As a digital marketer, you are well aware that best practices are ever-changing, especially in our digital age. Recent innovations have given rise to numerous channels through which marketers can reach their audiences. Because these channels are still relatively new when compared to traditional marketing channels, such as print publications, marketers are still learning how to leverage them to their full potential.
In other words, it’s crucial to stay abreast of developing marketing trends if you wish to provide your clients with the best possible service. As you prepare for the New Year, you should keep the following 2020 digital marketing trends and practices in mind to remain competitive despite the changing landscape of the industry.
The Future of Digital Marketing in 2020
1. Personalization is Paramount
In recent years, personalizing marketing content has become increasingly vital. Surveys indicate consumers want brands to offer personalized marketing content, and their behavior supports this; when digital marketing specialists segment email campaigns, so audience members only receive content that aligns with their interests, open rates increase substantially.
Sixty-three percent of Millennial consumers and 58% of GenX consumers are willing to share data with companies in exchange for personalized offers and discounts. – Salesforce.com, State of the Connected Consumer report
Personalized marketing doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, it’s becoming easier and easier for brands to personalize their marketing campaigns thanks to innovations such as AI, which allows marketers to collect data about individual users, tailoring their marketing content accordingly. It’s so simple – and popular – that consumers have begun to expect this degree of personal service.
Don’t fall behind the competition by relying on outdated tactics. At the start of 2020, make a plan for incorporating increased personalization in your digital marketing efforts.
2. The Rise of Video
people are bombarded with marketing content constantly. Simply navigating the Internet can feel like walking through a store where countless pushy sales representatives are pitching their goods and services. That’s not a pleasant experience.
However, that’s not to say consumers never positively respond to marketing content. They’re merely more likely to engage with marketing campaigns if they offer genuine value. Content marketing delivers this. With content marketing, brands can provide leads with useful information, entertain, and much more.
That said, to prepare your 2020 marketing strategy, you need to understand what types of content are most engaging. According to research:
53% of consumers who watch a branded video on a social media platform will then engage with the brand’s website after the video is over.
83% of marketing specialists believe video is rapidly becoming more important to marketing success.
It’s easy to understand why. Video captures the attention of a lead in a dynamic and emotionally-engaging manner. It also allows brands to share a substantial amount of content with a viewer in a relatively condensed form. While a long blog post might not attract a significant amount of readers, if you were to translate the content of the post into a fast-paced and fun video, engagement is likely to rise.
Take a look at some of these big-time viral marketing videos for inspiration:
The role of video in digital marketing is also becoming increasingly prominent thanks to the ease with which brands can produce videos now. In the recent past, video production was prohibitively expensive for some smaller companies and brands. Now, we live in an age where major motion pictures are shot on iPhones. This increased accessibility has yielded a surge in video marketing. Consider how you may use video in your campaigns this year.
3. Data-Driven Marketing
Video production isn’t the only tech-heavy task that’s become more affordable and accessible in recent years. Analytics technology has also risen in popularity. Brands have responded accordingly, analyzing various types of data to plan marketing campaigns.
You should be doing the same. After all, planning digital marketing campaigns can sometimes feel as though you’re blindly strategizing in the hopes that you’ll be lucky, and your content will resonate with audiences. That doesn’t need to be the case.
You’ll feel much more confident in your efforts if you base your marketing strategies on data analysis. By rigorously monitoring data and trends to determine what types of campaigns and content most effectively engage your audience, you’ll be better equipped to design campaigns that deliver results.
4. Social Influencer Marketing Continues to Grow in Popularity
Social influencer marketing isn’t necessarily a new marketing trend. In recent years, numerous brands have taken advantage of the popularity of social media influencers to reach their audiences, which appears to be effective. Surveys indicate consumers are often likely to make a purchase when a social media influencer promotes a brand.
Perhaps more importantly, this is particularly common when the social media influencer promoting the brand isn’t a major celebrity. Major celebrity endorsements likely resemble traditional advertisements to many consumers. The recommendations of a star who is paid a hefty sum to promote a product or service may ring hollow to audiences. However, recommendations from social media personalities with smaller audiences appear to feel more authentic.
Again, while social media influencer marketing isn’t exactly new, its significance is on the rise. Results from surveys like the one cited above have convinced many more brands to coordinate with popular figures on Instagram and related platforms. You should follow their example.
According to MediaKix.com, here are some of the top social influencers on Instagram in 2019:
1. AMANDA CERNY (@AMANDACERNY) – 24.7M FOLLOWERS
2. ZACH KING (@ZACHKING) – 20.5M FOLLOWERS
3. LIZA KOSHY (@LIZAKOSHY) – 17.7M FOLLOWERS
4. JAMES CHARLES (@JAMESCHARLES) – 15M FOLLOWERS
5. NIKKIE DE JAGER (@NIKKIETUTORIALS) – 11.8M FOLLOWERS
That said, you must consider your audience when deciding which social media influencers to reach out to. Their promotions are valuable because they can help you reach more users than you might through your own branded accounts. They can also help you cast a wider net, reaching users who may not yet be aware of your brand. You need to make sure the audience of any social media influencer you work with corresponds with your audience. Don’t waste time and money promoting your brand to people who won’t be interested in it.
Ring In The New Year with A New Marketing Strategy
Digital marketing trends are always changing. It’s our job as marketers to stay on top of trends to ensure we’re attracting and engaging leads. As you create content, begin creating and publishing videos to complement your work. Add them to YouTube and embed them in your blog or on your website. Share them on social media to increase your reach and generate interest. Be sure to analyze your work to ensure the data supports your efforts and, when it doesn’t, make some changes. Don’t be afraid to A/B test to get the results you need. And when you’re ready to breathe new life into your social with influencer marketing, do your due diligence to ensure you’re creating the right strategy and connecting with the right people to ensure you’re providing your audience with what they want. If you do this, you – and your clients – will be sure to have a prosperous New Year.
The post 4 Digital Marketing Trends You Can’t Ignore In 2020 appeared first on Oyova Software.