Latest Digital Marketing Trends to Consider in 2020

They say, “Change is the only constant”. While this holds true for every aspect of our life, it is particularly accurate when it comes to the world of digital marketing. Marketing is one field that needs constant upgrades. This is because you cannot capture the interest of people with the same techniques and strategies over and over again. It is essential to come up with new and innovative ideas to fetch attention and keep the interest alive. Hence, digital marketers and researchers brainstorm to give birth to new marketing tools and techniques from time to time.

New digital marketing trends come into the picture and the older ones gradually become ineffective and mundane and this goes on and on. As we get ready to enter 2020, let us learn about the emerging digital marketing trends – the trends that you need to consider in the year to come if you want to stay at the top of the game.

1. Inclination towards Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing is catching up big time. However, a small alteration has been observed in this marketing style. Earlier brands ran after celebrities and social media influencers with millions of followers to get their brand promotion done. However, both big and small businesses are now seeking micro-influencers especially those who are experts in their particular field. This is mainly because their recommendations appear more authentic as opposed to those by big celebrities. It has been observed that the majority of people trust recommendations from other consumers and micro-influencers over corporate advertising.

There is nothing more attractive and interesting than knowledge. Experts in specific fields and niche artists are thus able to help brands generate interest and establish trust among the masses.

Besides, many small businesses and startups do not have the budget to hire celebrities and popular influencers. This is another reason for the growth in this trend. All in all, influencer marketing will continue to gain popularity in the coming year. The findings from a recent survey show that 59% of marketers aim to raise their influencer budget in 2020.

2. Stories – Catching the Fancy

While interesting and engaging posts on social media help in grabbing the attention of the readers, stories have become more popular lately. Brands have started using Instagram, Facebook, and even YouTube stories to promote their products and services. What is appealing about these stories is that they disappear in 24 hours. So, there is a curiosity to go and see it before it goes away. People are particularly curious to watch the stories of the brands that come up with innovative and informative content day after day. Statistics reveal that one-third of the most viewed Instagram stories are from businesses.

Brands mostly highlight their products and services, announce new offers and also provide industry related information by way of these stories. Vibrant images, appealing video content, GIFs, etc are used to make the content interesting. Many brands conduct polls and quizzes to engage the readers.

The trend of sharing stories on different social media platforms is likely to grow in 2020.

3.Improved Chatbots for Enhanced Experience

Chatbots have come a long way since their inception. Earlier they were only equipped to answer the questions that were pre-written/recorded. Brands fed them with commonly asked questions. The experience they offered wasn’t very good as it seemed all made up and limited. However, things have changed with time. In 2019, we have seen smarter chatbots that understand the users’ questions and browse the web to find answers for the same. A recent survey shows:

• 70% of millennials are satisfied with their chatbot experience.
• 57% of businesses have reported that chatbots enable substantial ROI with minimal effort.
• 90% of businesses have reported that bots aid in faster complaint resolution

The intelligence of chatbots is expected to grow in the coming year. They will begin to offer an even better customer experience. Thus, employing advanced chatbots for answering customer queries and addressing their complaints is yet another digital marketing trend to consider in 2020. After all, it is a cost-effective method to offer round the clock customer service.

4.The rise in Voice-Powered Search

2019 has seen increasing use of voice assistants for conducting a search. The growing popularity of Alexa and Siri is enough to prove this. After all, why would anyone make an effort to type when they can get the results with a simple voice command? Many brands around the world have gone ahead and made use of this new technology to gain popularity. More and more businesses are likely to inculcate voice-powered search in 2020. If you haven’t employed it yet, it is time you do it now! Here are a few findings that should make it clear why you require this technology:

• As per Google, 20% of all the searches conducted on the internet are voice-based.
• As per the present scenario; by 2020, 50% of all online searches will be voice-based.
• 55% of households are likely to own smart speakers by 2022.

5.Use of Interactive Content

Some of the examples of interactive content are online polls, infographics, and contests. Brands have been using interactive content for a long time. A whopping 93% of marketers believe that this type of content is effective when it comes to educating the buyers. The use of interactive content is expected to rise in 2020. Businesses will focus on interactive content to keep their readers engaged. This will also help in providing the precise information your readers are looking for and hence offer them a good experience. Likewise, this type of content gives the opportunity to seek customer feedback which is of utmost importance. It helps you understand the customer psyche and gives you a chance to mold your products and services accordingly.

Interactive content is also easier to share on social media. You can lure the readers to share your content by offering reward points in return. It goes without saying that the more your content is shared the greater visibility your brand gets.

Moreover, interactive content can impact your website’s SEO ranking positively.

6.Social Media Shopping

Social media is a crucial part of life. And businesses are making the most of this fixation. From promoting brands to selling them – social media platforms have come a long way.

These platforms have been actively being used to promote brands for years. We are sure you must have tried these too and benefited a great deal. Interestingly, brands have started using these popular platforms to sell their products. In case you aren’t aware, you are no longer redirected to different sites to make a purchase. You can purchase it on the social media platforms in just a few clicks. This is to say that if you like something while browsing Facebook, you can make a purchase then and there itself. There is no need to fight your way through multiple web pages before you can call that pretty thing your own. This is a fast and hassle-free way to make a purchase, isn’t it? No wonder, it is getting popular. This fresh idea is proving to be profitable for the brands as well as buyers. More and more businesses are likely to use this to boost their sales in 2020.

7.Use of Augmented Reality

Augmented reality is being used by big businesses as a digital marketing strategy. The concept is highly effective when it comes to generating interest. It gives the customers an option to view and get a feel of what they are about to purchase. The real estate industry, hospitality industry, tourism industry, and makeup companies are reaping benefits with the use of this new age tool. Its use has largely been limited to big businesses owing to the cost involved. However, 2020 is likely to see an increased use of this digital marketing tool because of the ROI it offers.

8.Personalized Marketing

2020 is expected to see more and more personalized marketing campaigns. Consumers these days are not interested in viewing generic ads. They want something that satiates their specific requirement. A recent survey indicates that a large number of people find personalized marketing more appealing and they are likely to opt for products and services from a brand that offers personalized marketing experience.

Digital marketing offers the opportunity to target specific segments and offer personalized marketing. Brands have already started using different digital marketing channels to run customized marketing campaigns. The trend is likely to go up in 2020. Segmented email lists top the list of strategies planned for this kind of marketing. Personalized emails are a great way to connect with customers. They make them feel valued. This shows the brand’s interest in them and they reciprocate it. Direct messages on social media platforms can also help in creating a similar impact. So, if you haven’t given a thought to personalized advertising and are still stuck with the generic marketing content, you need to consider it seriously in 2020 else you may lag behind.

9. Focus on Customer Retention

Companies are slowly realizing that it is easier and more cost-effective to retain existing customers as compared to acquiring new ones. 2020 will see businesses making efforts to focus on their existing customers.

As mentioned above, digital marketing channels such as email and direct messages allow brands to offer personalized information to customers. These mediums will be put to optimal use to connect better with the customers, provide them valuable information about the brand as well as the industry and acquaint them with the latest schemes and offers as well as loyalty bonuses.

10.Video Marketing on a Rise

The wonders of video marketing have been recognized in 2019. More and more businesses will use video marketing in 2020. Videos would be optimized for different social media platforms with the aim to enhance the customer experience. It will become imperative for businesses to inculcate this marketing strategy in order to gain visibility.

Interesting and informative video content keeps the audience hooked and it also helps them retain information effortlessly. Statistics reveal that viewers retain 95% of the message conveyed over a video and only 10% from reading content.

It has also been observed that 58% of consumers trust brands that offer video content and 64% prospects are likely to purchase products after watching a video describing it.

Moreover, people are much more likely to share videos on social media than text or images. Need we say more about the importance of this marketing strategy?

Well, these are just a few trends to watch out for in 2020. We anticipate many new ones to emerge and grow as the competition gets tougher. Digital marketers around the world consistently work hard to develop newer tools and techniques for effective marketing. No wonder, we see fresh and innovative ways to market products every now and then. 2019 saw digital marketing evolve big time. This new-age technique to promote businesses is expected to develop and progress further in 2020. As per a survey conducted by ET, digital advertising is likely to grow at 32 percent CAGR. This implies it would reach around 19,000 crores by 2020. The finding also states that digital media spend will rise by approximately 9% and reach 24 percent by 2020.

We are sure you are already investing in digital marketing to boost your business and are satisfied with the returns. However, if somehow you aren’t happy with the ROI then it is time to reconsider the digital marketing agency you have been counting on. Only a few among the thousands of digital marketing agencies in the country have the caliber to make your business stand out. TT Digitals is a famous digital marketing company in Pune that inculcates the latest digital marketing trends to promote brands in the most effective manner.

It takes in-depth knowledge about the digital marketing field, a good amount of experience, high creative thinking ability, zest to learn about new digital tools and the ability to adapt to the ever-changing digital techniques to build a strong online brand image. Evaluate the shortlisted agencies on all these parameters before handing them your project.