Cybersecurity: The Ultimate Guide to Defending Against Cyber Attacks

Think about how much of the world relies on the internet. The government, military, academia, health care industry, and private industry not only collect, process, and store unprecedented amounts of data in cyberspace — they also rely on critical infrastructure systems in cyberspace to perform operations and deliver services. 

An attack on this infrastructure could not only threaten customer data or a business’s bottom line — it could also threaten a nation’s security, economy, and public safety and health.

Considering its importance, we’ve compiled this ultimate guide on cybersecurity. Below, we’ll talk about what cybersecurity is exactly, how to protect your systems and data from attacks, and what resources to follow to stay up-to-date with emerging trends and technology related to cybersecurity.

Good cybersecurity involves multiple layers of protection across the data, devices, programs, networks, and systems of an enterprise. A combination of technology and best practices can provide an effective defense against the continually evolving and growing threats of cyberspace.  

These threats include phishing, malware, ransomware, code injections, and more. The impact can vary depending on the scope of the attack. A cyber attack might result in the attacker making unauthorized purchases with an individual’s credit card info, or erasing an entire system after injecting malware into an organization’s code base.

While even the best cybersecurity can’t defend against every type or instance of attack, it can help to minimize the risks and impact of such attacks.

Types of Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity is a broad term that can be broken down into more specific subcategories. Below we'll walk through five major types of cybersecurity.  

Application Security

Application security, also known as AppSec, is the practice of developing, adding, and testing security features within web applications in order to protect them against attacks. Vulnerabilities, security misconfigurations, and design flaws can be exploited and result in malicious code injections, sensitive data exposure, system compromise, and other negative impacts.

AppSec is one of the most important types of cybersecurity because the application layer is the most vulnerable. According to Imperva research, nearly half of data breaches over the past several years originated at the web application layer.

Cloud Security

Cloud security is a relatively recent type of cybersecurity. It is the practice of protecting cloud computing environments as well as applications running in and data stored in the cloud. ​

Since cloud providers host third-party applications, services, and data on their servers, they have security protocols and features in place — but clients are also partially responsible and expected to configure their cloud service properly and use it safely.

Critical Infrastructure Security

Critical infrastructure security is the practice of protecting the critical infrastructure of a region or nation. This infrastructure includes both physical and cyber networks, systems, and assets that provide physical and economic security or public health and safety. Think of a region’s electricity grid, hospitals, traffic lights, and water systems as examples.

Much of this infrastructure is digital or relies on the internet in some way to function. It is therefore susceptible to cyber attacks and must be secured.

Internet of Things (IoT) security

Internet of Things security, or IoT security, is the practice of protecting virtually any device that connects to the internet and can communicate with the network independently of human action. This includes baby monitors, printers, security cameras, motion sensors, and a billion other devices as well as the networks they’re connected to.

Since IoT devices collect and store personal information, like a person’s name, age, location, and health data, they can help malicious actors steal people’s identities and must be secured against unauthorized access and other threats.

Network Security

Network security is the practice of protecting computer networks and data against external and internal threats. Identity and access controls like firewalls, virtual private networks, and two-factor authentication can help.

Network security is typically broken down into three categories: physical, technical, and administrative. Each of these types of network security is about ensuring only the right people have access to network components (like routers), data that is stored in or transferred by the network, and the infrastructure of the network itself.

Cybersecurity Terms to Know

Cybersecurity is a very intimidating topic, not unlike cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence. It can be hard to understand, and, frankly, it sounds kind of ominous and complicated.

But fear not. We’re here to break this topic down into digestible pieces that you can rebuild into your own cybersecurity strategy. Bookmark this post to keep this handy glossary at your fingertips.

Here’s a comprehensive list of general cybersecurity terms you should know.

Authentication

Authentication is the process of verifying who you are. Your passwords authenticate that you really are the person who should have the corresponding username. When you show your ID (e.g., driver’s license, etc), the fact that your picture generally looks like you is a way of authenticating that the name, age, and address on the ID belong to you. Many organizations use two-factor authentication, which we cover later.

Backup

A backup refers to the process of transferring important data to a secure location like a cloud storage system or an external hard drive. Backups let you recover your systems to a healthy state in case of a cyber attack or system crash.

Behavior Monitoring

Behavior monitoring is the process of observing the activities of users and devices in your network to recognize any potential security events before they occur. Activities must not only be observed but also measured against baselines of normal behavior, trends, and organizational policies and rules. 

For example, you might monitor and track when users log in and log out, if they request access to sensitive assets, and what websites they visit. Then say a user tries to log in at an unusual time, like the middle of the night. In that case, you could identify that as unusual behavior, investigate it as a potential security event, and ultimately block that log in attempt if you suspect an attack.

Bot

A bot, short for robot, is an application or script designed to perform automated and repetitive tasks. Some bots have legitimate purposes, like chatbots that answer commonly asked questions on a website. Others are used for malicious purposes, like sending spam emails or conducting DDoS attacks. As bots become more sophisticated, it gets harder to tell the difference between good bots and bad bots or even bots from human users. That’s why bots pose an ever-growing threat to many individuals and organizations. 

CIA Triad

The CIA triad is a model that can be used to develop or evaluate an organization's cybersecurity systems and policies.

The CIA triad refers to confidentiality, integrity, and availability. In practice, this model ensures data is disclosed only to authorized users, remains accurate and trustworthy throughout its lifecycle, and can be accessed by authorized users when needed in spite of software failures, human error, and other threats. 

Image Source

Data Breach

A data breach refers to the moment a hacker gains unauthorized entry or access to a company’s or an individual’s data.

Digital Certificate

A digital certificate, also known as an identity certificate or public key certificate, is a type of passcode used to securely exchange data over the internet. It’s essentially a digital file embedded in a device or piece of hardware that provides authentication when it sends and receives data to and from another device or server.

Encryption

Encryption is the practice of using codes and ciphers to encrypt data. When data is encrypted, a computer uses a key to turn the data into unintelligible gibberish. Only a recipient with the correct key is able to decrypt the data. If an attacker gets access to strongly encrypted data but doesn’t have the key, they aren’t able to see the unencrypted version.

Image Source

HTTP and HTTPS

Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) is how web browsers communicate. You’ll probably see an http:// or https:// in front of the websites you visit. HTTP and HTTPS are the same, except HTTPS encrypts all data sent between you and the web server — hence the “S” for security. Today, nearly all websites use HTTPS to improve the privacy of your data.

Image Source

Vulnerability

A vulnerability is a place of weakness that a hacker might exploit when launching a cyber attack. Vulnerabilities might be software bugs that need to be patched, or a password reset process that can be triggered by unauthorized people. Defensive cybersecurity measures (like the ones we talk about later) help ensure data is protected by putting layers of protections between attackers and the things they’re trying to do or access.

A cyber attack is a deliberate and typically malicious intent to capture, modify, or erase private data. Cyber attacks are committed by external security hackers and, sometimes, unintentionally by compromised users or employees. These cyber attacks are committed for a variety of reasons. Some are looking for ransom, while some are simply launched for fun.

Below we'll briefly go over the most common cyber threats. 

1. Password Guessing (Brute Force) Attack

A password guessing (or “credential stuffing”) attack is when an attacker continually attempts to guess usernames and passwords. This attack will often use known username and password combinations from past data breaches.

An attacker is successful when people use weak passwords or use the password between different systems (e.g., when your Facebook and Twitter password are the same, etc). Your best defense against this kind of attack is using strong passwords and avoiding using the same password in multiple places as well as using two factor authentication, as we talk about later.)

2. Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) Attack

A distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack is when a hacker floods a network or system with a ton of activity (such as messages, requests, or web traffic) in order to paralyze it.

This is typically done using botnets, which are groups of internet-connected devices (e.g., laptops, light bulbs, game consoles, servers, etc) infected by viruses that allow a hacker to harness them into performing many kinds of attacks.

Image Source

3. Malware Attack

Malware refers to all types of malicious software used by hackers to infiltrate computers and networks and collect susceptible private data. Types of malware include:

• Keyloggers, which track everything a person types on their keyboard. Keyloggers are usually used to capture passwords and other private information, such as social security numbers.
• Ransomware, which encrypts data and holds it hostage, forcing users to pay a ransom in order to unlock and regain access to their data.
• Spyware, which monitors and “spies” on user activity on behalf of a hacker.

Furthermore, malware can be delivered via:

• Trojan horses, which infect computers through a seemingly benign entry point, often disguised as a legitimate application or other piece of software.
• Viruses, which corrupt, erase, modify, or capture data and, at times, physically damage computers. Viruses can spread from computer to computer, including when they are unintentionally installed by compromised users.
• Worms, which are designed to self-replicate and autonomously spread through all connected computers that are susceptible to the same vulnerabilities. .

4. Phishing Attack

A phishing attack is when hackers try to trick people into doing something. Phishing scams can be delivered through a seemingly legitimate download, link, or message.

It’s a very common type of cyber attack — 57% of respondents in a third-party survey said their organization experienced a successful phishing attack in 2020, up from 55% in 2019. And the impact of successful phishing attacks range from loss of data to financial loss. 

Image Source

Phishing is typically done over email or through a fake website; it’s also known as spoofing. Additionally, spear phishing refers to when a hacker focuses on attacking a particular person or company, instead of creating more general-purpose spams.

5. Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) Attack

A Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) attack is when an attacker intercepts communications or transactions between two parties and inserts themselves in the middle. The attacker can then intercept, manipulate, and steal data before it reaches its legitimate destination. For example, say a visitor is using a device on public WiFi that hasn’t been secured properly, or at all. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability and insert themselves between the visitor’s device and the network to intercept login credentials, payment card information, and more.

This type of cyber attack is so successful because the victim has no idea that there is a “man in the middle.” It just seems like they’re browsing the web, logging into their bank app, and so on.

Image Source

6. Cross Site Scripting Attack

A cross site scripting attack, or XSS attack, is when an attacker injects malicious code into an otherwise legitimate website or application in order to execute that malicious code in another user’s web browser.

Because that browser thinks the code is coming from a trusted source, it will execute the code and forward information to the attacker. This information might be a session token or cookie, login credentials, or other personal data. 

Here's an illustrated example of an XSS attack:

Image Source

7.  SQL Injection Attack

An SQL injection attack is when an attacker submits malicious code through an unprotected form or search box in order to gain the ability to view and modify the website’s database. The attacker might use SQL, short for Structured Query Language, to make new accounts on your site, add unauthorized links and content, and edit or delete data.

This is a common WordPress security issue since SQL is the preferred language on WordPress for database management.

Cybersecurity Best Practices: How to Secure Your Data

Cybersecurity can’t be boiled down into a 1-2-3-step process. Securing your data involves a mix of best practices and defensive cybersecurity techniques. Dedicating time and resources to both is the best way to secure your — and your customers’ — data.

Defensive Cybersecurity Solutions

All businesses should invest in preventative cybersecurity solutions. Implementing these systems and adopting good cybersecurity habits (which we discuss next) will protect your network and computers from outside threats.

Here’s a list of five defensive cybersecurity systems and software options that can prevent cyber attacks — and the inevitable headache that follows. Consider combining these solutions to cover all your digital bases.

Antivirus Software

Antivirus software is the digital equivalent of taking that vitamin C boost during flu season. It’s a preventative measure that monitors for bugs. The job of antivirus software is to detect viruses on your computer and remove them, much like vitamin C does when bad things enter your immune system. (Spoken like a true medical professional …) Antivirus software also alerts you to potentially unsafe web pages and software.

Learn more: McAfee, Norton. or Panda (for free)

Firewall

A firewall is a digital wall that keeps malicious users and software out of your computer. It uses a filter that assesses the safety and legitimacy of everything that wants to enter your computer; it’s like an invisible judge that sits between you and the internet. Firewalls are both software and hardware-based.

Learn more: McAfee LiveSafe or Kaspersky Internet Security

Single Sign-On (SSO)

Single sign-on (SSO) is a centralized authentication service through which one login is used to access an entire platform of accounts and software. If you’ve ever used your Google account to sign up or into an account, you’ve used SSO. Enterprises and corporations use SSO to allow employees access to internal applications that contain proprietary data.

Learn more: Okta or LastPass

Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

Two-factor authentication (2FA) is a login process that requires a username or pin number and access to an external device or account, such as an email address, phone number, or security software. 2FA requires users to confirm their identity through both and, because of that, is far more secure than single factor authentication.

Learn more: Duo

Virtual Private Network (VPN)

A virtual private network (VPN) creates a “tunnel” through which your data travels when entering and exiting a web server. That tunnel encrypts and protects your data so that it can’t be read (or spied on) by hackers or malicious software. While a VPN protects against spyware, it can’t prevent viruses from entering your computer through seemingly legitimate channels, like phishing or even a fake VPN link. Because of this, VPNs should be combined with other defensive cybersecurity measures in order to protect your data.

Learn more: Cisco's AnyConnect or Palo Alto Networks’ GlobalProtect

Cybersecurity Tips for Business

Defensive cybersecurity solutions won’t work unless you do. To ensure your business and customer data is protected, adopt these good cybersecurity habits across your organization.

Require strong credentials.

Require both your employees and users (if applicable) to create strong passwords. This can be done by implementing a character minimum as well as requiring a mix of upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. More complicated passwords are harder to guess by both individuals and bots. Also, require that passwords be changed regularly.

Control and monitor employee activity.

Within your business, only give access to important data to authorized employees who need it for their job. Prohibit data from sharing outside the organization, require permission for external software downloads, and encourage employees to lock their computers and accounts whenever not in use.

Know your network.

With the rise of the Internet of Things, IoT devices are popping up on company networks like crazy. These devices, which are not under company management, can introduce risk as they’re often unsecured and run vulnerable software that can be exploited by hackers and provide a direct pathway into an internal network.

“Make sure you have visibility into all the IoT devices on your network. Everything on your corporate network should be identified, properly categorized, and controlled. By knowing what devices are on your network, controlling how they connect to it, and monitoring them for suspicious activities, you'll drastically reduce the landscape attackers are playing on.” — Nick Duda, Principal Security Officer at HubSpot

Read about how HubSpot gains device visibility and automates security management in this case study compiled by security software ForeScout.

Download patches and updates regularly.

Software vendors regularly release updates that address and fix vulnerabilities. Keep your software safe by updating it on a consistent basis. Consider configuring your software to update automatically so you never forget.

Make it easy for employees to escalate issues.

If your employee comes across a phishing email or compromised web page, you want to know immediately. Set up a system for receiving these issues from employees by dedicating an inbox to these notifications or creating a form that people can fill out.

Cybersecurity Tips for Individuals

Cyber threats can affect you as an individual consumer and internet user, too. Adopt these good habits to protect your personal data and avoid cyber attacks.

Mix up your passwords.

Using the same password for all your important accounts is the digital equivalent of leaving a spare key under your front doormat. A recent study found that over 80% of data breaches were a result of weak or stolen passwords. Even if a business or software account doesn’t require a strong password, always choose one that has a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols and change it regularly.

Monitor your bank accounts and credit frequently.

Review your statements, credit reports, and other critical data on a regular basis and report any suspicious activity. Additionally, only release your social security number when absolutely necessary.

Be intentional online.

Keep an eye out for phishing emails or illegitimate downloads. If a link or website looks fishy (ha — get it?), it probably is. Look for bad spelling and grammar, suspicious URLs, and mismatched email addresses. Lastly, download antivirus and security software to alert you of potential and known malware sources.

Back up your data regularly.

This habit is good for businesses and individuals to master — data can be compromised for both parties. Consider backups on both cloud and physical locations, such as a hard drive or thumb drive.

Why You Should Care About Cybersecurity

According to a report by RiskBased Security, there were 3,932 data breaches reported in 2020, which exposed over 37 billion records. Moreover, a recent study found that the global average cost of a data breach amounted to 3.86 million U.S. dollars in 2020. That means the cost of data breaches amounted to approximately 15.2 billion dollars last year.

Small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are especially at risk. You might see corporations like Target and Sears topping the headlines as top data breach victims, but it’s actually SMBs that hackers prefer to target.

Why? They have more — and more valuable — digital assets than your average consumer but less security than a larger enterprise-level company … placing them right in a “hackers' cybersecurity sweet spot.”

Security breaches are frustrating and frightening for both businesses and consumers. In a survey by Measure Protocol, approximately 86% of respondents said that recent privacy breaches in the news had impacted their willingness to share personal information to some extent.

But cybersecurity is about more than just avoiding a PR nightmare. Investing in cybersecurity builds trust with your customers. It encourages transparency and reduces friction as customers become advocates for your brand.

“Everyone has a role in helping to protect customers’ data. Here at HubSpot, every employee is empowered to solve for customer needs in a safe and secure way. We want to harness everyone’s energy to provide a platform that customers trust to correctly and safely store their data.” — Chris McLellan, HubSpot Chief Security Officer

Keep your business ahead of the tech curve with the tips, systems & recommended resources in our guide to staying current on emerging tech.

Cybersecurity Resources

The resources below will help you learn more about cybersecurity and how to better equip your business and team. We also recommend checking out the most popular cybersecurity podcasts and cybersecurity blogs, too.

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

NIST is a government agency that promotes excellence in science and industry. It also contains a Cybersecurity department and routinely publishes guides that standards.

Bookmark: The Computer Security Resource Center (CSRC) for security best practices, called NIST Special Publications (SPs).

The Center for Internet Security (CIS)

CIS is a global, non-profit security resource and IT community used and trusted by experts in the field.

Bookmark: The CIS Top 20 Critical Security Controls, which is a prioritized set of best practices created to stop the most pervasive and dangerous threats of today. It was developed by leading security experts from around the world and is refined and validated every year.

Cybrary

Cybrary is an online cybersecurity education resource. It offers mostly free, full-length educational videos, certifications, and more for all kinds of cybersecurity topics and specializations.

Bookmark: The Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) 2021, which is the most recent course for information security professionals. Earning this "gold standard" of security certifications will set you apart from other information security professionals.

The Cyber Readiness Institute

The Cyber Readiness Institute is an initiative that convenes business leaders from different sectors and regions to share resources and knowledge to ultimately advance the cyber readiness of small and medium-sized businesses.

Bookmark: The Cyber Readiness Program, which is a free, online program designed to help small and medium-sized enterprises secure their data, employees, vendors, and customers against today’s most common cyber vulnerabilities.

Signing Off … Securely

Cyber attacks may be intimidating, but cybersecurity as a topic doesn’t have to be. It’s imperative to be prepared and armed, especially if you’re handling others’ data. Businesses should dedicate time and resources to protecting their computers, servers, networks, and software and should stay up-to-date with emerging tech.

Handling data with care only makes your business more trustworthy and transparent — and your customers more loyal.

Note: Any legal information in this content is not the same as legal advice, where an attorney applies the law to your specific circumstances, so we insist that you consult an attorney if you’d like advice on your interpretation of this information or its accuracy. In a nutshell, you may not rely on this as legal advice or as a recommendation of any particular legal understanding.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in February 2019 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

Cybersecurity: The Ultimate Guide to Defending Against Cyber Attacks was originally posted by Local Sign Company Irvine, Ca. https://goo.gl/4NmUQV https://goo.gl/bQ1zHR http://www.pearltrees.com/anaheimsigns

Twitter Communities: How Marketers Can Leverage It in Their Strategy

According to a 2019 Sprout Social Index survey, 40% of marketers believe private community groups are becoming more important. And 23% of consumers agree with them.

LinkedIn and Facebook have long implemented private groups within their platforms while Instagram and Twitter haven't yet offered that feature.

That was until Sept. 2021 when Twitter announced that it was testing its own subcommunity platform called Twitter Communities.

Let's take a look at how it works and how it can help brands connect with their target audience.

This experiment is Twitter's latest attempt to help connect users. While hashtags, Twitter Lists, the "Moments" and "Topics" features can help surface conversations you're interested in, it can be difficult to identify (and consistently engage with) users who share your interests.

Twitter Communities is meant to close that gap and provide one place for users to meet with users with whom they share personal and professional interests.

There are three types of users in Twitter Communities:

• Admins who own the Community and manage its members.
• Moderators who ensure the Community is safe, facilitate conversation, and connect like-minded people.
• Members who have been invited into the Community and now can engage with other members.

Image Source

As a member, say you Tweet something to your Community. Anyone on Twitter can read, quote Tweet, and report it. However, only fellow members can interact with the Tweet, i.e.: Reply.

A Community can be based on any interest (as long as it follows Twitter's terms of service), anything from career and finance to pets and astrology.

Currently, the platform is only available on IOS devices and on the web, with Android users having read-only access. However, Twitter does have plans to expand to Android devices soon.

Why You Should Use Twitter Communities

Similar to LinkedIn Groups and Facebook Groups, Twitter Communities is another way for brands to reach their audiences.

Because users will be connected by shared interests, brands can narrow down the Communities that align with their target audience and use it to connect with them.

We know that community building is key in building trust with users on social media, particularly with those who are near the top of the funnel. As such, using a platform like Twitter Communities helps brands connect with users and get a better sense of what resonates with them.

Finding Twitter Communities

As it currently stands, you can only access Twitter communities if you are invited or if you are approved to be an admin to start your own.

In that case, the Communities tab will show up on your Twitter app or on the sidebar of the web app. As a non-member, you can view the Community page and timeline if it has been shared with you but you cannot interact with the Tweets or request to join.

Because it's in beta testing, Twitter has set up a request form where users can ask to become an admin or moderator. To qualify, your account must:

• Be public.
• Be at least six months old.
• Have a verified phone number or email address.
• Have two-factor authentication turned on.
• Not have a history of violating Twitter's terms of service.

Once you are approved, you must continue to meet these eligibility requirements to maintain your privileges.

With the HubSpot Marketing Hub, you can integrate your Twitter account, which allows you to schedule and publish Tweets and track your key metrics right from the platform.

How Marketers Can Leverage Twitter Communities

Twitter Communities is another tool marketers can use to connect with their target audience and build a community around their brand.

Brands should avoid using Twitter Communities as a way to promote products and/or services to specific groups of users.

A good rule of thumb to follow with any social network is to focus on engagement, not promotion. While promoting your products and/or services is a natural part of building your brand awareness, it shouldn't be your sole content strategy.

Instead, focus on connecting with your users by posting content they care about. With Twitter Communities, it's even easier to accomplish this, as you can tailor your content to specific sub-audiences within your broader followers.

It's also an opportunity to learn more about your users and see which topics they discuss, what their pain points are, what challenges they face, and what resonates with them.

Twitter Communities: How Marketers Can Leverage It in Their Strategy was originally posted by Local Sign Company Irvine, Ca. https://goo.gl/4NmUQV https://goo.gl/bQ1zHR http://www.pearltrees.com/anaheimsigns

The Marketing Trends of 2022 [The Ultimate Guide]

The marketing world moves at the speed of light.

And, in 2021, we saw just how quickly the marketing industry can evolve.

In the last year, marketers embraced digital transformation more than ever as they adapted to constantly changing virtual and hybrid business landscapes during COVID-19 pandemic.

Then, as countries cautiously reopened -- and more consumers left the house -- some businesses saw slumps in the virtual engagement and online traffic they'd recently relied on. 

As a marketer at any experience level, keeping up with these changes isn’t always easy. But, to succeed in the fast-paced marketing world -- and maintain a sense of relevance with your audience -- it's vital to stay ahead of them.

Marketing trends allow you to:

• Keep up with the way consumers shop and research your products and services (and those of your competitors')
• Stay up to date with changes in consumer behavior and priorities
• Ensure you're ahead of the curve in terms of knowing who your target audience is and what they need from your business
• Listen and respond to changes in the market to help you save money
• Stay relevant in your target marketplace and among your competitors (now and in the long run)

To help businesses build cutting-edge and competitive marketing strategies in 2022, the HubSpot Blog surveyed more than 1000 global marketing professionals from both B2B and B2C brands -- while also talking to a handful of industry experts -- to create this bookmarkable guide of marketing trends to watch in the next year.

Below are some of the key strategies, trends, and tactics brands will invest in or expand on in 2022.

1. Influencer marketing will evolve from trend to common marketing tactic.

When we asked global marketing professionals which trends they planned to invest in for 2022, 34% said influencer marketing, putting it at the top of the list -- above other trends like mobile web design and short-form video marketing. 

While 57% of marketing professionals that currently leverage influencer marketing say it's effective, 46% of them plan to increase their investments in 2022. Additionally,11% say it's the top ROI-generating trend they've tested.

How and why has influencer marketing gone from an intriguing trend to a commonly-used marketing tactic? Well, influencers are often masters of the platforms they use and the field or topic they talk about. They already have an audience that is engaged, interested in their content, and influenced by the information they provide.

When marketers collaborate with influencers and industry thought leaders in their industry, they can expand brand awareness and gain fans from the influencer's own audience. 

Can't afford to hire a celebrity influencer with millions of followers? That's okay. In fact, more than 56% of marketers who invest in influencer marketing work with micro influceners.

Micro-influencers are social media promoters with a smaller following (typically, thousands to tens of thousands of followers). Although they have fewer followers, their posts often pack more punch due to their higher level of engagement.

These influencers have found a niche in their industry, too — which is why they've started to play a bigger role in converting leads, connecting with audiences, and boosting brand awareness.

Because micro-influencers are still considered “everyday” people (unlike hard-to-reach celebrities), their audiences are actually more likely to trust their opinions and recommendations.

For example, Rosie, who's known as The Londoner, is a popular travel and lifestyle influencer with over 330k loyal followers who interact and engage with her posts. The below image of a post on profile shows that with almost 36,000 likes, Rosie is garnering almost 11% engagement.

Source

Although it's tempting to only look at just follower count when determining if an influencer is right for your brand, remember that true influence lives in engagement rates (clicks, subscribes, and purchases).

Featured Resources

• How to Become an Influencer in Your Industry
• The 6-Step Process to Maximize Your Influencer Outreach

Want to learn more about other social media trends we discovered in our survey, click here to jump to the section below.  

2. Video marketers will keep content short.

In our survey, we learned that short-form content is the second most effective trend marketers are currently leveraging. 

More than 31% of global marketers currently invest in short-form video content, 46% of them consider the strategy effective when it comes to performance and engagement. And, in 2022, 89% of global marketers plan to continue investing in it or increase their investment. 

Download image

While long-form videos can offer depth and large amounts of information about a product, brand, or services to audiences, both B2C and B2B marketers have learned that getting to the point with short-form videos can actually be much more effective. 

Not only does it take less bandwidth to create a short-form video, but this type of format aligns well with the fast-paced attention spans of online audiences in a variety of demographics. This is likely why platforms like TikTok, Reels, and -- in previous years -- Snapchat have gained quick growth and marketing interest. 

Still not convinced that short-form videos can be effective in your marketing strategy? Check out this great example of a TikTok video from Canva that informs viewers of just how easy it is to make professional-looking graphics with the website. 

@canva_ph

Tara, design with us!✨ ##CanvaPH

♬ 아무노래 - ZICO

Jump to our Content Marketing Trends section to see more trends.

Featured Resources

• The Ultimate Video Marketing Starter Pack
• YouTube for Business: A 30-Day Roadmap for Channel Growth
• How to Use Video in Every Stage of the Buyer's Journey

3. Mobile optimization will be even more important. 

It's no surprise that consumers are spending more and more time on mobile devices. In fact, more than half of annual online website traffic comes from mobile devices, including tablets.  

And, as millennials and Gen Z audiences continue to grow buying power, mobile-optimized digital experiences will be even more vital to consider as a business owner who markets to these fast-paced, highly connected generations. 

Above are just some of the reasons why:

• 33% of global marketers invest in mobile web design,
• 84% of marketers that focus on mobile web design are planning to continue to invest the same amount or more in 2022
• 64% of SEO marketers call mobile optimization an effective investment

And, mobile experiences aren't just important on brand websites, they're also important in other key marketing strategies. For example, 56% of marketers who work with email are focused on delivering mobile email experiences to subscribers. 

Featured Resource

• The Marketer's Guide to Mobile

4. Permanent social media posts could overtake ephemeral content.

While ephemeral content -- which often stays published for 24-hours before disappearing (unless it's saved or archived) -- isn't going away any time soon, brands have seen that permanent social media content -- such as standard posts, videos, and live events that show up on a platform's feed and can be viewed again days later -- might be more effective within their marketing campaigns. 

Our survey results show that 44% of global marketers plan to increase their investment in permanent social media content, while 8% say it generates the most ROI compared to other marketing strategies they leverage. Meanwhile, 25% of respondents called ephemeral content the "least effective" trend they invested in. 

Lastly, 37% of marketers said they plan to decrease their investment in ephemeral content. 

Download image

If you're focused on the bottom line and generating solid ROI, ephemeral might not be the best strategy to lean into. However, we don't encourage fully writing it off because it still can provide other brand awareness benefits and interesting content experiences for your audience.

While ephemeral content, like Instagram Stories, Facebook Stories, and LinkedIn Stories, promotes a sense of urgency and enables brands to get more creative, but permanent content can be searched and discovered by audiences who might not have seen or engaged with it on the day it was published. 

Ultimately, brands should weigh the pros and cons of which format is best for their brand or campaign. 

Kelly Hendrickson, a social media marketing manager at HubSpot, says: “Ephemeral content versus permanent content is often dictated by the social platform, as well as by the audience's behavior on the platform.”

Take Instagram, for example:

“[Instagram] Stories are soaring in popularity, and the user behavior on Stories leans toward playful, low-fi, quick content with heavy use of features within the UX (gifs, boomerangs, polls, etc). Their fleeting design isn’t the only differentiating factor. Instagram Stories can be heavily edited, too, with filters, GIFs, colored text, and more. Because of these fun additions, brands have added a brand new strategy for producing and publishing ephemeral content that varies from their other social media content.”

Meanwhile, permanent content has its own pros and cons, 

“Instagram can organically serve up a wall post across a wide span of time, so there's less of an opportunity for brands to be timely (who wants to see New Year's post when they’ve already given up on their resolutions?!). Since Instagram users are more active on weekdays, during the standard workday, it seems users are looking for a break," Hendrickson explains. 

"It’s critical to use your brand voice and point of view to find how you can serve your audience during that break. Should your presence be inspirational, beautiful, informative, playful, or trendy? They all have a place on Instagram’s permanent wall, it just needs to match your brand’s message," says Hendrickson.

By combining ephemeral and permanent social media content on platforms such as Instagram and Facebook, you allow your business to showcase more of your brand’s personality and flair.

Hendrickson says, “The combo of a running clock and a lively audience is a huge opportunity for brands to lean into quick, in-the-moment content that showcases the more light-hearted elements of their brand. Succinctness and clarity are key in content.”

While we recommend playing with a mix of ephemeral and permanent social media content in your strategy, this data shows that it will be important for brands to continue to weigh the pros and cons of each format to determine which is right for them. 

Jump to this post's social media section to learn more about the latest trends.

5. Companies will prioritize social responsibility.

Although 31% of marketers say social responsibility is ineffective when it comes to campaign engagement or performance, 45% still plan to invest in it throughout the next year.

Why? Because with the current state of things, social responsibility, ethics, and transparency matter to the modern consumer.

The interest in buying products from socially responsible brands really took during the many global events of 2020 and 2021. 

As the COVID-19 pandemic took its toll on the world, it highlighted the pains employees had to endure in the workplace and in politics. Employees became more vocal about their frustrations, inequality, and workplace treatment.

Additionally, early research from organizations like McKinsey predicted that customers would more heavily support brands that demonstrated their care for all customers, employees, and shared causes. 

With all of this in mind, companies have begun to pivot social media strategies to focus more on inclusive initiatives, promotions, and offerings, while highlighting causes or missions they support. Although this might not sell products immediately, showing a sense of social responsibility is still both thoughtful and effective.

Senior Lecturer in Leadership and Innovation, Hal Gregersen, shares his perspective on the subject:

“If there can be a perfect storm of opportunity for strengthening D&I [diversity and inclusion] in organizations, I believe it is happening now. I saw public and private conversations about diversity, equity, and fairness reach new heights during 2020, which will likely cause barriers to change or fade. With the pandemic, traditional ways of doing business and of working were upended, and now, barriers to the idea of change are dissolving.”

Companies that are trying to change with the times should become more transparent about their efforts to make the workplace and physical businesses more equal and their plans to expand their diversity and inclusion initiatives.

6. Experiential marketing could make a comeback.

Experiential marketing campaigns enable audiences to step into an immersive experience that is often in a physical place or via an AR/VR platform. 

One example of an experiential campaign you might have seen in the past was M&M's Flavor Room pop-up.

Image Source

The experience included orb-shaped "rooms," which were each complete with decor and fragrances unique to a certain candy flavor. The pop-up, which was based in NYC back in 2018, also included snack and drink lounges with M&M-themed cocktails — which, I'm willing to bet, we're great opportunities for M&M to appear on different attendees' social pages. 

Although immersive experiences like these were fun, effective, and highly shareable on social media, they ran into barriers in 2020 and 2021 as businesses, public venues, and entire countries were forced to shut down public operations in the global pandemic.

And, because producing a branded AR/VR experience is a high-budget bet that can also rely on audiences to have tools like AR/VR headsets or the latest smartphone technology to access the content -- fewer small brands have invested in digital experiential marketing.

That's why it's not shocking that only 29% of those we polled were investing in experiential marketing in 2021, while just only 14% invested in AR/VR. 

But, now, as public areas begin to reopen, and digitally immersive platforms continue to get more accessible to larger audiences, the global marketing professionals we surveyed are putting the possibility of experiential marketing back on the table again for 2022. 

According to our research, 58% of marketers who currently leverage experiential marketing call it an effective strategy, while 48% of this group plans to increase experiential investments in 2022. Additionally, 9% of marketers plan to invest in experiential marketing for the first time. 

7. More businesses will use SEO to concur search traffic.

As marketers, we must ensure that our websites and content are as discoverable as possible -- especially on Google -- which can provide both long-term and short-term traffic returns. And, while SEO is not new, it's strategies are becoming even more engrained within modern day marketing strategies. 

While SEO was the sixth marketing trends those surveyed were leveraging, with 28% of marketers saying they currently used it. Of those marketers 49% of marketers call it effective while 84% continue to invest the same amount or more into the tactic in 2022. 

As the interest and need for SEO strategies grows, so do all search optimization opportunities. As Google algorithms have evolved, SEO has because about much more than churning out basic posts that answer simple search queries. Now, brands are investing in SEO experts who can help them with everything from search insights reports, to multimedia optimization. 

Want more data on how brands are investing in SEO, jump to this post's SEO trends section. 

8. Virtual events will continue, but some brands will invest less.

In 2022, we expect to see more hybrid marketing strategies that still allow audiences to embrace virtual events and conferences, as well as physical opportunities. When polling global marketing professionals, the data we received lined up with this prediction. 

In 2021, 51% of marketers were investing in virtual events. However, 17% of these marketers plan to decrease their investments in 2022.

Despite losing some shrinking virtual event budgets, marketers won't be leaving the virtual event space any time soon. In fact, a whopping 80% of marketers plan to invest the same budget or more into virtual events in 2022.

9. More consumers will hear branded audio content.

In the summer of 2021, marketers were perplexed by Clubhouse -- an invitation-only audio chatroom app that quickly gained millions of users without publishing any visual content. And, as Clubhouse took our field by storm, platforms like Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook unsurprising rushed to start investing in, testing, and/or launching similar features. 

Meanwhile, throughout the year, a number of big brands -- like HubSpot -- expanded their podcast content and networks to meet even more listeners. 

Now, as audio content becomes much more common in the online world, marketers might be wondering if this format could benefit their brand. 

According to our research, 53% of professionals who's companies leverage content marketing find "podcasts or otther types of audio content" effective when it comes to engagement and brand awareness. However, only 1% of marketers that leverage audio content say it yields ROI. Still, 80% plan to invest the same amount or more budget into audio content and podcasts in 2022. 

When it came to investments in audio chatrooms, like Clubhouse or Twitter Spaces, we saw a similar theme. Although only 16% of marketers say they've invested in this trend, 34% of those marketers find it effective. While, again, around 1% of marketers that use audio chatrooms say it yields ROI, 84% of them plan to continue investing the same amount or more in 2022. 

Although audio platforms might not have great monetizing features or conversion paths, this data hints that they still provide the engagement and brand awareness companies need to see from them for a continued investment. 

10. Inbound marketing will remain a best practice for growing brands.

While inbound marketing has been around for years, 27% of marketers say they will leverage it for the first time in 2022. while 11% of marketers say it will be their biggest investment in the next year. 

In a time of digital transformation, embracing inbound marketing is an incredibly smart move. 

Throughout the last two years, the world's dealt with unprecedented change, and outbound marketing tactics have become even less effective in reaching prospects and leads.

The shift from in-person to hybrid work from home (WFH) business practices have made inbound marketing come to the forefront of effective tactics. For example, there’s been a significant rise in virtual events due to COVID-19 forcing marketers to get creative to catch the attention of customers.

John Hazard, the founder and content strategist at digital marketing agency Lighthouse Creative Group, sees this as a place of opportunity to generate interest despite their typical formulaic production. “Screen fatigue is a big issue for brands."

Hazard adds, "As virtual events have exploded as a replacement for in-person engagement, every business has tried to roll out events, webinars, and virtual conferences. But most are just PowerPoint presentations or an executive talking with their kitchen in the background. That’s not interesting … So, the race is on in 2021 for polish and production value — graphics, directors, professional hosts, equipment, and no kitchen backdrops."

Inbound marketing can be a valuable asset to create brand awareness and build trust digitally through refocusing strategy to drive customers to seek out your content.

The process of inbound marketing requires you to product quality, valuable content tailored towards your target audience and buyer personas and their needs.

Why Brands Are Adopting the Flywheel

The marketing funnel is old news. Today, the flywheel — and a subsequent focus on service — have replaced the one-way direction of the funnel and lives at the center of many inbound marketing strategies.

In the world of the marketing funnel, customers were an afterthought. Once they became a paying customer, businesses considered them obsolete — until, of course, it was time re-sign that contract.

The flywheel, on the other hand, places the customer in the center. Since word-of-mouth marketing is one of the most powerful marketing tactics, it’s wise to not only serve your customers but also equip them to become advocates for and promoters of your brand. The flywheel illustrates this process: excellent service as its own marketing strategy.

By keeping the flywheel at the center of your marketing efforts, you'll delight and empower your customers. It’s worthwhile to place a heavy emphasis on customer service and train your team to handle requests and issues.

This will lead to customers who can market for you — they can promote and advocate for your business via their networks both online and in-person.

Featured Resource

• The Ultimate Customer Case Study Creation Kit (+ Free Templates)

11. Consumers will step into virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) experiences.

In 2021, 35% of marketers were leveraging AR or VR in their strategies. Of those marketers, 42% plan to increase their investment in 2022.

And, of the marketers who didn't leverage AR or VR in 2021, 9% will experiment with it for the first time in 2022. 

Virtual reality is viewing a computer-generated, lifelike scenario. Augmented reality is viewing the real world augmented with visual, haptic, olfactory or visual additions. VR and AR offer different experiences, but both are making waves in the marketing world today.

They’re affecting your lives, too. Ever watched a 360° video on Facebook? That’s VR. What about IKEA’s IKEA PLACE app which helps you visualize virtual furniture in your very real room? That’s AR.

VR and AR are used to supplement and improve customer experiences online and at events. Generally speaking, this is a trend marketers have been slower to adopt due to pricey equipment and bulky headsets. But, as VR glasses and AR apps become more accessible, businesses can expect to add this technology to their marketing strategy.

12. ABM will align more sales and marketing teams. 

In 2021, 62% of marketers leveraged account-based marketing, or ABM, to win over customers. And, in 2022, 33% of marketers who haven't used it plan to invest in it for the first time. 

While ABM isn't new, it is quickly gaining more and more steam and awareness from startups and larger companies alike. For those who are just learning about it now, ABM is a smarketing (or sales and marketing) technique where marketers leverage information about prospects and customers provided by sales teams in order to cater campaigns to them. 

Featured Resource:

• How to Implement an Account-Based Marketing Strategy

13. More brands will test out native ads. 

In 2021, 24% of global marketers the HubSpot Blog surveyed currently invest in native advertising. Moving into 2022, 23% of those who haven't leveraged it plan to for the first time in 2022. 

Why the growing interest in this strategy? It works. Of the marketers who use native ads, more than 36% say it's effective, while nearly 5% say it's their top ROI-generating tactic. 

When your brand pays to feature content on a third-party website, you’re investing in native advertising. Unlike traditional advertising, which is designed to interrupt and stand out, native advertising is designed to blend in and promote your brand to a new audience who might otherwise never learn about you.

Because native ads don’t “feel” like traditional ads, consumers are more likely to consume them — in fact, consumers view native ads over 50% more than banner ads. Examples of native advertising can be found on social media, through search engine results, content recommendation platforms (those links to various other content you can click at the bottom of the page to read more on or related to the topic), or in campaigns.

For example, Instagram is a popular social media network that routinely partners with brands for native advertising. By taking advantage of the Instagram Story or Shop features, brands are able to share posts that look similar to the average user’s followers posting style, while subtly advertising a product.

Image Source

To incorporate native advertising in your marketing efforts, look for publications relevant to your brand. Remember to sound natural and avoid coming off as pushy or blatantly promotional.

Now that you've read up on the highlights of our Marketing Strategy research, keep scrolling to see a breakdown of trends by category 

Content Marketing Trends

At least 47% of buyers view three to five pieces of content prior to engaging with a sales rep, and the majority of them expect brands to create content to gain their interest. That's why brands all around the world have only grown their investments in content marketing.

In fact, in 2022, the top three roles marketing leaders will prioritize hiring are content creators, content marketing managers, and content strategists. 

Download Image

But what content strategies are brands investing in? Below are just a few trends you'll want to follow in 2022. 

Featured Resources

• 386+ Content Creation Templates
• 5 Free Blog Post Templates

14. Video will remain the top marketing content format.

In HubSpot's 2021 Not Another State of Marketing Report, video marketing was the most effective marketing format. And, this year, in our own survey, that hasn't changed at all.

When looking at the most effective content strategies, video marketing appears at the top before blogging or even email marketing. 

Download image

Our survey found that 59% of survey participants use video in their content marketing strategy, while 76% of marketers that leverage video call it their most effective content format. Not to mention, one in four marketers who use video (or 27%) say it's the content type that yields the biggest ROI. 

"Video creates a deeper connection with your potential customer base and it is easy for brands to repurpose video content into podcasts and text-based content," Neil Patel CMO and Co-Founder of NP Digital, says. "But on the flip side if you create text or audio content first, it is harder to turn it into video. So in 2022 look for brands to create more video content. It will be done in the form or just straight video, short clips like reels and even live streaming."

In the past, video creation and marketing strategies were limited due to costly resources and production. Today, it’s much more accessible. With a lower-cost barrier, video has become less intimidating to incorporate into your marketing efforts.

"2022 will be the year of video. Why? Because organizations have finally gotten more comfortable with it and realize it’s a way to engage their audience, communicate offerings, and provide infotainment," says Aytekin Tank, Founder & CEO of JotForm.

"Our company, Jotform, has been ramping up our video efforts on YouTube. We have over 16,000 subscribers and have seen a huge increase in site traffic and signups from investing in video on this platform," Tank explains. "Like many other B2B and B2C companies, we’re going full force with video and expect to ramp it up even further in 2022."

You don’t have to hire a production team or marketing agency; all you need is a smartphone, such as an iPhone, and affordable editing software. Don't believe us? This post highlights how our own video marketers created video content from home at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

15. Blogging isn't going anywhere.

Blogging has been a commonly used marketing strategy since brands started building their own websites. But, the age of tthis tactic shouldn't be a sign that it's out-of-date. In fact, blogging has been used for so long simply because it works. 

While 48% of companies with a content marketing strategy blog, 56% of marketers who leverage blogging say it's effective and 10% say it's the content type that generates the biggest ROI. 

This data from marketers isn't too shocking. When polling consumer audiences recently,  our research suggested that most consumers read blogs multiple times per week and have purchased something from a brand after reading the company's blog. 

Aside from providing consumer engagement and potentially conversion, blogs also provide a major key benefit to your website or online pages: search discoverability.

Ultimately, sites with robust blogs have more search potential and can implement SEO strategies much easier than sites that don't.

Think about it this way. If a prospective client wants to hire a virtual accountant, and your firm's site has a blog post that highlights tax tips or strategies your accountants use, this person might find your post or website via Google search, read your post and explore your website, and then decide that they want to contact you for a consultation or accounting assistance. 

If you haven't considered a blog by this point, but are intrigued by this data, check out these resources to help you build out your own strategy: 

16. Case studies will continue to drive leads and brand credibility.

Longer-form case studies offer prospects an incredibly deep and exclusive look into how people or brands benefit from a product, service, or strategy. While some businesses place them publicly on their web pages to persuade a potential buyer as quickly as possible. others might gate them as free PDFs that require a lead conversion to be downloaded.

Although many marketers, such as those in B2C industries, don't leverage case studies, those that do find them effective. In our survey, 64% of marketers who launch case studies found them effective and 15% said they brought the biggest ROI of the content formats they leveraged.

Additionally, case study usage in content marketing is only growing: 37% of marketers we polled plan to use case studies in their marketing strategy for the first time in 2022.

17. Marketers will embrace data with infographics.

If a picture paints a thousand words, infographics could paint at least double.

Infographics not only have the shareability and visual appeal of a nice photo -- but they're also packed with helpful data and informative information. This makes them incredibly engaging to web visitors and social media audiences alike.

According to our research, 38% of marketers plan to leverage infographics for the first time in 2022, while 45% of marketers are already using them. 

Download image

Of the marketers who regularly use infographics in their content strategy, 56% say they are their most effective content type. 

Ultimately, credible data can help marketers, bloggers, and content creators tell compelling and persuasive stories. Why else do you think we surveyed hundreds of marketing professionals to create this content?

Featured Resources

• How to Start a Successful Blog [Free eBook]
• The Complete Collection of Content Marketing Templates
• Free Editorial Calendar Templates

Social Media Marketing Trends

In the U.S. alone, 79% of people have some type of social media account — and globally, there are over 3.7 billion social media users.

This is why social media marketing is a popular channel that's become a part of almost every business’s greater marketing strategy. Social media marketing allows you to authentically connect with your audience on a personal level, humanizing your brand.

18. Live content will be a leading social media format. 

Of the social media marketers we polled in our Marketing Strategy survey, 68% said that audio chat rooms (such as Clubhouse rooms and Twitter Spaces) were the msot effective social media content, while 59% said they same for live video. 

And, while 9% of those respondents say that live video content drives the biggest ROI of all the social media content types they use, 96% of those investing in live audio content plan to spend the same amount or more on it throughout 2022. 

Today, consumers are increasingly looking for relatable and authentic content -- especially from brands. Live video streams and audio chat rooms enable brand audiences to connect even more with these audiences while also discussing their brand, products, expertise or mission. On top of being able to see experts in a more uncensored and authentic environment, live audio or video streams also often have interactive features, such as comments, engagements or hand-raise opportunities that allow audiences to interact directly with those hosting a stream. 

19. TikTok will continue to gain brand interest.

Brands have been trying to untap the true power of TikTok ever since it first began to go viral three years ago. Now, with well-over 1 billion global users, TikTok has positioned itself as an app for a wide variety of audiences and marketers. It's also begun to launch a number of new advertising and marketing features for businesses of all different sizes. 

That's why it isn't shocking that a whopping 67% of marketers plan to increase their investment in TikTok in 2022. Meanwhile, 10% of marketers who use social media say TikTok will be the platform they invest the most in throughout the next year. 

20. Most marketers will focus on just three to five social media platforms.

Every business has its own sweet spot when it comes to the number of social media platforms they should use. While only 11% of social media marketers we polled use one to two platforms, and only 7% use seven or more, 64% currently leverage three to five.

Managing three to five platforms is realistic. This range allows brands of all sizes to expand their reach to different audiences while also giving social media marketers a realistic list of platforms to master without stretrching their bandwidth during the work week. 

Here are a few questions that can help you determine how many platforms you should really be on:

• How many social media marketers are on your team?
• Which social media platforms have audiences that best align with your targets?
• How much time will it take to master a strategy on each of the platforms you're targeting?
• Are there any platforms that won't benefit your overall marketing strategy right now?
• Are there any platforms you can easily repurpose engaging content between? (such as TikTok and YouTube Shorts)

By asking yourself some of the questions above, you can determine how much time your social team and brand will need to build an effective and engaging strategy on each platform, and prioritize which platforms you should really focus on. 

Featured Resources

• How to Use Twitter for Business (+ Follower Growth Tracking Template)
• 30 Days of Instagram: A Guide for Businesses
• How to Attract Customers With Facebook

Search Engine Optimization Marketing Trends

61% of marketers say improving search engine optimization (SEO) to grow their organic presence online is their top inbound marketing priority.

Are you one of these marketers? If so, have you figured out how exactly you plan to improve your SEO and organic presence? When you optimize for specific types of consumer behavior, you'll help your business become more discoverable online.

21. Keyword optimization will be a key priority.

By far, one of the HubSpot Blog's most vital tactics is our Search Insights Report. This report highlights all the keywords we would like to leverage and all the blog posts we'll need to create or update to rank for those keywords on Google. 

But, we're no longer one of the only blogs using a SIR anymore. In fact, 47% of marketing professionals who leverage SEO say their companies use search insights reports in their strategy.

If you don't have a huge content team, a large amount of extra time, or an SEO expert to create a large-scale search insights report, don't worry. Although nearly half of SEO marketers we surveyed use search insights reports, 55% said they were at least trying to optimize their content with search-driven keywords. And, this strategy isn't too expensive or time-consuming.

For example, you can use tools like Ahrefs or SEMRush to do some quick SEO keyword research related to your business, products, or upcoming content to learn where you can boost your content with keyword-optimized titles, subheads, body text, or descriptions. 

22. Web teams won't forget about video and image SEO.

SEO doesn't just involve changing the text on a page. It can also involve choosing and optimizing the right videos or images for a page to help it rank in Google images or search engine video carousels. 

While optimizing images could involve compressing files to increase page speed and adding keyword optimized alt text to an image, video optimization strategies could involve embedding an video with a similar topic or keyword into a blog post. 

Currently, 53% of marketers who leverage SEO have a strategy for optimizing videos and images. Of those marketers, 49% say image and video optimization is their most effective SEO tactic. 

23. Link-building will help brands grow authority -- and search rankings. 

When sites with solid rankings begin to link to yours, Google's crawlers note that your site might be credible and also have solid authority in your space. This can then tricker your Google ranking to go up. This, ultimately, is the goal of link-building -- or getting other sites to link to yours. 

Although writing highly shareable content, reaching out to share it with other websites, or ensuring that your post gets links can be time-consuming and challenging, research shows that this time and effort pays off. Of the 48% of SEO marketers that use backlinking and link building, 63% say its their brand's most effective SEO tactic, 

24. Historical optimization will help old web pages get new traffic.

Instead of coming up with new ideas, marketers are going to be taking what’s worked in the past and optimizing it for the present.

In SEO, keeping your content up to date and full of rich, engaging content will outweigh older work that is lacking in keyword relevancy with old statistics and links. Not only that, but taking existing content and repurposing it for a new podcast, webinar, or blog post can be an efficient way to keep it relevant in search engines.

While one in four SEO marketers leverage historical optimization in their strategy, 29% say of those marketers say it's an effective SEO strategy. 

25. Voice search tactics will stay on the SEO radar.

Although just 12% of marketers the HubSpot Blog surveyed are currently leveraging voice search tactics in their strategy, 34% of them say voice search is the most effective trend they used in 2021 and 41% plan to increase their investments in 2022. 

And, although voice search might seem like an emerging technology, these increased investments were bound to happen.

By now, you've probably used one of the many virtual assistants out there, like Siri, Alexa, or Google's virtual assistant.

Not only do these digital assistants answer short, informational queries such as “Who is the actor in Mission: Impossible?” or “What’s the weather in Boston today?”, but they’ve also started to process more local, conversational, and customized searches. These may sound like, “Where’s a nearby coffee shop I can work from today?”, “How late is it open?”, and “Do they serve iced coffee?”

Because of this emerging behavior, businesses need to respond and change the way they frame information. Instead of catering to Google’s manual search algorithm, optimize your content by framing it around questions.

When you implement voice search tactics this way, you'll empower your users to get the answers they want and need. They can ask a question in that conversational tone we mentioned above and, in return, they'll get a high-quality and accurate response. They can multitask while asking questions and receiving answers, as well as get those answers they're looking for more quickly.

Aja Frost, Head of English SEO at HubSpot, says: “Businesses should look at a topic and say, ‘What questions could users ask about this?’ Then, they should plan sub-topics accordingly and look for opportunities to insert questions as headers. This will allow voice assistants to easily grab questions and recognize content as solutions.”

Download image

Frost also encourages businesses to look for featured snippet opportunities, which are the information previews Google provides when users search for definitions or questions. Voice assistants typically pull responses directly from these boxes.

Featured Resource

• Complete SEO Starter Pack
• How to Conduct a Technical SEO Audit
• 22 SEO Myths to Leave Behind in 2019

AI and Automation Marketing Trends

A whopping 70% of marketing professionals currently use automation. Meanwhile, 33% of marketers who don't use automation plan to implement it in 2022. Below are just a few ways they plan to start or continue leveraging automation in the next year. 

26. Brands will invest even more in automation and AI.

Artificial intelligence refers to a subset of computer science that teaches machines to do things that would require intelligence if done by a human. Think of tasks like learning, seeing, talking, socializing, reasoning, or problem-solving. When completed by computers, they’re considered AI.

AI has completely infiltrated our daily lives and tasks. When Spotify recommends a song, Facebook recognizes and tags a person, or you text a friend using Siri, you’re tapping into AI. As we utilize AI more and more (especially as consumers), marketers and businesses will need to respond.

The point of AI isn’t to replace humans or the need for a human touch. It’s to improve and expand our ability to connect with our audience and help them solve their problems quicker and more thoroughly. AI is also incredibly helpful when collecting and analyzing data and making data-driven decisions.

Here are a few ways we see companies embracing AI today: 

• Chatbots and virtual assistants: Bots provide quick, easy solutions to problems of all levels of complexity. No longer is the need for live chat or a literal one-to-one digital conversation. Scroll down for a more detailed explanation of chatbot trends. 
• Content creation and curation: While you shouldn't expect a bot to write award-winning marketing content just yet, you can use them to streamline writing short pieces of content, like tweets, basic web articles, or automated emails. 
• Predictive Lead scoring: Automated lead scoring tools allows marketers and sales teams to focus more time on selling and making deals, and less determining which leads are actually the strongest prospects.
• Predictive marketing: Wondering if an audience will engage with your campaign, ad, or content? Predictive marketing leverages historical analytics, such as audience behavior data, to help brands estimate which tactics will provide the best engagement. 

27. Chatbots will continue to streamline conversational marketing. 

Did you know that more than half of consumers expect a response within 10 minutes to any marketing, sales, or customer service inquiry? How can this be humanly possible?

It’s not … for humans, anyway. This is probably why 40% of marketers who use automation leverage chatbots.

Bots are powered by a computer program that automates certain tasks, typically by chatting with a user through a conversational interface. Bots are made possible by artificial intelligence which helps it understand complex requests, personalize responses, and improve interactions over time.

Bots provide the perception and dedication of a 1:1 service experience while working with hundreds of customers — something that no customer service representative or team would ever be able to do.

To the consumers who hate repeating themselves to multiple sales or service representatives (33%, to be exact), listen up — chatbots are and will continue making your lives much easier. If used correctly, they manage conversations at scale and aggregate data from multiple sources of data, from calendars to knowledge bases to blog posts and videos.

Jon Dick, SVP of Marketing at HubSpot, says: “It’s on you to make things as easy as possible.

"Do your buyers want to use live chat? You should give it to them. They’ve had the same problem three times in the last month? You should already know, and have a plan to fix it,” Dick concludes.

Featured Resource

• How to Stay Current on Emerging Technology Trends
• How to Implement Affordable AI, According to Marketing AI Institute's Director

• Supercharge Your Clients' Growth With Chatbots

Privacy Marketing Trends

28. Brands will need to give customers more control over their data.

In the marketing world, data is highly valuable -- and not just valuable to you, as a marketer or business owner. Whether it's an email address, credit card information, or smartphone location, consumers also view their data as precious and privileged — and it’s your responsibility to take care of it.

Whether a software company, bank, government agency, or lemonade stand, every business operates using data. It’s the lifeblood of all things marketing, sales, service, and more.

But, when precious information is misused or siphoned into the wrong hands, it leads to a strong distrust in businesses and potentially exploited consumers

That’s why the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) was enacted.

GDPR is an effort by the EU to give greater control to consumers over their data. Under the GDPR, organizations must ensure that their data is collected legally and safely and that those who collect and manage said data will protect it and respect consumers’ rights.

Following the GDPR guidelines might seem like a burden, but being fined for non-compliance will feel much heavier; fines range from 10 million euros to 4% of a company's annual global revenue.

And -- GDPR isn't the only entity enforcing privacy mandates in 2022. In fact, companies like Google and Apple are now taking stands for user data as well. 

In 2021, an Apple IOS launch enabled IPhone and IPad users to determine which apps could track their third-party data, which is often used for hyper-targeted ads.

in 2022, Apple will finish rolling out another IOS update with additional email privacy protections features for Apple Mail users. Meanwhile, Google will be discontinuing the use of third-party cookies on Chrome, while encouraging advertisers to leverage its Privacy Sandbox instead.

Ultimately, brands and governing bodies are increasingly aiming to give users more choice when it comes to releasing their data. And, while it is great for the consumer, businesses who leverage personal data to run campaigns will need to create alternative strategies and pivot plans incase they lose access to crucial datapoint. 

Use Marketing Trends to Grow Better

You’re up to speed … for now. And, as long as you’re keeping a thumb on the pulse of marketing trends — and always remain open to change — your business won't fall behind.

But, if you're feeling overwhelmed by the idea of keeping up with all these insights, don't worry. The HubSpot Blog will be publishing regular Marketing Strategy research pieces with data from hundreds of marketing professionals in the coming months and will continue to update this post as new trends and data-driven blog posts emerge. 

Keep an eye on this page for our latest 2022 trend updates, and check out the latest content we've published so far in our Marketing Strategy Research series. 

Want even more data and tips from marketing experts? Reflect on 2021's key strategies with the State of Marketing Report below. 

Editor's note: This post was originally published in August 2019  and iwas updated in November 2021 with updated HubSpot Blog trends data.

The Marketing Trends of 2022 [The Ultimate Guide] was originally posted by Local Sign Company Irvine, Ca. https://goo.gl/4NmUQV https://goo.gl/bQ1zHR http://www.pearltrees.com/anaheimsigns