Digital Marketing Trends 2020 - how to keep your business ahead

Digital Marketing Trends 2020 – tactics are constantly evolving as the technology that we use advances, the expectations of our audience changes and the demands on their attention increases. Keeping ahead of the curve is essential and there is no question that the more you plan ahead, the better equipped you will be to capitalise on the opportunities that new digital marketing trends bring.

What are your customers looking at today?

As a digital marketing agency based in Cape Town, we at The Formula are constantly reviewing the impact that digital marketing trends have on our customers. Here are some of the digital marketing tactics that we have found are helping companies to boost brand awareness and drive sales…

Voice Search

Think of Apple Siri, Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant/Google Now, Microsoft Cortana… Gartner has predicted that 30 percent of all searches will be done via voice by 2020, with smartphones being the key device used. When you type a search phrase into Google, you will be met with hundreds of search results. The same is not true however for voice search. Siri for example, may only provide you with one or two options. The chances of a click through on one of those options is far higher than on a browser search, so if as a business you want your website to appear as a voice search result, your SEO strategy will need to be that much more targeted to achieve results.

Chatbots

In today’s world, we are all looking for instant answers to our questions. We are already seeing facilities in social media, such as Facebook for example, which include responses to simple requests and questions via the messenger feature on business pages. This technology is swiftly being adopted into businesses via their websites, applications and social media and chatbots can be easily programmed to include humour and personalities and intelligently provide responses, as well as gather information to provide a first-line customer service.

Research has found that around 45% of end-users prefer engaging with a chatbot, while it is estimated that up to 80% of business communications with customers will be managed via bot messengers. It goes without saying that integrating a chatbot into your digital marketing strategy is essential.

Short Video Adverts

66% of ad impressions on Instagram are video adverts and this platform is not the only one where video ads now dominate. Have you seen the 10 second video advert interludes on Facebook and across numerous news websites? For frequenters of YouTube, you’ll also be familiar with the adverts that run while your video loads. These short video adverts are the latest approach to grabbing attention and building brand awareness online as they are less obtrusive and appeal to our modern short attention spans.

Putting together a short video advert is fairly simple, but messaging needs to be highly targeted and impactful. Short video adverts should unquestionably be part of your digital marketing strategy in 2020.

Live-Recorded Video Clips and Live Video Streaming

The preference for authentic messaging and content remains key and will continue to be favoured in the future. Live video clips provide the perfect means to deliver targeted messaging that feels real to your audience. For brands where live video streaming isn’t suitable, short live-recorded video clips are easy to create and have a positive impact on brand awareness and engagement. Whether it’s an event or some behind-the-scenes footage at your business, answering user questions or making a special announcement – interesting live-recorded video content helps customers feel that they are engaging with the real you.

Virtual Reality and Immersive Experiences

Tying in to the rise in popularity of live video content, as well as the desire for authenticity, virtual reality and in particular, creating immersive experiences for your customers through 360 degree images and videos will continue to gain momentum in the coming year. Immersion is one of the best ways to engage a customer through a range of senses and emotions. It allows them to experience your brand and offering in a fun and unique way.

While virtual reality may not be feasible for all businesses, 360 degree videos and images are comparatively easy to setup. Take a look at this example from the Australian Royal Air Force which gives the public a completely new, very realistic perspective from the air.

Your digital marketing strategy need not cost an arm and a leg…

While there are some incredible trends that can make a substantial difference to how prospects experience your brand, including the latest digital marketing tools in your arsenal can be surprisingly affordable. The key to successful digital marketing lies in the strategy. Ensuring that you maximise the use of the right tactics for the right reasons.

How to build a digital marketing strategy that’s affordable but effective…

Choosing the right digital marketing tactics that will suit your business, is essential.

We aim to help you make the most of selected approaches that suit your needs and deliver an outstanding experience for your target demographic. This is achieved through a targeted digital marketing strategy that will see solid returns on your marketing investment.

Here are some of the digital marketing tactics we can offer you: