Thinkers360 2020 Predictions are member-sourced predictions from our opt-in B2B thought leader and influencer community with 15M+ followers on social media combined. The 2020 Predictions for Digital Marketing are part of a series intended to provide actionable insights for business and technology executives.
We asked a selection of our Thinkers360 global thought leaders and influencers on marketing about their predictions for Digital Marketing in 2020. Here’s what they told us…
What are your predictions for Digital Marketing in 2020?
I’d like to think of 2020 as we think about it with vision, 20/20, which means normal visual acuity. Marketing in 2020 will be a lot like marketing in 2019…normal (all good stuff!) We’ll talk about hot new trends and integrate shiny tech into existing thinking, processes and programs, doing cool things, without really changing the game. Once someone takes a bold leap, like Aviation Gin’s “fast advertising” follow ad that capitalized on Peloton’s marketing debacle, everyone will see a new light to then follow (and copy) and add a new page to the marketing playbook. There’s more that we can do to keep adding to that playbook or even, create a new playbook in 2020.
– Brian Solis, Principal Analyst, Digital Anthropologist at BrianSolis.com (Editors Note: For more on this topic, see Brian’s post in the Thinkers360 Member Blog, “Shifting from Tracking Trends to Creating Possibilities“)
Consumer influencer marketing will continue its push into ads space and building stronger brand advocacy. In B2B, the emphasis will focus on building “communities of influence” around industry experts, employees and brand advocates/customers. The communities will act as watering holes where people can learn, share ideas and find value through authentic interactions vs. one-way content. This will play well with ABM efforts to personalize content by making it more interactive and engaging. The effect will be to attract target consumers rather than push content to them.
– , Vice President, Influencer Marketing & Communications for SAP Ariba and SAP Fieldglass
The problem is not the tools – The problem is our message. In 2020 deep empathy will win. Marketers that will rise to the surface will be the ones that make the effort to truly resonate with their ideal customers and create urgency to change and act. Their ability to cut through the noise will be noticed because it’s remarkable. They’ll use technology to amplify their advantage and create an unstoppable flywheel.
– Ton Dobbe, Chief Experience Officer, Value Inspiration
Brands will rely more on influencers as a proxy for outreach to targeted buyers in 2020. According to Twitter and Annalect, Twitter users report a 5.2X increase in purchase intent when exposed to promotional content from influencers, and Influencer marketing ROI is 11X higher than the traditional advertising. This will give brands more incentive to leverage influencers for faster outreach or/and brand elevation.
– Helen Yu, Founder & CEO, Tigon Advisory Corp.
Influencer use and impact will continue to grow. B2B and B2C buyers continue to filter inbound access in a variety of ways. Influencers will play a continuing and greater role – especially in B2B. Increasing feedback loops in the marketing workflow will help create more compelling and engaging content at lower costs. Content created and/or recommended by peers, thought leaders and other industry influencers will drive increasing levels of engagement and access to target buyers.
– , CEO, B2B Buyer Insights
The impact of AI will be immense over the next few years. It will help digital marketers make better decisions to target audiences, analyse insights and maximise their efforts. Smart technologies and automation will make us stronger to understand and process customers data, but it won’t replace us. Digital marketers will have the opportunity to be more creative and strategic.
– Jennifer Sanchis, Policy Team Account Manager at PRIME Research | Outstanding Young Communicator 2019
Around 50% of Google Searches will be done with a voice assistant. Majority of companies will invest in AI in 2020. Artificial Intelligence will increase sales dramatically for brands. Clients want an easy response to their questions and brands will invest heavily in chatbots. Marketers are likely to implement an automation marketing tool in their strategy. Majority of men and women believe emojis are a better way to express their emotions so it’s likely to see more emojis popping up. Tiktok has become an interesting platform for brands and marketers will be working on strategies that will help their brands move forward and win attention. I also predict that in 2020, influencers will become a main part of digital marketing strategies, which is the best way to gain access to potential customers and establish trust. Brands will be spending billions dollars to work with influencers.
– Vladimer Botswadze, CEO at Botsvadze Marketing SolutIons
In the next year or so we’ll be seeing more companies finally realize that it’s not about leads but about human connection. Prospects don’t respond to your cold emails or calls because they are inauthentic and low value. Smart companies will focus less on the numbers game and “feeding the funnel.” Instead they’ll get back to basics, actually focus on the customer, find ways to provide value, and build relationships.
– Jill Soley, Author of Beyond Product, Head of Product and Marketing at Obo
In 2020 we will see an explosion of livestreams and more importantly “Multistreams”. It is now easier than ever to send a single livestreaming session to multiple sources at once. Sites like Streamyard are leading the charge here and we will see this idea take hold in 2020. There is a growing awareness now of the importance of online networking and content creation, so this is the perfect extension of this theme. Because it really is super simple to livestream to a number of different sites at once, the use case here is absolutely enormous. Some ideas that come to mind: Casual Periscope Sessions, Linkedin Live Discussions, Private Facebook Groups… The list goes on!!
– Keith Keller, Global Twitter Video Specialist
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