Explore the most-read articles of 2022 on Think with Google U.K., with lessons for marketers on topics such as privacy, sustainability, automation and more.

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by Jacob Solomon Sep 20, 2022 News
Explore the most-read articles of 2022 on Think with Google U.K., with lessons for marketers on topics such as privacy, sustainability, automation and more.

The indicators of what's top of mind for marketers are given by some of our most-read articles.

The ways we work, shop, and live have changed over time.

The roles of marketers are evolving to encompass initiatives such as social responsibilities, diversity and inclusion, and more.

1. The shifts in shopping and which habits are here to stay

People's shopping patterns have changed over the last two years. The type of products people were buying changed as a result of the Pandemic.

While people still enjoy the in-store experience, platforms like Search and YouTube are becoming more popular for consumers to research and discover new brands and products. To meet expectations, retailers need to create seamless journeys between the online and physical worlds.

We looked at how automation can be used to help marketers. We asked the head of trends at Insider Trends and the marketing thought leader what they thought about the retail landscape. Trotter said that retail would be embedded into every part of the world. Engagement, discovery, education, and inspiration will be the focus of the retail experience.

2. Automation and experimentation are key drivers of success

Advertisers are experimenting with different techniques in order to stay on top of changing consumer behaviors and serve new and existing customers.

The results of an experiment were shared by ManyPets. The trial resulted in an increase in sales and a decrease in average cost per action.

The rise in generic search terms inspired HP to experiment. The test was to see if a strong ad presence on these non- branded Search queries would have a positive impact. Results speak for themselves.

3. Great campaigns require innovation and creativity

Supercharging a tech-driven campaign with creativity can lead to powerful reach. One of the winners was Avon, which used the internet to encourage people to look at the brand in a different way. Sheba featured a campaign that targeted new cat owners because their pets keep them awake at night.

Sheba used a YouTube campaign to encourage users to save the world's fish. In the first three months of the campaign, people watched 440,000 hours of content, and Sheba is using a portion of its advertising revenue to save coral reefs.

The best practices for attention- grabbing app campaigns were shared by the YouTube Global Creative Works team.

Alyson Lowe, audience growth manager at British Vogue, showed us how the prestigious brand is using YouTube to drive engagement around the magazine's cover reveals, ensuring it has long-term growth for the brand. Lowe said it was all about making the experience sticky.

4. Exceed customer expectations with your privacy-first approach

In today's world, marketers can use customer insights to give people what they want. There is a challenge in delivering that level of service in a world focused on data privacy.

To find out where your first-party data strategy needs to be, we spoke to experts in three agencies.

The privacy leads shared a primer to help marketers prepare for a privacy first world. Customer privacy should be proactive rather than reactive according to their advice. Your business will continue to thrive if you deliver a feeling of control, trust and sustainable relationships.

Gymshark, a billion-dollar fitness empire, applied these practices to its approach to brand loyalty and trust, with the help of first-party data and the help of the internet search engine.

5. Marketers are stepping up on sustainability

Advertising has a vital role to play in the transition to a low-carbon society as it has a huge influence on peoples lives all over the world.

That responsibility is being embraced by marketing professionals. We looked at the role that CMOs are playing in driving change, as well as finding ways to connectsustainability to their product categories, so people can make better choices.

"If we can't expect consumers to demand the change at the pace we need it to happen then marketers need to work to create the change and drive the demand."

Three ways marketers can lead the way to net zero with an overarching goal to build sustainable businesses that can benefit the planet were highlighted by Ben Essen.