In the digital marketing industry, HubSpot is a leading platform for improving content management, sales and customer service and they always take a forward-thinking approach to how the industry is evolving.
One of the most recent examples of this is in the HubSpot Not Another State Of Marketing Report 2021, which dives into key digital marketing trends and stats from this year.
Here’s some of the key highlights from the report across social media, SEO, content marketing and more!
Social media
The most telling social media fact from the report is that it’s the number one most used marketing channel in 2021.
3 more important stats
- In 2021, the main social media marketing tactic is social listening.
- Instagram is the most popular social media channel brands have used this year.
- Facebook is the social media channel that’s produced the highest ROI for brands in 2021.
Key takeaways
- Find ways to establish direct connections with your audience: In addition to social listening, the other most popular social media tactics of the year are hashtags and live video. This highlights that you’ll need to combine strong research skills with engaging content to rule the social media roost in 2022.
- The big platforms are still important: While TikTok has gained a lot of traction in 2021, don’t forget to continue to put emphasis on channels like Facebook and Instagram.
SEO
The report highlighted some interesting stats and tips in relation to building a better SEO strategy in 2021 and beyond.
Key SEO stats
- 69% of marketers invested in SEO in 2021.
- 71% of businesses have used strategic keywords as the top SEO tactic of 2021.
- At 50%, the second most popular SEO tactic of 2021 is keyword localisation.
- 50% of brands measure the success of an SEO strategy with keyword rankings.
- 75% of business owners feel their SEO tactics are extremely effective at helping them achieve their marketing goals.
Key takeaways
- Search engine optimisation is no longer a nice to have: SEO will be an essential marketing strategy in 2022 and website optimisation is becoming about creating tailored experiences for users on your website.
- Three important SEO tactics: The top SEO tactics of 2021 were strategic keywords, localisation and optimising for mobile. Expect these techniques to become more frequent.
Content marketing
Building a diverse content strategy has been integral to many brands in 2021, as these points from the report highlight:
- 82% of brands are actively using content marketing compared to 70% in 2020.
- Video is the top content type that brands are using, followed by blogs and infographics.
- Sales and website traffic are the most important ways in which businesses measure success in a content marketing strategy.
Key takeaways
- Video marketing is a must: To get the attention of your audience, it’s imperative that you start using video as a marketing channel if you’re not already.
- Diversity matters: Continue to experiment with multiple content formats in 2022 across different channels. Content to use includes case studies, interviews, eBooks, whitepapers and checklists.
Video marketing
Video marketing is an essential digital marketing tactic for brands and here are the top highlights from the report:
Noteworthy video stats
- In 2020, people watched 12.2 billion minutes of video. That’s 23,211 years’ worth of content.
- The number of videos in the 30 – 60-minute category grew 140% in 2020.
Key takeaways
- Experiment with long-form video content: With long-form video content on the rise, it makes sense to use features that are geared towards this format. Consider YouTube, Instagram Live and IGTV.
- Create video content throughout the entire sales funnel: Create a clear narrative for all your videos through the awareness, consideration and decision stages of the buying journey.
- Live video is here to stay: Focus your efforts on creating live videos and online webinars for increased customer engagement.
Email marketing
Email marketing continues to be a driving force for revenue generation in 2021 and here are some intriguing stats:
- 77% of companies have seen engagement with email marketing over the past 12 months.
- Message personalisation is the most popular email marketing tactic of 2021.
- At 30%, Mailchimp is the most popular email marketing tool for brands.
Key takeaways
- Segment and personalise: For 2022, combine segmented email lists with a deeper level of personalisation to drive revenue and brand awareness.
- Automation is king: Create a series of nurture emails that automatically go out to customer lists. Nurture emails are great for educating people and building trust.
Get your digital marketing strategy ready for 2022
HubSpot’s report has revealed plenty of tips for how you can improve your digital marketing efforts and we’ll help you put those tips into action.
Contact us on 0113 357 0440 and we’ll be happy to discuss your requirements.
