Media trends for 2022

One of the reasons I like working in media is because things are always changing. There are always new opportunities and things to try. This can be a blessing and curse - sometimes it can feel like you have just got to grips with one thing (like Instagram reels) and then something new comes along.

This is where smaller and solo run businesses have an advantage on bigger brands though. We can be more nimble reacting to thing rather than having to make a new strategy doc and go through rounds of corporate approval. And we can try things and quickly decide if we like them (or not).

So, what’s on the horizon? Here’s what I think might be seeing more of in 2022, and how we can make it work for us.

More blurring of the boundaries between publishers and brands
In the olden days (or at least when I started doing PR in the 00’s) there was a really clear line between media publishers (think broadcasters, newspapers and magazines) and brands. But that binary has become much less obvious since then. The internet has made us all publishers and we all have mini-media empires these days; whether it’s social media, podcasts or blogs. This means there are more opportunities for PR than ever and collaborating with other likeminded businesses is a fantastic opportunity for everyone.

More niche newsletters
That democratisation of content means lots of us are getting our news and entertainment from non-traditional forms of media. There has been a big rise of newsletters, and I don’t just mean the usual ‘buy my stuff’ ones. Newsletters can be a great way to reach a targeted audience with content that they actually care about. It’s what I’m trying to do with my newsletter here (hi! Thanks for reading!) You could think about starting your own or collaborating (see above) with targeted ones for you.

Rise of independent magazines
I’ve seen at least three people launching real physical magazines this year. And it’s so exciting! The internet is great, but you cannot beat flicking through a real, physical magazine. The publishing industry has been under enormous pressure over the last 10 (plus) years, but I think this rise of hyper targeted indie magazines is an interesting trend to watch. I try and support the publishing industry as much as I can and buying or subscribing to magazines that I love is a great way to do that.

In person events
Another very exciting real-life activity is events coming back. People are desperate for in person connection and I think we are going to see a lot next year. The key is so make sure that any you put on or go to are targeted and aligned with your business. Events can be great for creating some buzz, getting people through the door (if you have a physical business) and networking too. I’ll see you there!

Disinformation busting
We could call it the ‘You’re wrong about’ effect – there is a growing focus on fact finding and truth telling rather than believing the myths and hype we’re told. Social media has made disinformation overwhelming and it’s impossible to know who to trust. I’ve seen some great articles on this recently including this one. If you’re a small business owner (and especially one in the wellbeing space) I think this is a reminder to be honest and open, fact check, don’t share information blindly and know that even if you don’t want to be an influencer, you do hold power and influence.

Will we enter the metaverse?
I didn’t really want to include this because I want to be living less online and more IRL next year, BUT Facebook is obviously a massive player and the fact they have made clear intentions for more virtual reality is a clear indicator that this is something to watch. I don’t think that means we all need to rush into setting up VR shops or doing everything in the metaverse, but it’s probably worth keeping a light eye on what going on and exploring any obvious opportunities.

But as ever, we can do anything, but not everything so please don’t feel like you have to leap into a million different things. See what you like the look of and give it a go then either work with it, or ditch it.