What has changed in 2020, and are digital marketing tactics from last year still relevant? Are there any new channels or platforms you need to be aware of? What new opportunities are there to capitalize on? We will try to answer all these questions and more.
1. VR and AR
Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) devices are becoming more affordable every year, but they are still relatively new and out of reach for most people.
If you have a large marketing budget to experiment with VR/AR, we certainly recommend you jump on this trend. However, for most businesses, it is still too early to invest any significant resources into virtual and augmented reality campaigns.
That being said, there is no doubt that VR and AR will eventually replace all other forms of visual content. With that in mind, even if you don’t have the budget to experiment with VR/AR, you should stay informed and continue to follow this trend.
Read More: What Marketers and Business Leaders Need To Know About Augmented Reality (AR)
2. Pay-to-Play (Boosting Posts)
In 2020, boosting your posts is almost a necessity to get your message across. In the world where social media platforms make money from advertising, it is no surprise that Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, WhatsApp, LinkedIn, and others are asking businesses to pay for posts.
This pay-to-play trend will only continue to increase, consequently squeezing out more and more of your organic content. To stay in front of your audience, you will have to boost your posts.
Read More: Pay-to-Play Trend in Social Media (Is it a bad thing?)
3. Video
Video continues to do well, and with the emergence of TikTok, there are no signs of slowing down. That being said, YouTube is still the most significant channel in the video space and will continue to be for years to come.
4. Live Video
Take advantage of Live videos if you can. Live videos will give your audience/customers/prospects the sense of being present, something that cannot be achieved by on-demand content.
If you need inspiration or ideas, look at Red Bull, they have truly mastered live video marketing over the years.
Read More: Digital Marketing Trends – Live Video
5. Expiring Social Content
Similar to live videos, expiring content can create urgency, which is hard to replicate with other types of content. How did Snapchat grow so quickly? It carved out a niche for itself with expiring content.
Uploading content for a limited time will only increase in popularity, hence why most social media platforms now facilitate this type of content.
Read More: Digital Marketing Trends – Expiring Social Content
6. Images, Infographics, and Animated GIFs
Visual content like images, infographics, and animated gifs will never go out of style. It is no secret that visual content outperforms text, regardless of the marketing channel, so continue to use images in most (if not all) of your marketing.
Keep investing time and money into visual content like images and infographics, because this trend will never change.
Read More: Digital Marketing Trends – Visual Content
7. Growth Hacking
“Growth hacking” as a buzzword is losing momentum, but the tactics behind it continue to remain relevant – rapid marketing experimentation is still one of the best methods to achieve fast growth.
Continue to experiment (new ideas and digital channels), because “going viral” requires new and experimental campaigns.
Read More: Growth Hacking (Marketing) For Small Businesses
8. Data-Driven Marketing
The data boom is only in its infancy, so 2020 will bring better analytics, better marketing automation, and better CRM tools. And the competition is heating up, so your options are plentiful.
Read More: Data Will Set You Free (Data-Driven Marketing)
Summary
Digital marketing trends rarely change so dramatically that you have to change your strategy overnight. However, the popularity of certain content types, channels, and platforms do. With that in mind, you have to follow the latest trends, and more importantly, start to experiment with them. For example, don’t ignore platforms that might be new to you (e.g., TikTok), even if it’s not the right fit for your business, you should be informed.
Lastly, business growth and digital marketing are closely linked, so keeping up with the latest digital marketing trends is crucial in growing your business. The more you experiment with the latest trends, the more likely you are to capitalize on the next growth opportunity.
