Top 5 Digital Marketing Trends in 2020

In the past, having a Facebook page and a website is more than enough for a business to keep pace with the dynamic demands of consumers. However, as time passes, the digital landscape continues to evolve at a rapid pace, making it challenging for businesses to keep up.

Devising effective and sustainable digital marketing strategies has since become essential for both old and new businesses to gain better leverage. Generally, online presence plays a vital role in today's online scene, especially if businesses are aiming to attain better recognition for their brand. The year 2020 is the high-time for businesses to adapt to the continuous evolution of the digital marketing industry and avoid being left behind.

That said, this article has singled the top 5 digital marketing trends that businesses should watch out for this 2020:

1. RISE OF CHATBOTS

Although the chatbot technology only debuted a few years ago, chatbots will still continue to be an integral component that will define 2020 as the year of the new digital marketing. A recent report from Oracle stated that 80% of businesses have exhibited a strong interest in including chatbots as part of their regular operations by 2020.

What makes chatbots fantastic is that they are powered with artificial intelligence. It enables chatbots to provide a seamless way for customers to communicate and interact with a particular company through different communication channels.

AI also enables chatbots to provide answers in a more articulate manner. It makes them more capable of performing simple and repetitive tasks commonly assigned to a business’ customer support team. These tasks include backtracking the buying history of customers and responding to frequently asked questions about the business. The best part about chatbots is it can automate routine tasks and provide 24/7 assistance to both the customers and the business itself. 

2. VIDEO MARKETING 3.0

Embracing the use of video content is crucial for businesses to persist amid the changing trends and demands in the industry. It is undeniable that video marketing has recently proven its effectiveness as a marketing channel for different brands. The surprising fact is text-based content is simply not enough to grab the attention of potential customers.

Incorporating videos for marketing campaigns, however, can be a business's “bread and butter” to exceed competitor performance both in search engines and various social media platforms. Videos can penetrate not only the visual and auditory senses, but also pinpoint the emotional component of purchasing decisions in customers.

There are currently several different features related to video content creation that are readily available on the internet. A broader range of content formatting is also being introduced. These formats, which include live streams, behind-the-scenes (BTS) footage, product demos, and videos with a 360° view, help maximize the creativity and impact of advertising strategies.

3. CONTENT MARKETING IS MORE ALIVE THAN EVER

Content marketing continues to be one of the most important factors that no business should ignore. It prevails in the face of marketing gimmicks that, albeit emerge almost instantly and are excellent at capturing audience interest, turn out to lose its effectiveness in just a short span of time. 

Since content is still considered a highly essential tool in digital marketing, Google's smarter and improved algorithms are more meticulous when it comes to reviewing quality content. As such, content marketing is no longer limited to blogs, articles, and other forms of written content. The search engine giant has developed a more sophisticated system that can easily understand specific online content in one go.

If business owners desire to be on the first page of search engine results, they should think of ways on how to make content that hits their target audience's preferences with precision. Remember, Google is getting smarter each minute. Marketers should think of effective and newer ways of creating content while ensuring that it is still aligned with the customers’ interests. 

4. INTERACTIVE CONTENT

Nothing beats online content that interacts with a customer. Interactive content is a form of marketing content that provides a cohesive connection between the business and the customers. It can be in the form of quizzes, polls, augmented reality ads, or 360° videos to name a few.

Interactive content provides a more immersive experience to all potential customers who are engaged by it. It helps in increasing the engagement rates for each campaign. Aside from leveraging a strategic approach with cutting-edge technology, this type of innovative content also heightens the level of connection between the business and its customers. It is no surprise why interactive content has made its way into the list of the most anticipated trends this 2020.

5. SOCIAL MESSAGING APPLICATIONS

Thanks to the debut of different messaging applications like Messenger, WeChat, Line, and other built-in direct messaging features on social media platforms, people acquired a newer and easier way to communicate with other people. Social media instantly diminished long distances between individuals.

Businesses should take advantage of the growing number of social media platform users. This year is a great time to leverage a strategic approach through social media messaging.

Take Facebook’s Messenger app, for instance: It currently has over 1.3 billion active users. The staggering amount of users is an opportunity big enough to create instant connectivity and rapport between a business and its target market.

Today’s technology is continuously progressing and enabling big and small businesses to reach a wider range of audience almost instantaneously. Also, a company with a live-chat feature is more preferred by consumers as it lets them acquire answers to their queries in real-time. This only proves that messaging applications will play a vital role in the digital marketing landscape.

On the other hand, email is still predicted to maintain its relevance as a communication tool for brands. It would be wise to choose social media platforms and communication tools or features that highlight the business’s nature of work and target demographic. In this manner, it will be easier to manage the social media presence and messaging strategies of the business.

ARE YOU READY FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF DIGITAL MARKETING?

Think of 2020 as an expressway to the future. The new age of consumers is getting savvier and more watchful in terms of choosing which products and services to support. At the same time, it is every business's responsibility to get involved in new advertising trends or risk being left behind. With so many opportunities for brand promotion emerging at present, businesses can devise new strategies to keep their business afloat and attain a more stable position in the future.