Whare are your predictions for 2020? Will Donald Trump win a second term? Will we welcome 5G into the world? And will the next iPhone bring back the touch bar and make the giant leap to USB-C? Only time will tell.
But one thing is for sure if you are running a business then having a clear idea of the digital landscape in the coming year is crucial. And marketing is one aspect of business that is set to change a lot in 2020.
Here are some digital marketing trends for the first year of the new decade.
1. Artificial Intelligence
Yes, the robots are taking over (slowly). Chatbots are becoming increasingly common. Chatbots already allow customers to have conversations about recent transactions on their bank accounts if they have a digital bank.
Soon other businesses are likely to adopt them to answer basic questions about stock levels and the services or products that the company offers. Artificial intelligence chatbots can also respond to customers who are feeling angry or aggressive in a soothing way and they can also have a sense of humor.
The great thing about chatbots though is that they never sleep. You don’t have to employ people to work around the clock messaging service nor do you have to tell your customers that they can only contact you at certain times.
This means that customer service is now truly global and anyone can contact you from any timezone about a product and you can give them an answer.
2. Reward Loyalty Gets Easier
As shoppers, we all love reward schemes and, as a business, you should embrace them because they encourage loyalty to your brand: customers who come back to you time and time again should reap the benefits.
But in the past reward loyalty has involved registering for a physical card by entering your details online and then remembering to take that card with you during every visit. You will then wait in the post for a statement confirming your loyalty balance has been updated.
In recent years this has become easier as some brands have developed loyalty cards that can be stored in mobile wallets like Apple Pay.
In 2020 we are likely to see loyalty schemes become even easier to implement as major and digital banks partner up with digital receipt services such as Flux. This enables customers to collect their rewards automatically by simply spending on their registered cards.
Why should you be bothered about this? Because the more people who sign up to a loyalty scheme and the easier you make it for them the more information you are going to be able to get about their spending habits and demographics.
This, in turn, will help you understand your customers so you can tailor your service to them much more easily
3. SEO Looks Set to Increase Its Dominance
Content that is search engine optimized is always a winner in terms of increasing your traffic. 2020 will only see it increase its dominance as a major marketing trend with the release of 5G.
Soon we will all have access to lightning-fast internet in the palm of our hands in almost every place we go.
It’s no surprise then that on their commute to work when they’re waiting for a bus or even when they’re lounging around at a pool with a waterproof smartphone, your customers will be scrolling searching for content to entertain them or to persuade them to purchase something.
If your company doesn’t already have a blog then be sure to get one. Consider hiring SEO experts to write it for you to ensure you rank highly. You also need to consider the difference between SEO vs SEM for your business.
Remember Google’s algorithms are changing to reflect the need for quality content over generic posts. SEO takes time and is not something where you can just churn out a generic post once a month and hope for the best.
4. The Rise of the Influencer
In 2020 personality will be important. Often it’s not just the product or service itself we think about but the person selling it to us.
That’s why in 2020 Instagram and YouTube influencers will continue to dominate. Even Instagmers with a few thousand followers can make an impact on your business.
Be sure to do your research to target likable Instagram stars whose personalities match your target customer and the message of your brand. Arrange phone calls and Skype calls with them, develop a relationship with them, maybe even invite them to Skype into your weekly team meeting.
Only then should you pay them or offer them your product or service to promote. You will then know they have a good understanding of your product.
The Digital Landscape is Shifting
In 2020, personality will be key to the shifting digital landscape. Consumers no longer want to feel as if they are anonymous customers whose needs don’t matter.
Customers want to feel part of a larger community. The products and services we use are a reflection of our identities and giving customers a personal experience is key to this.
Consumer loyalty through reward schemes will become easier and more personalized. Loyalty schemes are set to be integrated into debit cards so we can get our points without even having to think.
Meanwhile, the way we interact with customers will change as artificial intelligence enables more sophisticated chatbots that can respond to our emotions and satisfy our demands or queries at any time of day.
Finally, with 5G set to get rolled out very soon and our insatiable appetite for content set to only increase, SEO blogs will increase its dominance.
If you are interested in reading more about the digital landscape or trends in digital marketing be sure to check out the rest of our site.
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