Digital marketing strategies are changing dramatically, and it can be a full time job just to keep up with it all. In our last post, we explored some of the biggest trends transforming the face of social media in the coming year.  However, that just scratches the surface.  Here are five more massive shifts to incorporate in your digital marketing in 2020 to help you get ahead of the curve.

New Social Media Channels

If your social media marketing strategy is still focused on the traditional platforms – think Facebook and Twitter, no worries.  These channels still net huge engagement, now and for some time to come. But they are beginning to plateau. The current trend is shifting towards alternative and niche social media platforms, especially for the younger demographic.  Getting your foot in the door for these secondary channels is even more important as shoppable posts hit the mainstream. The shift is still in the early stages, but they are showing impressive growth already.  So, the best time to build your presence is now.

Instagram is already taking precedence over Facebook for younger audiences, and there are a few other platforms that are becoming equally important. To expand your social media presence, consider platforms such as Reddit, Medium, Pinterest, and Snapchat. This is great news if you have a niche product or service, as these mediums are specialised platforms idea for reaching specific target audiences. To make the most of this trend now, connect with your social media management agency to plan your ideal marketing strategy.

Programmatic Advertising

A well-planned online ad campaign has loads of factors.  Where to place the ad, how much to bid, keywords and negative keywords to factor in… all of these matter, and that’s just the beginning.  You also want to keep track of performance, adjust your bidding strategies by season and as the market develops, and target ads for specific customers.

Short story?  This is more than just a full-time job.  It’s a job for AI and machine-learning algorithms.  And the good news is that a wide variety of tools are now available to help you optimise your campaign and keep it optimised in a shifting market.  To name just a couple, SmartyAds and Adobe Marketing Cloud can help you to adjust bidding, personalise advertisement, track performance, and make adjustments automatically.  This frees you up to spend time on the running the business and gives you better results than trying to crunch the numbers yourself.

Featured Snippets

Featured snippets are the results that show up in a box at the top of the page of an organic search.  The goal is to answer the user’s question right away and without having to sift through loads of search results. The key here is that search engines are evolving, and the goal is to make the search more user friendly. That means if your site is optimised for featured snippets, there’s a much better chance that it’ll show up higher in the search ranking, hopefully even snagging some of that priceless first-page real estate.

One of the best ways to do this is to make sure your site offers valuable high-quality content that your audience is interested in. Think about the questions that they are likely to have, and then craft your content around clear, well-structured answers that get to the point and then let you expand into the details. By optimising all content for featured snippets, you’re writing for the audience and boosting your search ranking at the same time.

Vlogging

Video content has become huge for engaging customers and building interest.  Plus, there are loads of platforms that make it easy to record and post for your audience.  In addition to YouTube, think Snapchat and Instagram Stories.  So it’s no surprise that vlogs, or video blogs, are becoming an important element of a successful online marketing strategy.  They help you to create a personal connection with your target audience, and boost engagement through your social media channels.  Vlogs also allow you to stream exclusive content, giving your customers access to material they can’t find anywhere else, like live-streaming events or interviews.  This is a great way to add value to your brand.

Keep with the Tone of the Times

Let’s face it. Time stops for no one. Generation Z, those born at the turn of the millennium, are now 18, 19 and 20 and becoming consumers in their own right.  And, as the years go on, they’ll become a larger part of the target demographic.  That means that your content has to be shaped around a new set of values and terminology.

Some key notes to keep in mind are authenticity, privacy, diversity, and humour.  The younger generation values honest, direct communication without an excess of agenda-laden promotion. In an era where identity theft has become commonplace, privacy is more important every day, so respecting personal information is essential. Diversity is an aspect of the modern era.  If you don’t address this, you alienate a large portion of your target audience.  Finally, to connect best, keep it light and a bit quirky.

Although new tools and tech are changing how things are done, the core of really good marketing is and has always been integrity.  It’s about meeting a need and helping people to get what they want.  2020 brings in a stronger emphasis on the human side of your brand and your business, building relationships and connecting with the people who want what you have to offer.  The key is to use the tools available to make that happen.

If you missed our earlier post on 2020 digital marketing trends, click here to learn more, and feel free to contact us to learn how to tailor your marketing strategies for the new year.