January 6, 2020 •Claire Archer-Davis
So here we are! Back in the office and feeling refreshed after last month’s festivities and some much enjoyed family time!
As we move into the first full working week of 2020 we cast our eyes to the New Year horizon and take a peek at what digital marketing experts predict will be trending during 2020.
Social media marketing in 2020
The main social media platforms have now become the bread and butter staple for anyone working in the digital marketing world. Just about any business of any significant worth will need a presence on social media to be successful and this isn’t set to change any time soon!
However, there are ever-shifting new trends to master within social media and the hot topics for 2020 are predicted to be:
Social Listening
Over the years successful marketing strategies have shifted from the business owner creating a product or service and telling their customers to buy it, to now actually listening to what consumers really need or desire, and then creating a product or service to meet those needs.
Social Media Data collection and analysis will continue to be very important to enable a company to plan and tweak their marketing campaigns to appeal to its target audience.
In recent years there has been a sharp rise in the number of social listening tools, so there is no excuse for any business not to take advantage of these tools to gain the valuable data and insights that they provide.
Social Stories
Social Stories can be now be viewed as ‘ephemeral content’ not dissimilar to daily news stories that were printed in newspapers for decades. Social Stories provide readers with a ‘what’s happening right now’ glimpse into someone’s life or a shared experience that makes readers feel more included.
These short-lived stories are very much like the daily newspapers of old that were read with interest and then discarded the next day. But for businesses, this style of engagement is great for building excitement around the launching of a new product or service.
People love to be ‘the first to know’ so in 2020 marketers should continue to give their audience what they want.
Virtual Reality technology
The adoption of Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) technology will continue to grow throughout 2020. Marketing experts predict that this technology will become even more prevalent for social media users because they are now demanding even more engaging and immersive experiences with the things they love.
As ever, Facebook seems to be on top of their game here with the creation of ‘Horizon’, which is a virtual reality world for people to explore, play games and engage with others. It is predicted that this will be the future of social media because where Facebook goes, others will usually follow!
Instagram and Snapchat users are already adopting elements or AR in the form of photo filters that add creative elements to your photos, such as sunglasses, frames, bunny ears and noses etc.
Direct Messaging (DM)
Direct Messaging has moved on from a simple on-screen chat with your nearest and dearest to a means for digital marketers to share their information.
People do like the personal touch so will be receptive to a message about an upcoming event, special offer or news about a topic they are interested in. It can make them feel more included and singled out for special attention, but you need to be careful not to spam or send random marketing messages that your customer data shows they wouldn’t be interested in.
Virtual Chatbots
Again, Facebook is leading the trend for innovation into using instant or live chat applications that include a Chatbox function. This isn’t something that many businesses are doing as yet, but marketing experts predict that this is a trend that will take off in the business world in 2020.
Many websites now offer integration for the Facebook messenger platform, which means that your customers can enquire about your products or services via Facebook rather than having to visit your website directly to engage with you.
Using your Facebook Messenger Bot (your chatbot) you can automate your replies to instantly give a response to any enquiries.
Live video streams
Although videos have been a useful marketing and information delivery tool for many years, more recently customers are looking to engage ‘in the moment’ through live streaming videos. Live streaming gives the viewer a better sense of being present and part of the action as it unfolds in front of their eyes rather than them having to watch a ‘catch-up’ video message.
A great advantage of using regular live streaming video is the ‘surprise element’ you can offer your live viewers. This can be by inviting in a special guest that was kept a secret, an instant limited offer just for live viewers or a live competition where you have to be present to have a chance of winning.
More targeted personalisation
Although marketing techniques that include personalisation has been in existence for a few years, it is still a technique that is evolving on social media.
Businesses will now be more focussed on using customer data to better target social media ads to users. So for example, if a person was to click on an ad on Facebook, more ads for similar products or services will start to appear within their live feed.
The more these ads are clicked on, the better understanding marketers will get about customer preferences and how they choose to buy. This will mean 2020 will see more personalised ads appearing that are more suited to a customers taste and preferences.
More online communities
Social media communities have been around for a while now, but they have only recently started to explode in popularity over the past few years.
Groups can be formed on social media platforms in many ways – based on a hobby or interest, a local connection for a real-world community group, or another form of an old-fashioned celebrity fan club.
Businesses can also launch community groups around their own products and services to help with engagement and brand building. Jammie Dodgers community group, anyone?