10 Trends That Impacted The Digital Landscape & What To Expect in 2022

“The only constant in life is change”

This old adage probably holds true for the digital landscape. Across the globe, there are already more than 2.1 billion online buyers, with the number going up every month. Prior to making a purchase, or even getting in touch with a business, people invariably do their research on different online channels (every second, Google receives ~78000 search requests). In order to survive and prosper in the present-day world, businesses simply have to evolve their digital strategies – to keep pace with the digital transformation happening around them. Over here, we will focus on the most important trends that are disrupting the digital landscape, and what to expect in 2022:

Accelerated Deployment Of 5G

It has been in the news for some time now – but 5G deployments (mobile network 5th generation technology) are expected to really pick up speed in 2022. Apart from significantly higher bandwidths, the new technology will facilitate higher network availability & connectivity, peak data speeds and considerably lower latency levels. As user-experiences improve, the adoption of devices and networks that are 5G-compatible will continue to rise.

What To Expect: In the world of ‘connected things’ and proliferation of IoT (Internet of Things), 5G technology will power faster & smoother logistics, operations of connected automobiles and the adoption of remote patient monitoring/remote healthcare.

The Rise & Rise Of Cloud Technology

Hybrid cloud deployments have emerged as a major disruptor in the present-day digital landscape. Around 93% of all businesses are already using cloud services in some form or the other – and going forward, more & more data, processes and information will be transferred into the cloud. Enterprise-level adoption of multi-cloud models (i.e., where multiple public cloud spaces are used by a company) is also projected to go up. The key for businesses will be to combine their private and public clouds in an optimal manner.

What To Expect: From communication & collaboration, to storage of data and everyday computing – cloud technology will continue to transform business operations, connect disparate elements, and help in the creation of ‘digital headquarters.’.

Storytelling Has Become The Heart Of Digital Marketing

Digital marketing continues to evolve – and is currently much more than blatant promotion of products and services. Instead of run-of-the-mill claims of superiority (which, let’s face it, every company has been doing for years), businesses are looking to acquaint potential buyers with how they can solve the specific requirements of the latter. Instead of simply relying on reviews & testimonials, companies are using visual storytelling methods to portray their brands, albeit in a more subtle manner.

What To Expect: In 2022 & beyond, businesses will focus on ensuring higher brand recall values through unique brand storytelling. It will all be about capturing the mindshare of customers.

Artificial Intelligence Is Becoming Mainstream

Conversations about artificial intelligence (AI) have been going on for a long time. However, over the last few quarters, the technology is becoming well and truly ubiquitous with the daily tasks of individuals and businesses alike. Organisations, in particular, are increasingly realising the capabilities of AI to manage operations efficiently and at scale. With close to 2.7 quintillion bytes of data created daily, AI has become an essential tool for managing and mining it for meaningful actionable insights.

What To Expect: For businesses, the need for workload acceleration has become higher than ever before. To meet these requirements, application of AI-powered chips, frameworks and software will grow manifold in the foreseeable future.

Must Read- 10 Reasons Why Digital Marketing Is Must For Every Business In 2022

The Growth Of ‘Everything-As-A-Service’

By 2022, the value of the worldwide software-as-a-service (SaaS) industry is projected to soar past the $172 billion mark. However, the “as a service” models have grown beyond SaaS solutions – and currently pervades platform–as-a-service (PaaS), installation/operations of on-premises software, infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS), storage-as-a-service (STaaS), and more. The growing popularity of these solutions have shown that we are right on the threshold of an ‘everything-as-a-service’ world (or, XaaS).

What To Expect: With initial entry cost barriers being removed by the subscription-based nature of “as-a-service” models, the latter will continue to rise in popularity. For businesses, such XaaS models deliver an excellent balance of convenience and cost-effectiveness.

The Privacy Of It All

Digital advertising has become all-encompassing – at times, a tad too overwhelming. As such, privacy concerns are also rising among prospective buyers. To counter such concerns, more and more organisations are switching to a ‘zero-trust security model’ (where no one is trusted by default, and very stringent access controls are maintained). Several businesses are also positioning themselves as ‘privacy-first companies’ – to allay cybersecurity concerns and ensure greater transparency.

What To Expect: In 2022, zero-trust security will help in making data handling & storage, network infrastructure, endpoints and other touchpoints more secure and robust. Last year, 7 out of every 10 businesses expanded their data security budgets. More companies are expected to do the same this year too.

The Growing Demand For Low-Code Software

Businesses are actively pushing to enhance the overall convenience factor of their clients. A classic case in point is the rising popularity of low-code software solutions. These platforms are helping ‘citizen developers’ to build and customise their own software (e.g., through clicking or ‘drag-and-drop’ features). The minimal reliance on IT teams (and the non-requirement of prior coding knowledge) is driving the adoption of these low-coding/no-coding platforms.

What To Expect: The rising demand for low-code software will, in turn, pull up the need for expert developers who can actually design such platforms. API integrations will also be made easier than ever through these platforms, for better performance.

The Importance Of Video Marketing

This is a particularly important trend for digital marketers. A recent Cisco report revealed that videos will take up well over 80% of the total volume of online traffic in 2022. In fact, nearly 94% of all digital marketers already use videos as an integral component of their overall content strategies. Short videos, in particular, have emerged as highly effective tools for conveying the relatability and authenticity of the products/services being offered.

What To Expect: Businesses will need to be more proactive about seamlessly integrating pre-recorded videos, live videos, product/service demos, webinars and other forms of video content. Videos are going to be instrumental in keeping content marketing strategies fresh, informative and in sync with the things buyers are searching for.

Work Shifts In The Post-Pandemic World

The global pandemic has made one thing very clear for businesses – flexible working conditions, with remote work in particular, is here to stay. Many companies are following hybrid models, with a section of employees working remotely and others working at office, to optimise productivity levels. This, in turn, is driving the need for tools & technologies that facilitate quick, seamless and secure collaborations. A major challenge in this context is the fact that less than 10% offices are currently at a position to conduct, manage and get the best results from video conferencing.

What To Expect: This year, the biggest players from the digital collaboration domain will continue to set newer, better standards for team collaboration. The focus will squarely be on delivering a unified device experience (UDE) for everyone.

The Emergence Of Software 2.0

Automation of code drafting with the help of neural networks is something that is rapidly gaining in momentum. In essence, this ‘Software 2.0’ technology is powered by machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) – and it will be all about the automatic creation of source codes directly from the requirements document(s) (e.g., a self-writing software). With Software 2.0, the roles & responsibilities of programmers will evolve too.

What To Expect: To gain the first-mover advantage in the Software 2.0 domain, organisations will invest more time, effort and funds to increase their familiarity with both machine learning operations (MLOps) and data operations (DataOps).

The importance of the digital landscape (and its potential to bring in genuine, fruitful leads) is not lost on businesses. On average, 8 out of every 10 businesses globally are spending more than $50K annually on digital marketing. The effectiveness of digital media for brand-building is also highlighted by the fact that >90% of small businesses regularly use digital marketing channels for promotional purposes. From social media to websites, and from email marketing to mobile applications, SEO and more – each component has a vital role to play in the ever-changing ‘world of digital’.

The global landscape is nothing short of a tidal wave. You need to stay on top of things at all times, and not get swept over!

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Amit Roy

Amit is a Digital nomad at Brandwizz. An avid learner who believes in the magic of Words and Music. Eternal Optimist. Book Lover. Cinephile. Creative Soul, Down to Earth human. Connect to Know more!!