What's Up in Digital Marketing in 2020

According to one source, there are the 12 Digital Marketing Trends that we'll see next year. Since there are less than 90 days (?!) left in this decade, it feels like this is a good time to visit 2020 trends. Here are a couple of the key trends. Number 1 on the list is:

Chatbots

Ugh. A chatbot is a software application that mimics human speech in a conversation, typically via a website or over the internet. I'll admit it: I'm a Baby Boomer and I appreciate conversation with an actual human, not a simulated one. (It's frustrating enough to get a human to provide a rational explanation for whatever is the problem, let alone a pre-programmed answer from a chatbot....) That said, I understand the value of chatbots to the bottom line, especially in customer service applications. They save money (cheaper than humans, and if it's a good one, its hard to tell that you're not communicating with a human), they're available 24/7 which is a comfort level for those customers who's issues can be resolved, and there is no danger that the chatbot will be disengaged or in a bad mood! Click here for info from one source for customized chatbots.

Personalization and Hyper-Targeted Advertising

As scary as it is to see ads for products for which you've searched or related to previous purchases, studies show that consumers are more annoyed by ads that are not targeted to them. Consumers expect suppliers to understand their audience. And consumers hate ads but love content - make sure your content is relevant to your audience.

Companies will continue to work with Influencers

Research is showing that 86% of women turn to social media when researching a purchase, and 70% of teens trust influencers more than celebrities traditionally used in ads. Influencers will be increasingly important to advertisers.

Clients appreciate Transparency

What does that mean? The company should be clear about it's core values, should walk the talk once it makes those values known, respond immediately to concerns (this is more and more visible as consumers take their issues to Twitter or Facebook for immediate and often public resolution) and don't hide who you are. Consumers want to know who they're doing business with. Transparency in pricing, in processes and policies regarding returns, etc. is critical.

CMO predicts that in just a few years - by 2022 - 87% of marketing budgets will be spent on digital advertising. It's important to understand the trends in order to stay ahead of or on par with competitors. For more info on marketing trends and how to prepare for them, click on the links in this article or contact us!

Visible Communication helps companies be more visible in their marketplace and improve business through effective marketing communication strategies including branding, social media, content marketing and more. Follow Barb on Twitter @BarbHendrickson