Level Up Your Connections: 7 Powerful Tips for Networking on LinkedIn in 2024

LinkedIn has more than 700 million users and 55 million registered companies all over the world and this shows how powerful is LinkedIn.

The power of LinkedIn are:
  • Find a business partner for your future
  • Hire and source for your
  • LinkedIn creates chances to get to know experts in your field to upskill yourself.
  • You may be able to connect with same-minded employers and get a new job.

And there is more to know about LinkedIn.

Is it important for a professional to have a great looking profile in LinkedIn to get to know about people around the world with the same minded and skills that you are willing to know.

But almost everyone struggles to build their profile at the beginning of using LinkedIn but don’t worry about that because that’s why we are here to talk about 5+ ways to use LinkedIn to build a network effectively.

01. Complete Your Profile

If you didn’t fill out your LinkedIn gaps and blanks, then that’s what you need to do it next because if a person looks at your profile and if it is uncompleted with filling your skills and other qualifications that’s the point, you’ll lose a chance to move a next step in your career.

So, if someone visits your profile and doesn’t see anything special in the profile the person who visits will definitely quit you.

complete linkedin profile

Therefore, make sure to add the following sections to your profile:

✅ At least 5 relevant skills

✅ Any volunteer work or other hobbies.

✅ Education qualification

✅ Work experience with relevant skills

✅ Your country & zip code

✅ Current job title

✅ A LinkedIn summary

✅ A background picture and profile photo

✅ A headline

02. Optimize Your Profile

Anyhow just filling your profile is the first step of setting up LinkedIn profile and there are many professionals around the world, so you must stand out from that big crowd.

professional & friendly profile picture

✅ Update A Professional & Friendly Profile Picture

Take a high-quality picture with a neat and clean good-looking casual or professional dress. Highly recommended to take headshot of you from a good quality device.

✅ Add A Perfect Effective Headline

Adding a clear-cut headline has two main things and they are: show up in recruiters’ LinkedIn search list and show them what you are up to till that present day.

Here are some tips to keep the right headline for your LinkedIn profile according to keywords which suit your profile:

  • 📍 You can find the exact jobs you are willing to get. Go LinkedIn’s Job Board and filter according to your experience level, job type, geography.
  • 📍 Continue searching for the phrases and words that recur most often in these headlines. These are the search terms that recruiters use to identify potential
  • 📍 When writing your headline, use these terms. Let’s take the scenario where you are looking for an entry-level data scientist position in the IT industry. Analytics, Business Intelligence, Data Science, Data Scientist, Data Engineer, Data Modelling, and Computer Science are some of the keywords associated with this employment. Here’s an example of a possible LinkedIn headline you can use in

“Data Engineer actively seeking new opportunities in Analytics, Business Intelligence, and Data Science departments”

✅ Create a Comprehensive and Eye-Catching Summary.

Include your years of experience, most valuable abilities (particularly technical skills), present work title, areas of interest, and (if applicable) the position(s) for which you are searching.

Most people don’t consider listing their career history on LinkedIn. Instead, they only give the titles of their present and former positions.

✅ Want to get noticed among that crowd?

Just like you would on a resume, you should complete the parts according to your employment history. In other words, for each position held, you may list the responsibilities, accomplishments, and quantifiable outcomes.

03. Obtain Endorsements.

Your acquaintances and coworkers may vouch for you on LinkedIn by endorsing your knowledge in a particular subject or ability. Therefore, your online presence seems more legitimate the more endorsements you receive.

✅ However, how can one get endorsements?

obtain endorsements

Well, recommending others is the best course of action. Start by adding your closest friends, relatives, and coworkers to LinkedIn first since they are most likely to return the favour. You may do this by locating the specific talent you wish to endorse someone for in the ‘Skills & endorsements’ part of their profile and pressing the “+” button next to it. It will transform into a “.”

After that, request that they return the favour by endorsing one of your abilities or initiatives.

Asking for endorsements personally is another approach to obtain them. You can send your contacts a short message like, “Hey, consider endorsing me for ‘X’ project/skill?” with no bothering to write a lengthy text.

This strategy may not be very successful if what you’re requesting to be endorsed isn’t something they’ve seen you accomplish, finish, or that shows on your profile on LinkedIn.

04. Make Connect with People You Know

There are many ways to improve your LinkedIn network, but the most effective way is to connect with people you know already in real life.

In that case start giving access contacts in your phone so it helps you to connect people who are close to you and school, college, company or else from your industry too.

people you may know section

You may do this by pressing on My network tab in upper bar of LinkedIn and scrolling down to the “People You May Know Already” section.

Connecting to the network in this way may bring a lot of new people to you, enhance your career pathway with possibilities of positivity.

05. Connect with Others Across Your Field

It’s not about collecting as many connections as you can when networking on LinkedIn. Instead, the goal must be to build deep bonds with those who may advance your professional path.

connect with others across your field

✅ To do this,

  • Inviting a manager, recruiter, or corporate person who specializes in your sector and can assist you in obtaining your desired career position. If you work in accounting, avoid interacting with people who work in fields such as medicine, geology, or engineering. They could “react” to what you publish, but they are probably not interested (instead, they could get irritated a little bit)

    By Include a customized note with your request. For instance, you might include a couple of phrases outlining why the two of you should get in touch, like this: “Good morning, I observe that you work for Company X.”

I wanted to get the word out since I was looking into different job prospects. After more than four years of employment with the ABC Company, I’m prepared for my next challenge.

06. #Join LinkedIn Groups

LinkedIn groups are special online communities where professionals can exchange expertise, ask questions, and engage in discussions about issues they have an interest in learning more about. You may build connections, develop relationships, and showcase your expertise and abilities by joining these groups.

join linkedIn groups

Simply search for particular terms relating to your industry, interests, or target market on LinkedIn to locate and join these groups.

For instance, fast research for “social media marketing” yields roughly 13,000 communities in the topic area. By joining a few of these groups you can let your profile know to them and may get more connections in your industry.

For this to happen, though, you’ll need to do more than just join the groups. You must interact with the LinkedIn group by participating in discussions, asking about new things, posting relevant content, among other things.

07. #Regularly Write Content

A great way to expand your network on LinkedIn is to actively like, comment on, and show love to your connections. But why stop there?

regularly write content

To improve the credibility of your profile and position yourself as an authority in your field, you may upload every experience and educational or instructive content that you have.

When creating material for LinkedIn, remember to:

Write using an expert and authoritative tone to appeal to the LinkedIn audience. Regular posting typically means multiple times each week.

To make the post as attention-grabbing as possible, include pertinent visuals with the material, such as infographics and images.

🔔 Wrap

Here you have our top 7 ways to grow your network with LinkedIn. Networking will take time and effort but it worth it with LinkedIn. Step beyond your comfort zone, connect and establish connections with diverse individuals and actively engage with them. Connecting with new professionals extends your reach, exposes you to diverse perspectives, and opens doors to invaluable opportunities.

The key in LinkedIn networking is the consistency in the level of engagement which generates better results. You have only one chance to create a first impression while you connect with people online, so ensure that your LinkedIn profile is optimized for the standard and connect with the professionals without spamming them.

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Raj Thuva

I'm passionate about Graphic Designing

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Top 10 Inspiring Creative Design Trends for 2024

Keeping up with the design trends is hard enough, and above that, coming up with new creative ideas for your design campaign is truly challenging. In the design world, gradients are bolder than your morning coffee, borders are cooler than your favorite influencer, dots and pixels are now hip, and pink has become the new black (Barbie would be so proud). Yep, that’s what 2024 is going to be in terms of creative design. So, get comfortable and come along with us until the end to explore the top 10 creative design trends that you could benefit from in 2024.

 

Top 10 Creative Design Trends for 2024

 

01. ✅  AI-Generated Images 

AI becomes a game-changer in the design industry in 2023. It accelerates work, sparks inspiration, and opens up new creative possibilities. Embracing AI is essential for designers across various fields, such as web design, illustration, packaging, and posters. AI-generated images now replace traditional stock and custom graphics, offering significant time and cost savings for companies. This shift streamlines tasks like brainstorming, concept creation, color selection, revisions, and generating diverse design options. By incorporating AI into your workflow, you can boost productivity, take on more projects, and overcome creative blocks. The design landscape is evolving, and leveraging AI is the key to staying ahead in this revolution.

ai-generated images

⚡ Methods to use AI in your projects:
  • Color Selection
  • Idea Brainstorming
  • Finding Inspiration
  • Retouches and Resizes

T9qwBsGCpSfcf2iJZNAp3S 970 80

02. ✅ Crowded Composition

This major design trend is all about filling up the canvas with vibrant, detailed graphics. Packed compositions using every inch of space are gaining popularity as they captivate attention and tell richer stories. Despite the crowded aesthetic of composition, there’s still a need for a main focus that instantly grabs attention. Actually, achieving a perfect balance among different elements in a complex composition is key. This heavy composition style is excellent for marketing, keeping the audience engaged longer and increasing the chances of remembering the brand or campaign.

crowded composition

⚡ Some key tips to follow:
  • Leaving as little whitespace as possible
  • Keeping it colourful and vibrant
  • Having a main item despite the crowded aesthetics
03. ✅  Ribbed Glass Effect design trends

The ribbed glass effect is making a strong comeback in interior design. This design trend helps to add depth and create captivating light effects that grab attention. The ribbed glass effect originated in the Art Deco style, and it’s now seeing a resurgence. Graphic designers are also picking up on this trend and finding exciting and diverse ways to incorporate the ribbed glass effect into their designs. It’s a versatile element, perfect for experimenting. Whether used live, as a text effect, to blur images, or in animated designs, the tasteful refractions of light derived from ribbed glass enhance engagement and memory retention.

ribbed glass effect

⚡ Some key tips to follow:
  • Not overusing it
  • Adding depth

reeded glass logo design trend 2024

04. ✅ Pink for Marketing

Pink is a bright and playful colour, often associated with youthfulness and energy. Something about pink emits a hopeful and pleasant vibe to the demographic. Brands targeting a younger demographic may use pink to create a vibrant and fun image, making their products or services more appealing to a youthful audience. 2023 had a huge moment with the “Barbenheimer” memes and the stylish Barbie movie, putting pink in the spotlight for graphic design. In 2024, this trend is set to continue and evolve even further. 

pink for marketing

⚡ Some key tips to follow:
  • Controlling the usage
  • Adding Contrast
  • Choosing the right shade of pink
05. ✅ Drawing Inspiration from Nature

The growing interest in organics and bioproducts will extend to graphic design trend in 2024. Natural colours, materials, and an overall organic vibe make designs more appealing. While not suitable for every niche, industries like food, drinks, cosmetics, and medicine can benefit from this trend. In a world flooded with artificial products, the appeal of natural designs is on the rise. Going for a nature-inspired approach doesn’t mean sticking to just green and brown; you can achieve it with textures, natural shapes, and handmade styles. This approach increases your chances of capturing interest, especially in sectors aligned with natural products.

drawing inspiration from nature

⚡ Some key tips to follow:
  • Using warm and earthy tones according to the brand
  • Using multiple textures instead of colours to increase contrast
06. ✅ Dotted Graphics

A popular graphic design trend seamlessly fuses retro aesthetics with modern elements, creating a chic and tech-savvy vibe. Dots, once reserved for decorative purposes, are now making their way into typography and backgrounds, imparting a sleek and stylish appearance. Dot fonts, exemplified by the viral Nothing Brand, are experiencing a surge in popularity due to their innovative concepts and the dynamic interplay of retro and contemporary design elements. This trend showcases the evolving landscape of graphic design, where the fusion of past and present aesthetics captivates audiences with its visually compelling and AI-proof appeal.

dotted graphics

⚡ Some key tips to follow:
  • Fixing your mindset on whether you are providing retro or futuristic feels
  • Using of toned down colours or providing high contrast to convey the message.

social media trending design example in 2024

07. ✅ Pixels

Another great design trends for 2024 is a mix of pixels from the past and modern flair. Artists are drawing inspiration from the early days of the web, when displays weren’t crisp and systems couldn’t handle high resolution graphics. This inspiration results in a fusion of retro pixel elements with today’s high-quality graphics, opening up endless roads for creative experiments. Retro design trends have been around, from Art Deco to 70s Retro Flat, and now we’re revisiting the early web era and embracing the simplicity of 8-bit games like PAC-Man and low-res graphics. Bringing back these roots styles that were popular decades ago and blending them with current capabilities would surely give a hit of nostalgia to the consumer, thus increasing memory retention and brand sentiment.

pixels design

⚡ Some key tips to follow:
  • Making use of the modern design elements that are available now
  • Not making it a strain to look at
8. ✅  Using Bright Colours

Bright colours have been trendy for a while, and thanks to Barbie’s influence, they’re likely to be even more popular in 2024. These graphic design trends, bursting with vivid colours and strong contrasts, easily grab the audience’s attention. They’re perfect for social media, posters, and ads. In 2024, intense and saturated colours will continue to be a battleground for designers trying to stand out. Colourful designs are a hit in marketing, conveying a sense of diversity and variety. Google’s colourful branding is a great example, along with Pizza Hut, Domino’s, and John Deere. Using vibrant colours in design is a smart way to catch the eye, enhance contrast, and make your designs stand out anywhere, which increases memory retention.

using bright colors

⚡ Some key tips to follow:
  • Using different colour gradients
  • Usually, plan it around one primary, vibrant colour

colorful animation design trending in 2024

09. ✅ Gradient Colouring

Gradients have been popular graphic design trends, and in 2024, they’re getting even more artistic. Using vibrant colours or trying out unusual tones can make a design really stand out. We’re excited to see the creative designs with gradients that emerge in 2024. Breaking the rules by combining non-traditional colours is like a form of protest, challenging what’s supposed to look good together. However, the design trends still need to be aesthetically pleasing, so creating trendy designs with abstract gradients takes a lot of skill and practice.

gradient colouring

⚡ Some key tips to follow:
  • Finding the right colour to mix and match
  • Making it pleasing for the eye to look at

10. ✅ Visible Borders

Borders play a crucial role in design by organizing elements and improving readability. They contribute to establishing a clear hierarchy and structure, emphasizing the significance of larger elements. Interestingly, grids provide flexibility for creative expression, enabling designers to utilize free space and deviate from the border as needed, fostering a balance between order and artistic freedom. Even though they may seem old school style, bringing back the dead is not new for the creative design industry.

visible borders

⚡ Some key tips to follow:
  • Avoiding too much sectioning
  • Using the borders from large to small to portray the elements according to the hierarchy.
🔔 Final Thoughts

I’m glad to see you make it to the end. The design trends realm is like a vast sea, with various currents flowing everywhere. Let these design trends guide your creative endeavors in 2024. Embrace AI, experiment with timeless elements, and infuse your designs with a touch of nostalgia and innovation. Use these top 10 creative design trends to improve your narrative, your vision, and your message. Here’s to a year of limitless creativity and unforgettable visual experiences! 

What’s your favourite creative design trends from the list? Let me know in the comments!

 

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Raj Thuva

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Top 5 Social Media Marketing Trends: Your Roadmap to Success in 2024

The rapidly changing trend of technology has made it inevitable for marketers to constantly update their knowledge on the most trending technologies, tools, and strategies to connect effectively with their target audiences. As we approach 2024 it’s essential for social media strategists to predict and embrace the upcoming social media marketing trends to stay ahead of the curve and maintain a competitive edge. Effectively managing the social media presence has the possibility to yield outstanding results for a business. But the catch is to understand that social media functions differently compared to platforms like Google and other search engines.  On the other hand, the group of target audience the marketers are focusing on is also being changed rapidly. Marketers must focus on Gen Z and Millennials more than ever before. This adds up to another point for social media marketers to identify what will work for which set of audiences, and what type of marketing will reach those audiences.

  gen z social media marketing 2024

 

What exactly is social media marketing? How to select the best social media platform that works for my business? What could be the game changers in social media marketing? How can you apply future trends to achieve a competitive edge? Get ready to boost your social media marketing game to a new level as we explore the top 5 social media marketing trends for 2024 that will transform your business to the next level. 

 

📌 An Introduction to Social Media Marketing:

Social media, being one of the most powerful channels for digital marketing, is a space where buyers get to connect with their peers and stay informed about industry trends frequently. Efficient usage of social media marketing helps marketers to create awareness by engaging with various potential buyers and influencers, guiding them through the buying journey until they develop into loyal customers of their business.

 

With more than 60% of the global population actively using social media platforms, the potential for marketers to engage with their target audience is unbounded. Starting from the rise in video content creation and partnerships with influencers to the significance of personalization and artificial intelligence (AI) social media marketing trends have come a long way. Amidst the rapid changes in social media strategies, staying up to date with the latest trends is essential for effective marketing and content creation.

 

📌 Need for Social Media Marketing:

Social media usage has seen significant growth this year. According to the Data portal July 2023 global social media statistics overview, more than half of the global population is actively using social media, with over 4.88 billion global users being engaged on these platforms. This is approximately 60.6% of individuals globally. It is also noted that almost 150 million new users joined the social media community last year, with the latest statistics showing over 90% of internet users are active on social media each month. This data makes it clear that social media is one of the best platforms to reach and interact with the target audience of a business and uncovers various opportunities to get connected with a diverse range of audiences irrespective of the region, easily and effectively.  

 

ðŸ§ē Choosing the right social media channels:

People keep sharing their thoughts and engaging with content on different social media platforms every day. Choosing the right social media platform where your business can perform well is one of the main keys to achieving great customer engagement and revenue. When talking about social media platforms, some social media platforms capture the majority of user engagement and duration. YouTube and TikTok are two such platforms, currently famous, which have captured the highest user engagement. These are Gen Z and Millennials’ most preferred platforms as well.  Social media platforms like Facebook, X ( formerly known as Twitter), Facebook and LinkedIn, which are also famous among others, play a major role in connecting with potential customers quickly.

 

As a social media marketer, it is important not to forget that social media users don’t limit themselves to a particular platform. Thus, finding the best platforms that work best for your type of business to connect with your potential customers is very important. This trend makes it clear that it is very important to understand our target audience and focus our efforts towards the social media platforms where they are most engaged. Knowing your target audience well, setting clear social media marketing goals, assessing the features and content formats offered by different social media platforms, understanding the availability of your resources and planning accordingly and analyzing your competitors without blindly copying them can help in selecting the right social media platform for your business.

 

 

📌 Top 05 Social Media Trends in 2024 You Should Know

We have discussed the five trends which we have predicted that could elevate social media marketing to the next level and help marketers increase their ROI (Return of Investment) effectively in 2024.

 

✅ Rise of Short Form Video Content 

Video content was the one that attracted many to get engaged in social media and spend time on the platform, which is also the main reason for YouTube to become popular among users. Initially, it used to be long-form content until the short-form content which was almost six to seven seconds long was introduced. After the introduction of TikTok it was understood that long-form content is not enough to satisfy the target audience, people’s attention spans are really short. Soon Instagram introduced reels and YouTube introduced shorts mainly focusing on short-form video content, which helped marketers grab more audience.

  social media marketing 2024

 

Now it’s time for us to introduce more of such content. Social media marketers need to focus on more short videos with quality content that will attract more of their target groups. According to HubSpot short-form videos have the highest ROI. The videos should start with a short attention-grabbing opening in order to make them watch it, which introduces the subject as well. The first three seconds of your video are the key to grabbing the attention of the users. So, it’s important to get to the point right away at the beginning without presenting too much and hook your audience in a creative way in the meantime. It is also essential to keep your video precise and short, most importantly interesting and informative. If you fail to master video content creation based on these points, you are more likely to lose your audience in 2024. To be precise, a quick and engaging format of videos that captures audiences’ attention will continue to be a trend next year as well.

 

✅ AI-driven Social Media Marketing

Artificial Intelligence(AI); we all have heard about this for a while. But do you know what? It still isn’t going to go anywhere in 2024. Marketers will be able to use AI to get the best out of their social media platforms by automating almost every step of their marketing journey. This is indeed a really big revolution, because it’s not going to stop anywhere, but will keep learning, adapting and evolving, making it less challenging to find the appropriate match of target audience and potential buyers of a business. Messages can be customized and consumer behaviors can be predicted effectively through AI-driven social media marketing.  AI streamlines content scheduling automates data analysis, and offers personalized content recommendations, enabling social media marketers to save time and resources while improving campaign efficiency.

  ai-driven social media marketing

AI truly will be a huge game changer next year. Social media marketers! Fasten your belts to make the most out of this technology in 2024!

 

✅ Augmented Reality  

Not only AI but also the rise of Augmented Reality (AR) has created an evolution already in the social space.  AR creates an immersive brand experience for their customers where brands can create their own filters using AR in social media where their customers can try products virtually or see how things would fit into their lifestyle. 

augmented reality

Our prediction is that it could become even more widespread next year where this technology would become more available expecting to see it in not only bigger brands using it for huge campaigns but in a normal daily social media strategy as well. Without a doubt, AR will unveil a new level of social media marketing which will be super cool and rare next year.

 

✅ Social Commerce 

Next year, social commerce is likely to transform social media marketing significantly. Brands will be focusing on shoppable posts which will help to integrate e-commerce into their social media platforms, offering direct and convenient shopping for their customers.

social commerce

The power of visual content in those posts along with the personalized recommendation will help in improving user engagement and optimizing the path from discovery to purchase. This trend will incorporate AI-based personalized recommendation, which helps marketers reach their target audience and boost revenue through social media platforms.

 

✅ Rise of Audio-based social media marketing

The convenience of listening to audio on the go and the ability to capture attention while continuing daily routines make audio content handy and user-friendly among many people. Audio content offers a unique approach for marketers to reach their target audiences and promote strong relationships through social media marketing.

rise of audio based social media marketing

 

Considering these facts, we believe that the rise of audio in social media marketing will create a rapid change in content consumption and engagement of social media audiences next year. Previously, the introduction of social media platforms like Clubhouse and the integration of audio features on some famous social media platforms have enabled social media marketers to get connect with their target audiences in a more personal and conversational way. Podcasts, audio advertisements, and live discussions have gained prominence which allows brands to convey their messages effectively to their audience and create stronger connections with them. It is important to focus on live communications and branded audio content to stand out in the relay of social media marketing. Social media marketers of 2024 cannot miss to tap into the growing trend of audio content. 

 

🔔 Final Remarks

To conclude it is evident that social media marketing is ready to witness a line of evolutionary changes next year. We hope that the top 5 trends of social media marketing for 2024 predicted by us have given you some insights that will help you win potential customers through social media marketing and add value to your marketing journey! Don’t forget to comment on what you think will be the most game-changing trend of the social media world in 2024.

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Raj Thuva

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The Top 7 Brand Experience Trends to Look Out for in 2022

The term Brand Experience has become more common in recent years, as brands have begun to realize that the experiences customers have with their products, services, and brand are just as important as the products or services themselves. In fact, we can argue that these experiences are even more important because they shape how customers feel about your brand and whether or not they choose to buy from you in the future. So, here is a close look at the top 7 brand experience trends to watch out for in 2022. Read on to learn more about brand experience trends 2022!

Top 7 Brand Experience Trends 2022

  1. Sustainable Stories
  2. Paid-For Brand-Led Experiences
  3. Culture at The Core
  4. Gaming and The Metaverse
  5. Micro-Targeting
  6. Data Capture
  7. B2B Experiences
1. Sustainable Stories

brand-experience-stories

Our time’s most serious concern is sustainability. As the number of consumers trying to limit their environmental footprint rises, so do the most forward-thinking brands that will lead the way, reflecting the transition of businesses to become more sustainable and net positive. The change from product to service models will make the brand experience a critical element in retaining existing customers and attracting new ones in various industries. This could be as simple as being more open about a company’s sustainability activities or as complex as developing experiences and services that allow customers to participate in making a positive effect in collaboration with brands. Expect to see a rise in demand for low-footprint ads and campaigns from brands as customers look beyond greenwashing to real, tactical ways to see brands deliver on their promises. We see this change already in sectors that are affected by climate change, for instance, the alcohol industry, where brands have had to make adjustments in their operations and they can now bring that story to the forefront, as seen with Campo Viejo, Spain’s first carbon-neutral wine.

2. Paid-For Brand-Led Experiences

While some brands have long recognized the importance of the experience, for others, this is new territory. Expect the unexpected as non-traditional brands use entertainment to provide better brand experiences.  Brands can charge an entry fee for more aligned and targeted ticketed events. These kinds of events allow customers to lean into the brand, feel good about it, and think about it differently – such as with Land Rover’s off-road driving experience. Monopoly and Netflix’s Money Heist both have recently created escape room experiences, as well as shorter-term pop-ups like Ardbeg’s “Ice Scream trucks” and Kraken rum’s haunted house for Halloween. Temporary experiences give brands more options and lower entry barriers because they don’t require a large upfront expenditure. They can, in fact, provide a cash-neutral way of engaging with people as well as a new value exchange between brands and customers, depending on the model.

3. Culture at The Core

core-cultural-values

Placing culture at the core of a brand means becoming more human, relatable, and emotionally intelligent, which aids in the development of true connections with customers. Being community-driven allows brands to tap into the cultural landscape more genuinely. They can take a more active role in strengthening communities by listening to the conversations taking place among them. Experiences serve to bridge the gap between brand and audience, allowing brands to become participants rather than spectators in the conversation. Audiences want more brands to convey their aims via a cultural lens that align with their own interests and beliefs, and they want to witness action and progress toward these goals rather than simply words. Internally, the “culture at the core” concept is having a tremendous impact on the landscape of agencies. Brands are getting closer to being able to genuinely communicate culture through brand platforms as they take steps toward diversity and inclusion. Diversity of thinking is reflected in the work brands bring out into the world if it is practised within an organization.  It’s safe to assume that this trend isn’t going anywhere and that it should be viewed as more of a part of a brand’s creative strategy than a trend.

4. Gaming and The Metaverse

If the metaverse is a full experiential ecology, gaming is the more accessible, larger form that people have been interacting with for quite some time. Gaming experiences will continue to be treasured and explored by brands due to the captive, immersed, and devoted consumers. Facebook’s announcement that it would rename itself Meta was the latest step in the metaverse’s realization. The tendency will be much more of the metaverse, and as it becomes more common, we should expect to see more brands exploring and toying with it. While it’s still early days, we’re seeing an increasing number of brands experimenting with methods to use the metaverse to achieve their marketing objectives — the conventions are still being defined, so now is a perfect moment to explore the possibilities. There is a spectrum of involvement for brands to select from. For some, it may be a game within a game; for others, it may be creating a stage like BMW did with its virtual platform JOYTOPIA and the Coldplay concert; and for still others, it may be building a virtual version of their brand home, their very own metaverse.

5. Micro-Targeting

microtargeting-brand-experience

Costs of events and experiences have come under the spotlight as physical options have been limited. As a result, marketers have placed a greater emphasis on ensuring the proper people are present, especially brands targeting higher price points or aiming to influence specific audiences – such as higher net worth individuals or B2B audiences. Micro-targeting, which forms a virtuous circle with data acquisition and B2B thinking, leads directly into our next two trends. Brands will have to work considerably harder in terms of audience quality rather than quantity if they place a greater emphasis on higher-value attendees. Rolls-Royce, for example, was quite picky about the slots for their upscale curated events for the new Ghost. Micro-targeting needs strong data in order to promote to and convert the right people; without it, a brand would struggle to attract the right type of attendees. COVID-19 has focused minds on putting together the best invite list possible, which involves coordination and integration between CRM, data, and event teams.

6. Data Capture

online-data-capture

While strong data is required for micro-targeted experiences, experiences will increasingly be employed as vehicles for data collection. This imperative rises as new cookie laws make it difficult for businesses to trace people’s online activities. As a result, brands are returning to their roots and focusing on acquiring first-party data. Because of the value exchange of a brand experience, they are natural sources of data collection. Attendees are present, participating in a brand conversation, and there is a level of trust — it’s the ultimate automatic opt-in. People only go to experiences if they want to interact with the brand. The challenge is knowing when to request information from people. Brands must decide which touchpoints they will employ and whether they will need to integrate their web solutions or develop a custom data collection technique. Giving free lollies may generate lots of data, but if everyone opts out eventually, it’s useless. The focus of this trend is on experience design. Data collection cannot be an afterthought; it must be included in the experience. There was a light data capture method built for Ford’s Bring on Tomorrow experience, so customers could play the game, and at the end, they received an email that allowed them to engage with Ford in a variety of ways.

7. B2B Experiences

B2B-brand-experiences

The demise of B2B events as a result of COVID has been exaggerated – but they will require more careful examination of their fundamental proposition in order to succeed, and companies will be re-evaluating their worth with a critical eye. In a pandemic era, they are ultimately about quality content, networking opportunities, and, ideally, being placed in an appealing destination to increase the desire to attend. Is the experience compelling enough to persuade CFOs of attendance firms that it’s beneficial to attend? Web Summit, for example, returned to IRL in November with 45K attendees, down from its peak of 60K, but given that corporate travel had plummeted by more than 60%, the attendance it attained justified its strategy. A new B2B event landscape is beginning to emerge. People will go less frequently, and tentpole experiences will stand out amid fragmentation. There will be a number of solutions and tools to engage people on virtual platforms and overcome Zoom fatigue.  Also, Facebook and Microsoft both are beefing up their B2B tools in this arena. Much will be determined by where businesses chose to put their money. COVID-19 encouraged brands to innovate and explore new ways to engage with their customers in the midst of hardship, and the following year is tremendously exciting for experiences. As a result of the learning and experimenting, brands can move forward with newfound enthusiasm, knowing that people are ready and willing to attend, participate in, and enjoy brand experiences across numerous platforms and in a variety of ways.

Conclusion

It is important for brands to rethink what they know and reconsider their branding and marketing strategies going ahead in order to stay relevant and cope with the changing consumer behaviour. Also, due to the COVID-19 and rapid digital acceleration, the opportunities and challenges faced by brands on brand experience will inspire fresh ideas and strategies for 2022. So, brands can tap into the above-listed seven brand experience trends in 2022.

What brand experience trends are look promising? Let me know in the comments!

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