A new decade welcomes new technological developments and as digital marketing continues to develop; a polished digital strategy is crucial.
In a recent study, UK companies have increased their digital marketing budgets in order to target the 4.33 billion people who actively use the internet. In this article, we explore the digital marketing trends taking the industry by storm in 2020!
1. Video marketing
Video continues to be one of the most effective elements in digital marketing strategy as we roll into 2020 – and with good reason. Thanks to the internet, interacting with audiences has never been easier and with YouTube becoming the second most popular search engine in the world after Google, the possibilities video presents are endless.
But don’t just think YouTube! There are multiple ways to drive bigger and better engagement with your video strategy, as you can make a video post or start a live broadcast on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn.
According to a report from HubSpot Research, more than 50% of consumers want to see videos from brands which is more than any other type of content. And by posting videos on social channels, content can be broadcasted and shared to an audience of millions. What’s the best part of video marketing? There is no hefty ad space fee to pay.
2. Voice search technology
The past decade introduced personal digital assistants like Amazon’s Alexa, Apple’s Siri and Google Assistant. Thanks to this development, people are wanting to get the answer to their questions as quickly as possible and with the smallest amount of effort. And the impact of voice search technology in digital marketing is certain, especially since 40% of adults depend on voice search every day.
Voice search is extremely mobile and Google’s voice search alone is now available in over 100 languages. Which is why marketers are altering their digital strategies to focus on direct, conversation keyword phrases rather than written. This approach enables audiences to receive better, more accurate answers to the questions they asked.
Taking voice search into account is a growing digital marketing trend in 2020, and these numbers show the importance of incorporating voice search into your digital marketing strategy:
3. Personalisation
As the famous saying goes, first impressions count! With marketing as it exists today, 95% of visitors will never convert into a customer. But through adapting strategy and making it more personal, brands can convert more visitors to customers instantly.
With the increase in data collection and advancements in technology, consumers expect a level of personalisation from their interactions with brands. And this year, brands are expected to take an audience-first marketing approach to their digital presence and marketing strategies.
Rather than focusing on demographics such as age, gender and income; marketeers will need to start to analyse psychographics such as beliefs, behaviours and who their audience engages with and why.
Let’s not limit opportunities by sticking to the basics of personalisation. Think bigger than email, product pages and blogs! Social media plays a major role in personalisation as Direct Messaging (or DM) has been created.
This private form of communication between brands and consumers allows you to answer complex questions, clarify order details and resolve any sensitive issues out of the public eye. DMs have changed the consumer-brand relationship forever since consumers are reaching out to the brand not vice versa.
For personalisation and audience marketing to work, brands need to know their consumers better than their competitors.
4. Artificial intelligence
Research from Adobe finds that 41% of leading businesses are using artificial intelligence so in 2020 this will be for everything from basic communication, content creation to ecommerce transactions. According to Techgrabyte:
“Artificial intelligence is the biggest commercial opportunity for companies, industries, and nations over the next few decades” and “will increase global GDP by up to 14% between now and 2030,” which means that “AI latecomers will find themselves at a serious competitive disadvantage within the next several years.”
Thanks to AI, marketers are able to understand, inspire and connect with their audiences. And it’s really not a matter of if, but when and how AI will become a more active part of businesses digital marketing strategy.
5. Chatbots
When customers have a question 82% want an “immediate” response therefore, Chatbots will play a significant part of digital marketing in 2020.
This Artificial Intelligence based technology acts as a virtual assistant and uses instant messaging to answer requests, in real-time, boosting customer satisfaction and engagement overall. They enable a 360-degree view of customers meaning future engagement will be better and offer a more personalised service.
The infographic below highlights the importance of why businesses should consider chatbots in their 2020 digital marketing strategies:
6. Shoppable posts
Shoppable posts are the next big thing on social media this year!
In March 2019, Instagram launched Instagram Check out, which allows users to complete their purchase from their Instagram account. In a report conducted by Instagram, they have over 1 billion users active every month. And of these, 200+ million Instagrammers visit at least one business profile a day and 60% of users say they discover new products on the platform.
Thanks to the new feature, ecommerce brands are able to create and post interactive adverts allowing users to see – tap – shop in a matter of steps. Instagram believes this will make it easier for businesses to reach prospective new customers, increase sales and give customers the instant access they desire.
Social media continues to play a part in the evolution of digital marketing. It is a vital part of the industry and visual platforms like Instagram and Pinterest are gold for marketers.
7. Visual search
Visual search represents one of the biggest digital marketing trends of 2020.
The human brain is extremely visual – it can identify images within 13 milliseconds, and 90% of all information received by the brain is visual.
Nowadays people buy almost everything online and consumers are increasingly depending on images when searching for answers so much to an extent, that from 2016 to 2018 “image search” grew on mobile by over 60%.
Thanks to the development of AI, machines are being programmed to “think” more like humans and recognise shapes and colours rather than figures. Therefore, brands need to start incorporating visuals into all aspects of their marketing.
There you have it – Spotlight’s guide to 7 digital marketing trends to watch in 2020. As seen above, the upcoming digital trends are both more human and more mechanical. One thing is for sure: The digital uprising is ongoing, and business that don’t have a strategic digital approach will be left behind.
NICOLA MONGON is the MD of Spotlight Recruitment, the leading digital marketing recruitment agency in the UK since 2008. Read our 5* Google reviews from candidates and clients to find our more. We are members of the Recruitment and Employment Confederation who ensure member compliance for high professional standards. If you would like to discuss recruitment, you can reach Spotlight on 020 3008 4254 or info@spotlightrecruitment.com