• by Laurie Sullivan  @lauriesullivan, December 16, 2021

Merkle, a data-driven tech company owned by Dentsu, has released its 2022 Q1 Media Insights Report analyzing recent research on consumer trends.

The report lays out insights into trends and channel-specific strategies that marketers should be aware of during the first quarter of 2022.

One such insight reminds marketers that kids are influencers. Parents are often easily influenced by their kids. In fact, 87% of parents say their children influence their purchase decision, according to Merkle’s report, and 28% of kids say friends include theirs.

Toys and games rank the top category where children influence spending or spend their own money.

When it comes to toys and games, 92% of the parents are influenced by their kids, followed by clothes and shoes at 91%, food and drink at 88%, dining out at 87%, events and outings at 85%, books and music at 85%, electronic goods at 81%, personal care at 81%, and travel at 79%.

In search it points to a change Google made in October when the search engine introduced infinite scrolling on mobile, a redesign of the mobile Search results page to give it a more modern experience. Now when someone reaches the bottom of a search results page on their phone, the next set of results automatically loads with more relevant information.

Merkle believes that the introduction of Google’s infinite scroll on mobile will encourage more long-tail competition to bid lower on keywords.

It also suggests paying attention to the differences in search behaviors between generations to adapt or shift strategies and budget accordingly.

For SEO, Merkle suggests prioritizing ADA compliance and website accessibility to be inclusive of all audiences. Use Google My Business attributes to highlight inclusivity of the business, so it identifies a Black-owned business or that it’s wheelchair accessible, for example. It’s also important to review and update on-page content and images to ensure alignment with company views, policies, and recent shifts in consumer behaviors.

The company also calls attention to the practice of using inclusive language in ad copy and inclusive imagery in extensions. In media, diversity means moving beyond demographics to focus on culture and context. People not only want to purchase from a company that aligns with their values, but want to work for one, too.