As we settle into 2020, keeping up with the latest trends can seem daunting. The world of digital marketing is always changing - just look at how often trending topics change on Twitter! So, being one step ahead is the key to success! 

From videos on social media to the impact of Google’s BERT, here are 6 digital marketing trends we think you’ll want to watch this year. 

Make an impact with video

Lights, camera, action! From cute cat videos to top ten lists, video content will continue to dominate our social media feeds. If you haven’t already started to create video content, it’s time to level up your content. 

For example, a tour of your office is a great way to give customers a behind the scenes glimpse at your products and how they’re made.

Think about how many videos you scroll through silently on your commute. Chances are, they’ve got captions, whether it’s subtitles or explanations.  Adding captions to your video makes it an accessible format for users to engage with, even on the go.

If you don’t have access to a fully equipped production team, don’t worry! Snap a short video from your smartphone camera, or use animation features from free tools like Canva to make your brand stand out from a crowded feed.

With an estimated 53% of customers engaging with brands after watching a video on social media, it’s clear video has an impact!

Focus on how users talk about what they want

Last year, Google released BERT. The search engine is continually updating to optimise search results based on user intent rather than content to keyword matching.

When a user types in a query, they’re trying to accomplish something. The person googling ‘best Mexican restaurant near me’ is probably craving an amazing burrito, for example. We refer to this goal as user intent.

In 2020, it’s important to understand a customers journey to purchase, how they use search and what they think of your website. Use this data in every decision you make to understand your target audience. 

Storytelling through Stories

Whilst the birth of 24 hour disappearing content can be attributed to Snapchat, Instagram stories gave rise to the popularity of the format. It was introduced to Instagram in 2017 and now boasts over 500 million daily users. We love sharing office life on our Instagram stories! 

 

Fast forward to 2020 and ephemeral content is becoming crucial for brand building. It’s a low-pressure and more authentic way to keep your followers up to date. And, the coveted ‘swipe up’ link for those with over 10,000 followers is great for driving instant engagement.

Plus, take advantage of this content with Instagram's 'highlights' feature, and save your stories for all to see. Here, we've organised our stories into categories:

Personalisation

Looking to strengthen your relationship with consumers? Personalised marketing messages will play a key role in building connections with your audience.

Whether it’s adding their name to an email or serving them an advert with relevant products, 80% of people said they’d be more likely to do business with a brand that provides personal experiences.

Brand building is key

In 2020, it’s all about a consumer first approach to build your links. This means focusing on three types of journalistic writing:

1. Planned editorial content, which is covered every year (think Christmas, Black Friday, Valentine’s Day)
2. Planned reactive editorial content, which is features that tie into a seasonal event that will be covered.
3. Reactive editorial content, which is in response to breaking news or trending topics. Twitter is one of the best places to discover new trends - follow us on Twitter for all the latest digital marketing news!

Link building activity has to be on-brand, or there’s a realistic chance that there won’t be any brand-building activity at all.

Tik Tok

No blog post about marketing trends for 2020 would be complete without mentioning the social media platform taking the online world by storm! Last year, the app saw record-breaking numbers of downloads and users, so it’s clear that TikTok will continue to rival other big players in social.

With almost half the platform’s users aged between 16 - 24, it’s one to watch if you’re looking to capture the attention of Gen Z.

Ready to take your marketing to the next level in 2020? See how we can help you with your digital marketing strategy and grow your business.