What’s trending in 2022?
We’re one month into the new year so Fifty Digital has taken some time to reflect on the trends that will be important in social media and sport in 2022.
Technology, and the way we use it to consume sports content, is constantly evolving and we strive to stay in touch with the latest developments.
From metaverses and community connections to social media commerce and athlete activism, we’ve chosen five areas to focus on for the brands and rights holders that we work with.
1. Metaverse Marketing
More than 48m visitors to Vans’ virtual skatepark
What is a metaverse and how can it be part of a brand’s marketing strategy in 2022? Well, a good reference point is the video game Fortnite – a wholly immersive virtual reality world where real users are represented by avatars of their own choosing.
In an environment that is created online and with huge existing audiences, the opportunities for appropriate brand activations are endless. Created in 2004 and now with 47m active daily users*, Roblox is one of the biggest metaverses. Skateboard clothing brand Vans created a virtual skatepark on the platform as the best method of reaching their target demographic of 13 to 35-year-olds, achieving more than 48m visitors so far**.
With Facebook set to become a future metaverse company with a virtual work environment, metaverses are ready for progressive brands to take advantage of this year.
*MorningBrew.com
**Forbes.com
2. Communities and Connections
WhatsApp Community to be launched in 2022
Social media has always been a source of news, a place for entertainment and a method of maintaining links with family and friends. And during the pandemic, when people were cut off from their usual social circles, social media’s role in providing people with a feeling of belonging was heightened.
A sense of connection is an important psychological need and, as technology takes further steps forward in 2022, participation in an authentic online community within which you share interests and views with fellow participants, will be important.
WhatsApp Community, which will allow users to gather multiple groups into a single entity controlled by one admin, will launch in 2022 and last week Gucci launched their first invite only group on Discord, amassing 28,000 members in two days*.
Rights holders and brands should focus on producing authentic content that encourages their audiences to communicate with each other, therein reinforcing their own relationships with fans and consumers.
*Vogue Business
3. Purposeful Partnerships
Posts focusing on athlete advocacy achieve 63% more engagement*
When Colin Kapernick, soon after being sacked by the San Francisco 49ers, became the face of Nike’s enduring Just Do It campaign in 2018, it felt like a seminal moment in sport and sponsorship.
And Marcus Rashford, who was made an MBE in 2021 for his work championing racial equality and expanding the free school meals scheme, took athlete activism a stage further by lobbying and eventually changing government policy.
Athletes are influential and can bring huge attention to causes and movements they feel strongly about. Credibility and authenticity are vital, but there has never been a better time for brands to emphasise what they stand for by making meaningful partnerships. Posts focusing on athlete advocacy achieve 63 per cent greater engagement in comparison to other owned content*.
*Nielsen 2021
4. Skyrocketing Social Media Commerce
Social media retail industry to be worth $80 billion by 2025*
TikTok became the latest to experiment in the world of direct social media commerce by launching TikTok Shopping last year, following in the footsteps of Facebook and Instagram, who have made it steadily easier to shop without leaving the platform.
Social media companies will continue to invest in creating the most proficient shopping experience for their users and brands should give serious thought to how they make the most of them.
As well as discovering products on social media, people increasingly expect to complete the entire transaction on social storefronts in-app, with the social media commerce industry set to be worth $80 billion by 2025*.
*eMarketer
5. TikTok Targeting
For top sports teams, TikTok publication only accounts for 1% of the posts they share*
It may seem like an obvious statement that TikTok will be huge in 2022 after the platform reached one billion active monthly users in 2021. But with 60 percent of all TikTok accounts being operated by Gen Z individuals, its popularity with many brands’ primary target demographic makes it the most appropriate place for serious investment.
This year, it is predicted that 82 per cent of all online content will be video**, so neglecting video and failing to make TikTok an important part of that video strategy could leave sports teams and brands behind the curve.
*Horizm 2021
