Consumers are getting keen on using digital spaces for the ease provided and a relatively faster experience. Businesses and industries are increasingly looking to become dominant in the digital arena. The Digital Marketing is mandatory for those which are keen on having digital imprints. This inturn benefits in terms of cost effectiveness and ensuring greater reachability. An advancement in technology has led to the emergence of new trends in digital space. The Digital Marketing trends of 2020 are touted as the next key drivers. These are enhancing and influencing decision making for marketing and related activities. Making Digital Marketing play a pivotal role in driving profitable business and deriving a good ROI from the investments made.
Therefore, it is important to get acquainted and equipped with a gamut of upcoming & latest trends and technologies.These are responsible for accentuating Digital Marketing with every year passing. And here’s a list of some of the Digital Marketing trends of 2020 —
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Chatbots
The AI-based technology is rampantly becoming an important part of the Digital Marketing ecosystem. The Chatbots uses instant messaging in real time at any part of the day with customers and site visitors. More than 80 percent businesses are transitioning to Chatbots. The availability is 24 hours with an instantaneous response time.It gives intelligent and human-like responses. More than 63 percent potential leads finds it effective for communication with a brand or business. It is convenient for answering simple questions by meeting customers’ expectations and less tedious by automating repetitive tasks.
Visualization
Nowadays, people are interested in credible and engaging content for consumption. With voice search and smart speakers in vicinity, visualization of content will be an innovative approach. A ‘readable’ content is getting more preference over its visual appeal against a simple text. Human brain finds it quicker to process and comprehend, invites more user engagement and is relatively more attractive. People feel more confident of a product’s value and drives more sales. Because the maximum has an affinity towards visual learning.This along with infographics, images,videos and data visualizations are rewarding. As a result, an information is absorbed better and invites better reception. Companies like Google and Pinterest are highly involved into visual search technology.
Voice Search and Voice Search SEO
Another digital marketing trend which is finding a strong footing owing to a rise in smart speakers. People are using them on a daily basis and more than 20 percent searches are happening through voice. Voice Search has been vital in providing relevant information through audio content and saves time to deliver value content. With a virtual assistant (i.e Alexa, Siri and Google) enabled smart speakers, consumers are now comfortable with this advanced AI technology. Voice Search ensures broader brand connection, awareness, better consumer interaction and retention. Primely focusing on user spoken keywords, getting a featured snippet on google search and using a conversational tone.
With more number of companies going online, e-commerce are leveraging the power of social media. The two together are responsible for incrementing sales and brand enhancement. With popular social networks such as Shopify on FB, Instagram Checkout enables users to complete their purchase on social media. This has been helpful in reducing customer attrition rate, cart abandonments and has lesser interfaces involved. In feed ads have garnered great responses.These interactive ads allows user to pick and shop on ease. This not only reduces sales funnel but also provides instant access and better potential leads.
Blockchain Technology
The use of blockchain has expanded beyond finance and related realms. Digital Marketing is also finding a utility in this technology. It will eliminate digital marketing intermediary, build trust through transparency and drive public accountability. Blockchain for Digital Marketing in future will also track Media Buys,protect personal data, authentication & provenance. Along with handling social media impressions, protecting personal data and allowing pinpoint targeting.
SERP Position Zero
Better known as Featured Snippet, continues to be the most coveted SERP positioning. Rank zero or position zero directly answers users search queries featured in a box. One can see 30- 40 percent of content in prelude without clicking. With a growing number of mobile users & voice search as compared to desktop, this SERP position is valuable. And it is helpful in increasing organic website traffic and promoting visibility. With a boost in click through rate, chances of ranking first are higher in Google Search results.
Augmented Reality and other Immersive Technologies
In digital space, Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR) along with other immersive technologies are increasingly used. This has helped enhance customer experience and increased sales.With marketing sector favoring AR over VR, more than 70 percent enterprises are experimenting with it. Industries such as cosmetic brands, furniture and housing are some amongst the 20 percent, who have successfully deployed in its production.The AR enabled apps allows consumers to take a virtual product trial, exploration and experimentation. In future, improved AR will find greater advocacy from different industries for product awareness.
Video Marketing
As more number of Digital Marketing techniques and formats are employing personalization in their approach. Video Marketing is a robust technique amongst all present, which will soon gain momentum. In the next 4-5 years, videos will become indispensable as compared to its important stronghold status today. It is an efficient way to interact, improve conversion rate, gaining consumers’ faith and loyalty This format is easily consumable and reformattable. Various video marketing types are seen like Live Video, 360 degree video content and 1:1 video which can be included in marketing strategies.
Predictive and Augmented Analytics
Predictive Analytics is utilized in digital marketing for advanced lead scoring, segmentation and personalization. It has helped marketers increase retention rate,decrease churn and improving customer loyalty. Retail giants such as Amazon has Amazon Assistant which works on Predictive Analytics to provide personalized offers anywhere on the web. Augmented Analytics provides better insights in less time along with more and better personalized decision making. This will increase the productivity and drive better results.
User Experience
With more people opting for digital mediums, User Experience (UX) is the master key. User’s experience in browsing a website must appeal to senses such as sound, vision and sight. Technological improvements have given people a choice to access sites with a better UX design. As it also plays a vital role in brand’s success and SEO efforts. Search engines are accounting for various factors for providing users with an optimal search experience and results. User experience along with on-site content, mobile friendliness are important factors which influences marketing status. This can be in terms of customer experience with a brand, employee engagement and several others. The focus should be on UX as well from a marketing point of view.
One can say that digital marketing is evolving with time in cohesion with advanced technologies. Of which some are AI, voice SEO and data-driven marketing (including Quantum Computing, Edge Computing and Analytics). These Digital Marketing trends of 2020 are something to watch out for every digital marketer.