantage of the newest trends in digital communications? For more information on how Junction Creative Solutions can help your brand meet the new emerging challenges in digital communication, call 678-686-1125 today.