One of the most important things in running successful digital marketing campaigns is to be forward-thinking. That means to be aware of up-coming digital marketing trends and to align planned marketing activities with them. The end of the past year is the perfect moment to take a look over the rising market shifts that will take over in the next twelve months. So, here is what will 2020 bring in the digital marketing field.
#1 Featured Snippets or SERP Position Zero
When it comes to SERP, being number one will no longer be the goal. One of the leading search engine digital marketing trends in 2020 is aiming at SERP position zero. This prime location in SERP is a featured snippet of text appearing above the search results. It provides users with a direct and concise answer to their query, without the need to click to a specific search result. Recent surveys confirmed that position zero is sometimes the only result a part of users will view.
Image Source: Forbes
#2 Interactive Content
The increasing number of shoppers constantly searching for a new, original online experience, is expected to turn 2020 into a year of the interactive content. Surveys have shown that more than 90 percent of online shoppers are searching for more interactive and visual content. The interactive content stands out, gives visitors a reason to engage, and keeps them on the webpage longer. Most of the users prefer it more than other available material. Plus, it is easily sharable and helps to increase brand awareness.
#3 Direct Messaging
Direct messaging is going to be one of the most significant digital marketing trends in 2020. It simplifies assisting in sales, customer service, and provides a more personal approach to customers. Direct messaging is extremely useful in having open communication with customers, taking sales orders, addressing their complaints, and offering exclusive deals or coupon codes. Therefore, social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter, as well as messaging apps such as Viber, WhatsApp, or Facebook Messenger, are potent tools for building a stronger connection with clients.
#4 Social Media Stories and Niche Media Channels
Snapchat My Stories, Instagram and Facebook Stories, YouTube Reels, and TikTok videos all bring a fantastic opportunity for marketers to leverage a “fear of missing out” or FOMO among consumers. Social media stories are also on the 2020 digital marketing trends list, and here is why. They are a cost-effective ad solution to engage with followers, boost web traffic, increase brand awareness, and reach a younger audience. The increasing number of clients and consumers use them to find a nearby business, which makes them great for building brand visibility locally, as well.
2020 is also expected to bring new space for alternative and niche social media channels. Smaller social media platforms like Pinterest, Snapchat, Reddit, and Medium might not have the reach of the giants like Facebook and Twitter. Still, they are much more effective in reaching niche target users.
#5 Micro-influencers
Compared to top-tier influencers and their pricing lists, micro-influencers are a much more affordable choice for running a social media campaign. As one of the emerging digital marketing trends, their popularity is expected to rise in 2020 significantly.
Medium-sized or micro-influencers are connected to narrower niches. They are popular enough to make an influence on their followers, yet much more available for creating a personalized approach to them. As a result, they bring a 60 percent higher engagement rate and are nearly seven times more cost-effective compared to top influencers. Micro-influencers are an effective solution for building brand awareness in a particular niche because they often represent niches themselves.
Image Source: Chiefmarketer
#6 Intelligent Social Listening and Sentiment analysis
Although it`s not a brand new digital marketing trend, new technologies will boost the popularity of social media listening in the following years. Intelligent social listening and sentiment analysis implies algorithms and data collecting tools used to optimally reveal what people think about the product or brand. This practice of analyzing the users’ reactions to a service or a product helps to understand the messages behind their online communication and to adjust sales, marketing, and content strategies. Sentiment analysis tools such as Mentionlytics, Repustate, Critical Mention, and Lexalytics are expected to draw more attention to marketers in 2020.
#7 Shoppable posts
As one of the most important digital marketing trends in 2020, shoppable posts will continue to efficiently bridge the gap between social media followers and online stores. Buying products directly through social media ads or posts enables customers all the convenience of eCommerce without leaving the social media platform. It also shortens the buying process, which decreases the chances of sales abandonment. Despite the fact they are not a new trend, shoppable posts are getting more and more attention of the marketers. That is quite reasonable considering that more than 50 percent of people use social media for doing product research.
#8 Virtual and Augmented Reality
Both virtual reality and augmented reality have become tremendously popular over the years. Still, the AR might take the lead in 2020. Facebook AR ads, for example, are expected to draw a massive interest of marketers in the future. An AR ad format enables companies and businesses to interact with their target audience and offer them products based on their purchasing patterns. Facebook has even provided an entirely new platform for advertisers to display products by introducing augmented reality feed ads. AR feed ads will surely bring an even more interactive experience in online shopping that will help companies get better conversion rates.
#9 Live Streaming and Vlogging
Video and live streaming are going to make a massive effect on digital marketing trends in 2020. With more than five billion videos watched on YouTube every day, and more than 60 percent of people aged between 18–34 who watch live streaming videos regularly, that shouldn`t come as a surprise. Here are some other interesting facts. More than 40 percent of US consumers watch online or streaming video daily, while 70 percent of them do it at least weekly. At the same time, nearly 80 percent of digital viewers will watch ads in exchange for free content.
Live videos on social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook have become a fantastic tool to engage with the viewers. In fact, they can keep the target audience watching content 3x longer than a regular video. Facebook Live videos can generate six times more interactions, and their daily watch time has quadrupled in a year.
At the same time, the increasing success of Instagram Stories, Snapchat, and YouTube has made vlogs more popular than ever. This popularity will continue in 2020 because video blogs, unlike any other video type, can create a unique, more personal connection with the viewer.
#10 Podcasting
As one of the essential digital marketing trends in 2020, podcasting will continue to help companies in building brand authority and creating brand advocates, anywhere at any time. Today, there are more than 700 thousand live podcasts and nearly 30 million episodes. There are podcasts on marketing, business, technology, cooking, anime, or any other topic you can think of.
The sound puts the emotion into the words, which enables an authentic form of communication, and a more personal connection with the customers. Podcasting allows companies to communicate with a captive audience, which is why it has become an essential part of marketing strategies.
#11 The Rising Importance of Micro-Moments
Ecommerce companies and brands have seconds to engage with a potential customer. One of the effective ways to make the most of that short time-window is by using micro-moments. According to Google, people usually interact with their smartphones around 150 times per day. Sending an email, posting, or chatting are all types of purpose-oriented micro-moments.
Today, the customers have very high expectations, with little time and even less patience. Therefore, to leverage micro-moments in 2020, marketers need to become useful and quick in providing the customers with the information they need. They must recognize their “have to buy” moments, and deliver an engaging, concise, and quality content to ease their purchase.
#12 Prepare for the Gen Z
According to some surveys, Generation Z will make around 40 percent of all consumers in the next year, which is why it is essential to include them in the upcoming digital marketing trends. As the youngest consumers, Gen Z members have a much different taste compared to Generation X and Boomers. They are technology-focused, hard to reach, highly concerned about their privacy, and know all about social media and getting online information.
As the most diverse generation yet, Gen Z demands authentic content with an easy-going approach and a dose of humor. Still, this compelling consumer base brings an enormous opportunity for driving sales. To use it, companies and brands will simply have to adjust their digital marketing activities to Generation Z members` needs.
Are You Ready for Digital Marketing in 2020?
Although it may sound contradictory, the upcoming digital marketing trends in 2020 will be both mechanical and human. Most of the new trends are focused on providing a more personal approach and connection with the users. Still, that connection is mostly going to be accomplished by using new technologies and automation.
Finally, the core of digital marketing activities will stay the same, and that is to provide people with just the right content at the right place and the right time. 2020 is only going to reveal some new ways to achieve that.
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