‘Creativity is intelligence having fun’
A.Einstein
The end of third-party cookies marks a moment of profound transformation for the entire marketing and communication ecosystem. Introduced in 1994 as a tool that allowed websites to store, recognize, and retrieve user information, cookies are now set to be gradually phased out by Google. This is a crucial change that companies must face with foresight and a proactive mindset.
Permission marketing gains new momentum
With cookies disappearing, 2022 opens the door even wider to permission marketing. This is not exactly a new concept — it has been around for quite some time. It is based on so-called zero-party data, information that belongs exclusively to consumers because it is willingly shared by them.
Every time a potential customer leaves their email address to subscribe to a newsletter, fills out a survey in exchange for a discount, or requests free information tailored to their interests and needs, they are actively participating in this exchange of value.
Ideally, this happens through platforms where users can maintain control over their preferences, because what they need today may change tomorrow. Strengthening CRM tools is therefore becoming increasingly essential as tracking technologies continue to disappear.
If there is one thing that will not change in 2022, however, it is the importance of creating original content. In an increasingly digital world, content remains the most powerful weapon for brands that want to stand out. In this process, SEO will continue to play a central role: there can be no digital growth without investing in SEO-oriented writing and content strategy.
What will be the winning marketing strategies for 2022?
2022 will bring some fundamental changes to the way companies market themselves. The death of cookies is a major challenge for digital advertising, on which many businesses have relied. And although we do not yet fully know its impact, one thing is certain: consumers will continue to become more demanding.
That is why it is better to start adopting alternative communication methods: experimenting, measuring, and ensuring they work. To help you face the new year successfully and develop marketing and communication strategies that stand out in terms of creativity and efficiency, we have created a short guide of recommendations.
1. Think out of the box
Consumer habits have changed due to the pandemic. Competition has increased exponentially. The marketing approach used so far may no longer deliver the desired results. This is an excellent moment to explore new paths and think outside the box. Our advice is not to rely only on what has worked until now, but to look for new, unconventional ways to market products and services, focusing on truly original storytelling.
2. Knowing your audience is power
Did you know that over 6 million companies now use Facebook ads to reach their target audience and that more than 500 million tweets are sent every day? In such an overwhelming information environment, where attention spans are extremely short, it becomes essential to “own” your audience — meaning to know them deeply in order to create personalised content that truly meets their needs. 2022 will most likely be the year of content personalisation. Therefore, we encourage you to build an even stronger connection with your customers in order to create messages that attract your target market like honey.
3. More and more digital
After a year and a half of the pandemic, digital awareness has increased across all areas of communication. In particular, online events have become an effective way to raise brand awareness among both existing and prospective customers. Looking ahead to 2022, we recommend increasingly combining in-person events with digital experiences, as we believe the future will be hybrid. Directly gathering audience data from event participants will continue to be a valuable asset.
4. Hyper-personalisation above all
In 2022, the number of channels through which customers can access marketing content will multiply. Videos, online articles, and podcasts are just some of the ways brands will communicate with their audiences. Our recommendation is to deeply understand your audience in order to personalise messages across the channels they prefer.
5. Spotlight on the long-forgotten hero: B2B content
How many potential customers are lost due to companies’ decision not to publish B2B content? Today, trends change so quickly that even B2B managers turn to Google for clarity and guidance. Therefore, do not hesitate to invest in producing content that addresses B2B needs: results will follow.
6. Marketing Automation, the key to success
Customers are becoming much smarter and more experienced. In general, it is time to think about conversational marketing automation in order to build stronger relationships and learn more about them.
With this brief guide, we hope we have helped you explore the many opportunities for innovation that the loss of third-party cookies presents to the world of marketing and communications.