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7 B2B & B2G marketing predictions for 2022

While many expected 2021 to be the year that marketing budgets bounced back from cuts made in the wake of the pandemic, unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. But with business stable and marketers returning with a vengeance, the forecast is far more optimistic looking ahead to 2022.

With larger marketing budgets in mind, here are our top marketing and PR predictions for 2022 and beyond — including industry-specific insights for marketers in emerging technology, government, cybersecurity and healthcare technology markets.

Trends that will shape marketing & PR 

 

1. Performance marketing: It’s time the B2B customer experience catches up

A recent study by Forrester and Bloomreach found that over 56% of B2B customers are shopping online for products they’ve never bought that way before. But the experience isn’t always delivering on expectations. A Wunderman Thompson Commerce report just released found that 89% of B2B companies in the UK and the US find buying more complicated online than offline. 

For marketers, this presents an opportunity to bring internal organizations together — marketing, sales, operations — to find cross-department efficiencies that improve experiences throughout the entire customer journey. A good first step is to reevaluate the business’ sales and marketing technology stack to help teams communicate more easily, capture better data and create a more seamless experience for buyers. 

 

2. Content & creative: Marketers, meet the metaverse

The concept of the metaverse has exploded in the second half of 2021 since Facebook’s rebranding announcement — and is only set to expand in 2022. B2B marketing organizations will experiment with building multifaceted metaverse programs that seamlessly blend the virtual and physical worlds, delivering elevated solutions for businesses. Key components of these programs will range from engaging, interactive content to immersive VR and AR experiences rooted in advanced, realistic animation and graphics.

And, with 74% of marketers planning hybrid events in 2022, there are ample opportunities to use the metaverse to create more captivating events as part of B2B businesses’ integrated marketing strategies. 

 

3. Public relations: Automation will continue to transform PR measurement

As artificial intelligence and machine learning get baked into new tools, PR teams will gain real-time data on how coverage is impacting reputation management and brand sentiment. 43% of agencies have increased their PR tech investments over the past two years, with media monitoring, social listening, campaign management and reputation management leading the way. Another upside: this hard data will empower PR teams to demonstrate business impact to the C-suite. 

Key industry insights to know

 

4. Emerging technology: Marketing & PR storytellers will continue to grapple with “responsible AI”

A FICO survey on the state of responsible AI found that 65% of companies cannot explain how their AI systems make decisions and predictions. 78% of enterprises are poorly equipped to consider the ethical implications of using artificial intelligence, and only 45% of businesses engage in ethical AI monitoring. 

Luckily, the government will bring clarity to this technology area in 2022. Marketers should focus on telling authentic stories by avoiding jargon, not overselling their business’ capabilities and being clear about what their AI does (and doesn’t) do. 

 

5. Cybersecurity: Increased demand for influencer relations

The cybersecurity market is full of top influencers who can drive important conversations forward. From notable industry experts like Brian Krebs and Daniel Miessler who offer valuable third-party validation, influencer relations will need to be a core marketing strategy for 2022 and beyond. In today’s cyber community, it’s still about making valuable, meaningful connections and having a voice in the conversations that matter — especially if you want to reach the CISO and decision-makers.

 

6. Government: Marketing’s role in the war for talent 

Recruiting the best and brightest continues to be an increasingly pressing challenge across industries, including government, as more and more organizations are feeling the impact of “The Great Resignation.” The war for talent has expanded beyond HR, becoming a top priority for government marketers who will not only be tasked to tell compelling stories to customers or stakeholders, but also to potential job candidates. And their 2022 budgets must follow suit by dedicating resources to marketing the organization to prospective talent. 

 

7. Healthcare: Multimedia becomes a “must-have” in content marketing

As a result of the digital health boom, health systems have become overwhelmed with new technologies, creating more noise and competition for customers. Now, multimedia content like videos and podcasts have become a critical part of content strategies and a valuable tool for marketing teams to break through the noise and engage with buyers.

Is your organization ready to turn these marketing predictions into action in 2022? Check out how our unique solutions and services and industry expertise can help you achieve your marketing and business goals. 

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