This Week in Digital Marketing - January 7, 2022

We’ve made it into 2022! Starting the year off on the right foot isn’t make-or-break, but it can make a world of difference when it comes to your marketing strategy. Did you start the year with some hiccups? No worries! We’re here to help. Not sure what you’re missing? This update could help.

Meta will Remove Targeting Options for Sensitive Topics on January 19
Meta will remove certain targeting options relating to sensitive topics on January 19, 2022. “Health causes,” “sexual orientation,” “religious practices and groups,” and “political beliefs, social issues, causes, organizations and figures,” were among the examples of targeting options slated for deprecation.

Why we care: Facebook advertisers should ensure that they are not relying on the targeting options mentioned below or any other targeting options that may relate to sensitive topics, as those will likely be deprecated at some point as well.

Although the options mentioned below are going away on January 19, 2022, campaigns will continue to deliver for about eight weeks after that, until March 17, 2022, which should give advertisers some time to test out alternatives.

User Experience is the Difference Between Mediocre and Next-Level Search Marketing
It’s no secret that search engines are moving toward finding ways to measure this experience. Google’s page experience update (which is now officially rolling out) and the introduction of Core Web Vitals are a move in that direction, for example. We now have numbers behind the ways that searchers experience our websites: how fast does it load, how quickly can they actually interact with it, and does the page shift around annoyingly before they can use it?

Empathy is key to better search marketing. We’ve been focusing so long on those measurements of our own performance that we forget that there are actual humans trying to get things done on the other side of the computer screen. This not to say Core Web Vitals are NOT important. Instead, let’s build on what Google’s provided and go to the next level of user experience in search marketing. That starts with empathy. How can we become more empathetic search marketers so we’re providing a better user experience AND doing our jobs better too?

1. Cultivate curiosity about strangers
   
2. Challenge prejudices and discover commonalities
   
3. Try another person’s life
   
4. Listen hard – and open up
   
5. Inspire action and change
   
6. Develop an ambitious imagination
   

Top 9 Social Media Trends to Prepare for in 2022

1. TikTok is taking over: Over the last year, search demand for TikTok has grown by 173%
   
2. Ad dollars will be redirected to smaller networks: Pinterest, Snapchat, and TikTok are less crowded platforms and offer a higher ROI
   
3. Consumers expect to shop right on social media: Setting up and optimizing your Instagram shop will be more important than ever
   
4. Customer service will be less calls and more messages: 64% of people prefer messaging over phone calls
   
5. Long videos are a bust, except for on YouTube: TikToks, YouTube Short, Instagram Reels, etc. are powerful tools for reaching consumers.
   
6. Influencer marketing is still on the rise.
   
7. Paid advertising is a MUST to spread awareness about your business: The average organic reach for a Facebook post is 5.2%
   
8. Social listening is more important than ever: There’s value in understanding your customers’ changing preferences.
   
9. A social audio strategy could be around the corner for your marketing strategy.
   

Looking to Leave WordPress Behind? You’re Not Alone.
Rising priorities like site speed and multi-platform distribution are driving enterprises to explore headless and hybrid content management systems. Most of the Content Management Systems (CMSs) businesses use today were originally built for a single purpose — delivering content to a desktop web browser. Looking closer, WordPress — the open-source platform now used for everything from e-commerce to massive corporate sites and owning 65% of the CMS market — was built in 2003 as a blogging platform, competing with names you rarely hear today outside of a historical discussion.

Apple Maps: What a Maps Web Snapshot Can Do for Your Online Content
Apple recently announced Maps Web Snapshots, a new static map product. Maps Web Snapshots allow users to create a static map image from a URL that can be used any time an interactive map is not necessary or JavaScript is unavailable. The map image pulls from a URL, making it a fantastic option for web pages and email clients alike.

How it works: Maps Web Snapshots allow you to visually share points of interest and location details simply by loading a URL. The maps share chosen data points and details, including business locations, geographic boundaries, routing information and parameters, which can be customized to display different overlay styles, color schemes, and map types, allowing you to choose what information your audience sees and how it appears on their screen. All you need is an Apple Developer account, MapKitJS key information and a domain to refer the Snapshot from. Once you set up the appropriate credentials, you can utilize Snapshots Studio to build your Maps Web Snapshot.

We’re excited for everything 2022 will bring for us and our customers. If you find yourself feeling less than excited about the year for your business, contact us for a consultation, and we can get your marketing strategy on the right track.