Advertisers will have a significant opportunity to be intentional with contextual tools.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought consumers closer to digital technology. People need to ensure compliance with safety and health protocols, relying on digital technology to become productive, such as work-from-home, online classes, and telehealth, among others. Traditional in-store shopping was replaced by online shopping as the preferred method of buying goods to avoid contracting the deadly virus during the pandemic.

The extreme pandemic events paved the way for a new wave of digital trends, touching the crucial aspects of how businesses should effectively market their products and services.

Rob Kay, Senior Director Customer Success, APAC, Integral Ad Science

4 Top Digital Trends in 2022

In an interview with MartechAsia, Rob Kay, Senior Director Customer Success, APAC, Integral Ad Science, shared the company’s take on the top digital trends in 2022.

  • Increase in Ad Fraud Risks

    “Global trends show a greater increase in ad fraud on video as video streaming uptake rose during the pandemic, and it’s a premium inventory,” said Kay. With the explosion of video content in digital advertising, brand risk categories can affect display ad placements to video campaigns. Hence, ad fraud should be a source of major concern for business marketing teams.

    “Although ad fraud for display campaigns is well under control across APAC, Japan and Singapore were markets where optimisation against ad fraud remained a major opportunity according to our H1 2021 Media Quality Report (MQR). In APAC, advertisers are advised to redouble efforts to protect video campaigns against fraud,” he added.

  • Emerging Video Content Formats

    According to Kay, the following will be the top emerging video content formats in 2022:

    • Connected Television (CTV)

      During the pandemic, streaming usage saw a sharp uptick, fueling a concurrent rise in “connected TV” or CTV. The platform is used to stream video content over the internet, becoming the go-to video source for millions of homebound viewers.

      According to the IAS’ Streaming Wars CTV study, CTV has become mainstream in Indonesia, with 7 in 10 consumers having access to it. A whopping 92% of consumers have increased their consumption during COVID-19. In Australia, 8 in 10 consumers have access to CTV, and almost half of consumers (47%) prefer to stream video content on CTV compared to mobile, desktop, or tablets.

      While still nascent in the region, CTV is quickly becoming a popular content form, offering marketers the benefits of linear TV with the personalization and precision of digital.

    • Digital out-of-home (DOOH)

      As COVID-19 restrictions loosen and people start heading outdoors, DOOH is expected to be big in 2022. Digital out-of-home advertising involves using digital screens in public locations. It is powered by digital signage technology.

      IAS predicts the massive use of DOOH advertising. They expect an 18% spending growth annually until 2026. DOOH and mobile cross-marketing will utilise geo-technology too. It helps target customers and elicit engagement.

    • Mobile

      Another format that will continue to be key is mobile-first marketing. This format is particularly popular in emerging markets with high smartphone ownership. Indonesia, for instance, has a 96.4% mobile-first market out of the 202.6 million internet users utilising the device to access the web . The same trend is expected across SEA countries, with smartphone ownership at about 95%.

  • Social Media Trends

    Social media became the top channel for discovery and influencing brand consideration. These trends are likely here to stay post-pandemic, with the home-centric lifestyle set to continue even after COVID-19 restrictions are lifted. Brands will need to align their online and offline strategies to meet consumer needs.

    Brands and advertisers should ensure ads are on safe, reputable sites. They should be alongside relevant content for greater brand memorability. Working with trusted third-party verification companies will be key for advertisers to maintain a holistic media quality approach. The insights will help optimize campaign performance and reach consumers.

  • Cookieless Future

    As consumers move towards a digital-first lifestyle and the industry prepares for a cookieless future, it will lead to contextual advertising that will be replacing third-party cookies as the best strategy to target ads at scale accurately. Advertisers will have a significant opportunity to be intentional with contextual tools.

    The Power of Context in APAC research by IAS shows that APAC consumers are highly receptive to contextually-relevant ads. Most consumers prefer digital ads to appear alongside relevant content. IAS is proud to say that its core products do not rely on third-party cookies.

    With the sudden spike of digital technological demand, businesses and enterprises need to embrace marketing technology to keep up with the tight competition. Business plans and investments suddenly changed. Many companies are using digital media with high ad spending during the pandemic.