Top Digital Marketing Trends To Watch Out For in 2020

2020 is here! And unlike every year this year is going to be really tough for businesses and marketers. As we know marketing changes continually. What worked for your business in 2009 might not work in 2020. New digital marketing trends are emerging every few months. So, the question is how to stay ahead in this fiercely competitive environment. The answer is by following the latest marketing strategies – implementing it in your business.

Innovation in Digital Marketing

Have you seen the Hunger Games? The game, where kids fight for their lives in the ever-evolving environment. You either embrace what’s happening currently or die.

The situation is pretty much similar in the online marketing space today. Digital marketing is evolving like crazy. Technologies released in the past few years are largely affecting the marketing sphere. Companies adopting these trends are making it big today.

But it’s still not gone; you still have time – examine and re-plan your marketing strategies for 2020.

Top Digital Marketing Trends of 2020

Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, Interactive Videos, Marketing Automation, Content Marketing, and Chatbots etc. are some of the brewing trends of the current year. It is interesting to watch ‘what’s cool’ and ‘what’s hot’ this year for businesses.

During our research, we have come across a number of technological advancements that are happening in the digital marketing area. Below are the trends that can influence your marketing strategies for 2220.

• Voice Search – Before we get into how voice search is the trend of 2020, let us first get the facts in place.• 40% of adults use voice search at least once a day.
  • As per Google Report, 72% of people use their voice-activated speaker devices in daily routines.
  • 20% of mobile queries are made using a voice search. You can see a marked change in the search pattern using voice. While SEO depends on the keyword to get ranking and traffic, voice search will largely impact SEO in the days to come. When you have certain queries what do you type on Google – parlor nearby, the best dentist in Delhi, etc. By using natural conversational languages, you would say “Which is the best parlor in Delhi.”So, as a marketer, you will have to optimize your website for the conversational keywords.
• Visual Search – Voice search may be in trend, but visual is also in the league. Earlier, when users enter a query, they used to get relevant images and articles as a result of their query. In visual search, users can enter an image as a query and get details and relevant images matching the search query. This means that digital marketers will have to optimize their marketing strategies as per visuals, not just textual content. The visual search can be optimized using the following proven methods:• Add proper image description using target keywords
  • Always add related tags to every image
  • Add multiple images for pages and products
  • Add image caption that clearly and crisply explains you the image
• AI and Machine Learning – Today, AI is the hottest topic in the digital marketing space. While a majority of businesses are still unaware of its capabilities, this technology is making its presence count in the market. The most popular form of AI is Chatbots, which can help improve your customer service while minimizing your spend. Chatbots are quicker and respond with accurate data related answers in less than a second. They offer personalized service and collect data that can be used to draft your marketing strategies. AI gives businesses an opportunity to deliver the right message to the right user at the right time. They anticipate which user will engage with what type of ads.
• Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality – This is at the top of the marketing trends of 2020. With the help of VR and AR brands can engage customers and involve them in the brand’s messaging thereby winning their trust and credibility. This new technology is in use by many brands like IKEA, in fact, it is using VR gaming technology since 2016. By IKEA VR Experience, customers can try out any of its products before buying them.
• Social Media Marketing – Chatbots, social media, video marketing, and live videos are some of the trends that will largely impact digital marketing in 2020. Videos, as you know are dominating the web. It is said that by the end of 2020, 90% of the internet will contain 80% videos as compared to other types of content. This clearly means marketers will have to shift their focus from just text to both text and video content for better returns.
• Influencer Marketing – It is a strategy that uses an influencer to persuade people into buying a product or a service. This is because today people don’t buy a product or a service; they buy a story – a real story. Earlier it was celebrities, however, over the years, social media influencers have taken over the role of ‘Brand Ambassadors.’ Therefore, marketers should reach out to You Tubers, bloggers, and popular social media personalities to convey their brand story and gain an edge over the competition.
• Big Data – Data-driven marketing will be the top trend in 2020. It is assumed that the big data market will reach $ 9.4 billion in 2020. So, the scope is wider. Your existing data can be realigned to convert known leads or find new ones. Currently, Facebook provides this option – target the same audiences by adding your current list of people for retargeting. Data allows you to get important insights into your target audience. With the help of those details, you can create a customized marketing strategy. Your personalized conversation helps prospects feel valued, and this may give better returns.
• Beacon Technology – This is like GPS, but not as complex. Many businesses are leveraging this technology to target prospects, especially at the retail outlets. When a customer downloads and installs the app, it began to track their location. So, if the prospective customer is in a store with a beacon on their phone, the company knows exactly where the customer is within the store. And based on the location it starts sending push notifications or recommendations based on the product or service the customer is willing to purchase.
• User-generated Content – Ever heard this saying “Products are made in a factory, but brands are created in mind.” User-generated content does exactly that – it creates a brand image. UGC has a long-lasting and significant impression on the prospect’s mind. Today, from deciding which restaurant to go to select the honeymoon destination everything is based on the reviews, and these are nothing but user-generated content. Real-life experiences shared through pictures, videos or in the textual format are trusted more than the content generated by the brand themselves. Therefore, digital marketers need to encourage customers to share their feedback and reviews to grow in 2020.
• Accelerated Mobile Page (AMP) – Website that loads quickly and seamlessly on mobile phones are Google’s favorite ones. AMP helps the website load faster. According to KPMG/Google Reports, ‘By 2020, 500 million Smartphone users will be connected to the internet.’ Therefore, marketers should make sure they move their content on AMP for better user experience.
• Mobile payment – It is also one of the trends that are booming, and sure to make a big change. It allows customers to pay for products and services directly from a mobile app. Businesses like Starbucks have an app of their own that allows customers to purchase the coffee or other beverages in their physical outlet by paying with their smartphones in advance.

Other Marketing Strategies

While the above trends are considered to be the major trendsetter of 2020, there are also some important trends to watch out for 2020. Take a look.

• Predictive Analysis – personalized recommendations.

• Dynamic Creative Optimization – customized brand messaging in real-time.

• Programmatic Advertising – purchasing ad space via tools and relying on complex algorithms to deliver ads contextually.

• Omnichannel Marketing – In simple terms, it is the multichannel sales approach that provides the customer with an integrated shopping experience.

To Sum Up,

While digital marketing is all about experimenting, you should try every possible and ethical strategy to garner maximum returns for your business. You never know which strategy might fetch greater returns for your business. So, keep experimenting.

A range of these digital marketing trends will take 2020 to the next level. Businesses need to ensure they choose the right marketing avenue and technology to scale their brand to the new heights. Companies need to leverage Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning to deliver seamless customer experience.

You can refer to this list to draft your marketing strategies for 2020. While this list isn’t exhaustive, it will surely help you move in the right direction in the coming months.

What trends are you planning to follow in 2020? Do share your feedback with us.