Attention spans online, and particularly on social media, are decreasing. You now only have a very limited window to grab your audience and get your message across.
The days of complex and technical blogs are gone (and probably never had a place online in the first place) and the digital world is moving towards shorter, simpler and easier to digest content that entertains, as much as it educates.
As a firm you are now fighting in a crowded marketplace, full of other professionals trying to reach an online audience who places an ever-greater value on their time spent online.
To stay ahead, you need to keep a close eye on the big developments in digital marketing and apply the approaches that may work best for your firm.
Here are some of the trends in 2022 to keep an eye on.
The age of video
Demand for online videos and animations has skyrocketed across the internet, on business’s websites and across their social media.
Today’s audiences place a lot of value in effective videos, that help to educate and inform them about the things that matter to them and their business.
Videos can achieve things that copywriting often can’t, and have been proven to help:
- Build trust
- Capture attention
- Boost SEO
- Help conversions
- Encourage people to share and engage more.
Friendlier, less formal
How businesses prepare copy and posts has become a lot friendlier and less formal in recent years.
It is not uncommon for even the largest brands to take a jovial approach to the content they produce, integrating jokes, memes and emojis to make their digital profile friendlier.
Although the services provided by professional advisers are often fairly formal, this doesn’t have to be reflected in your content.
Audiences increasingly place a greater value in the humanity of a brand and its openness. They want to be dealing with a business that feels welcoming and engaging, not a soulless firm.
Injecting playfulness and personality into your content isn’t harmful, as long as it always remains appropriate and measured.
Remember to fit the tone to the topic and you should be fine to get a little creative with your approach.
Putting the social back into social media
Today’s social media user is more astute than ever. They know when someone is trying to sell something and unless they are directly in need of that service or product, it can be off-putting to go heavy on the sales approach.
Instead, firms should see social media as a place to showcase their values, culture and achievements – somewhere that they can raise their profile and get brand recognition.
For this reason, firms need to start posting more personal posts and blogs about their work and successes, alongside educational content that speaks to their audience, rather than focusing on the big sell.
This is often the most successful way to grow your following organically and retain regular engagement with your posts.
Question everything that you know
SEO algorithms are increasingly focused on the importance of questions within content. Most searches are, after all, a query from the user.
Sites are increasingly being ranked on their ability to answer common questions the most effectively, so try to weave them into your content where possible.
However, beyond SEO ranking, questions are an effective way to get your audience to engage with an article. Asking a question requires the reader to reflect on themselves or a situation, thus involving them within the article.
The result is that they feel more engaged in what they are reading, which typically encourages them to read on to get the answer they need.
Thought leadership
The rise of automation and the cloud has meant that clients expect more from their accountant or solicitor. The everyday functions and number crunching are no longer what counts – it is the ability to advise.
In much the same way, the online blogs, articles and content that you produce need to focus on the advice that you can offer.
This can go beyond the regular expectations of your profession and branch out into less related areas – don’t be afraid to express your thoughts.
Readers appreciate honesty and transparency in writing and want to know that you have every aspect of their business in mind.
They do not want a one-dimensional professional but rather an adviser who can keep all elements of a business in focus when supporting them.
New platforms
Every year there seem to be new social media platforms that come to the market, and each time we end up fielding questions from accountants and solicitors about their usefulness within their digital marketing strategy.
Instagram was the king a few years back, but its effectiveness as a platform for professional service firms has always seemed somewhat limited.
The latest big thing, driven by its popularity during the pandemic, is TikTok. Although initially seen as a platform for teenagers and young adults, the site is gradually growing a more mature audience of Millennials, Generation Xers and even baby boomers as they seek out the short and entertaining video formats.
Unlike Instagram, there seems to be a greater appeal for educational posts on TikTok, including a growing number of professional advisers that use the platform to share legal tips and tax advice.
The next big thing may be Facebook’s Metaverse, a virtual reality platform designed to host interactions in digital worlds, but it is yet to hit the mainstream.
Get future-ready
Do you feel your digital marketing approach is outdated? Are you struggling to build online engagement with your audience?
Perhaps it is time you review and revitalise your approach to online marketing. We are helping our clients to stay at the forefront of their profession by producing content and campaigns that their audience love, value and share.
To find out how we can help you create a new digital marketing approach in 2022, please speak to our team today.
