It does not matter what your business is, or what products and services you sell-it are challenging to disregard digital marketing trends. Companies wanted nothing more than a website and a Facebook page not so long ago, but now the digital world is changing so rapidly that it is challenging to keep up.
There are not that many popular organizations that do not have an online presence at the moment. Innovations and instruments will come to the fore in 2020, pushing advertisers to change to keep their organizations at the top.
Digital Darwinism is an unforgiving truth, after all. You’ll undoubtedly be left behind if you don’t adapt. Read on to discover the developments in digital marketing to be prepared for by 2020.
1. Facebook’s Is Fading
In the social media sector, Facebook is no longer the kingpin. Forty-one percent of its consumers are over the age of 65, according to Forbes. Though it is by no means difficult, it is clear that Facebook is losing ground with the younger generations, preferring to favor the more visual, immersive experiences provided by Instagram, Snapchat, and the rising star, TikTok.
Facebook lost a considerable reputation after the data breach debacle in 2018. Many individuals become angry and resentful of the spread of fake news, political misinformation, and cyberbullying on the site. With younger demographics, the once-dominant power continues to drop in popularity, with TechCrunch speculating that Facebook might be dead to Gen Z.
Facebook is still significant, and many Americans keep checking in on it. Advertisers should, however, be more careful about who they are trying to communicate with and ensure that their target audience is still on Facebook.
2. Instagram is On the Rise
The meteoric rise of Instagram has now seen one billion users pass by, a remarkable feat. That means it is one of the most rapidly growing social media sites. Perhaps more importantly, the coveted younger demographic, mostly under 30, is a large part of its user base. Facebook, owing to its status as the “old people.” social media site, is losing much of the cohort.
One potential concern that marketers should bear in mind is Instagram’s recent decision to withdraw the likes feature from the website. Many influencers have raised concerns about this movie, and businesses should keep a close eye on the effect that this would have in 2020. While it may lead to a rise in content quality, many users may drift away from the platform in pursuit of vanity metrics elsewhere.
3. Chatbots Will Dominate Customer Service
Chatbots are applications for artificial intelligence ( AI) that function as a virtual “concierge,” interacting with users and accomplishing their objectives. Naturally, chatbots communicate with humans, mostly through text chat windows, but verbal communications are also possible. Over time, the AI learns more about the customers as the system gathers more data insights, making it possible to improve service continually.
Chatbots have played a regular role on Facebook, by the tens of thousands, for various tasks during 2018 and 2019. Sophisticated applications can easily manage anything from supplying weather forecasts to automating certain simple customer service functions. Bots allow users, without drawing too much from limited human resources, to get customized, centered interactions.
Eighty percent of companies say that this year they want to start using chatbots. It is easy to understand why when you consider the advantages:
- Twenty-four-hour service
- Instant replies to questions from clients
- No need to take breaks, holidays or pay for overtime
Tidio’s January 2020 research showed that 43 percent of customers prefer to connect with an online chatbot rather than call customer service centers when dealing with a company. This is one of the fastest-growing digital marketing trends in 2020, with companies and consumers ready for more interaction with chatbots.
4. Good Content Matters (and Now Context Matters More!)
While there is a growing focus on ambiguity in content, content marketing remains an integral component of digital marketing. The quality is still going to matter, but the background and the targeting are now more emphasized. Google is building a deeper, more nuanced understanding of online advertising, so advertisers need to think thoroughly about their target market and how they can more precisely tailor content in 2020.
Much of this comes down to the BERT update, published in November 2019 on Google. The new algorithm allows the search engine giant to understand user search queries in the natural language. Google’s advice is that “it is more important to ensure a website has fast speeds, useful links, and well-written content rather than chasing the latest SEO trends.”
5. Email is Getting More Personalized
Email continues to be a powerful communication medium, with billions still using it for private, corporate, industrial, legal, science, and academic purposes. Email is here to stay, in other words, and email marketing itself continues to be relevant.
Email marketing, however, is changing, and generic marketing emails are not as powerful as they were once. It is now a blend of automation and, more importantly, personalization that makes 2020 essential for email marketing.
This can be very successful if you can activate your email marketing to something unique, such as a user browsing a specific product and then follow-up in a customized email with a promotional price or demo video. In particular, email is always the final catalyst to inspire an intervention when paired with remarketing strategies.
That takes us to one of the most exciting developments in digital marketing lately…
6. Interactive Content Will Become Mainstream
Anything users can click on, swipe, or interact with online is interactive content. Ninety-three percent of marketers classify interactive content as highly successful in educating the purchaser, according to Outgrow.
More businesses are going to experiment with immersive forms of content in 2020, such as:
- Polls and Quizzes
- Advertisements for virtual reality
- Videos at 360 degrees
To give citizens a more immersive, interactive experience, these formats exploit cutting-edge marketing technologies, such as virtual reality and video content. Customers now want this kind of unique, enjoyable content from brands because it makes them feel more connected to the company.
7. Omnichannel marketing is essential Now
Omnichannel marketing is the process of multiplatform marketing, including email, smartphones, social media, and your blog on your website. This strategy helps companies to communicate with consumers on more digital touchpoints, providing a better consumer experience efficiently.
You will achieve even better outcomes by creating a smooth, clear voice and unified brand message across all platforms. ClickZ estimates that about three times as much interaction drives omnichannel marketing as a single-channel approach. Better still, when you have several outlets, client satisfaction, average order size, and purchase frequency are all higher.
Companies will exploit data analytics and machine learning to understand consumer preferences better as AI technology progresses, and then personalize it at the highest level. Ultimately, an omnichannel marketing emphasis is key to an improved consumer experience that keeps individuals returning for more.
Engage, or be left behind
So, as you can see, in the digital marketing world, things are going quickly. In 2020, among the most influential trends will be AI technology, video, voice search, and interactive content. There is no time for a company to stand still. Today’s younger generations and increasingly tech-savvy consumers want brands to communicate with them in new and innovative ways that make it easier and more exciting for customers to navigate.
The time has come to dive in. Which of these trends in digital marketing are you going to try first?