by Brittany McSorley
As we wrap up another year of Cape Cod social media marketing here at KDC, we’re gearing up for 2020 and whatever marketing developments it may bring. We like to stay on top of things, so though we’re still at least two major holidays away from a new year, we wanted to share with you some of the predictions already floating around about how marketing may change in 2020.
Alexa?
In 2020, voice search tools will become an even bigger deal, according to Thee Digital. With this in mind, now is a good time to think about making your content more compatible with voice search and how people use it. When considering SEO, try using longer key words and phrases to account for the way people speak into devices like iPhones and the Amazon Echo to search for information. For example, no one is really saying, “Alexa, Italian restaurant.” They’re more likely asking a more complete question such as, “Alexa, where is the best Italian food on Cape Cod?” The more your content matches the patterns of voice search, the better.
More robots, please.
This will come as a surprise to exactly no one, but 2020 will bring increased use of artificial intelligence, according to Cardinal Digital Marketing. Our takeaway here? Prepare as best you can for the inevitable AI uprising. Be sure to thank Alexa for finding you that Italian place, and she may spare your family.
Shopping made (even more) easy.
If you’re the kind of person who detests circling the mall parking lot, battling the crowds, and getting completely dehydrated under a flood of fluorescent lights, you are alive during the best possible time, and it will only get better. In the upcoming year, shopping on social platforms is likely to become more popular. You’ve probably come across this in your Instagram travels — “shoppable” posts that will take you from perusal to purchase in just one click. If yours is a business that sells physical wares, you should look into social shopping.
The truth is out there.
Here’s some good news! The experts are predicting that the trend of increased transparency will continue to gain steam in 2020. Businesses will increasingly be focused on establishing core values, maintaining brand trustworthiness, and responding quickly and productively to customer criticisms or concerns. Follow their lead, please. We can handle the truth.
Points for participation.
As Forbes reports, interactive content is going to be big in the upcoming year. A stunning 91% of consumers are looking for more interactive marketing content. It’s more shareable and holds customer interest for much longer than static, nothing-more-to-see-here ads. Polls, surveys, quizzes, webinars, and infographics should be making their way into your strategy next year.
We’re rolling.
In these uncertain times, there’s one thing we know: Video content isn’t going anywhere. Where photos used to do the trick, the smartest marketers are incorporating videos, which have proven far more dynamic and engaging. And according to Forbes, people tend to watch live videos for three times as long as they’ll watch previously recorded content. If you’ve been on the fence about pressing record and going live with your marketing, it’s time to take the leap in 2020.
Direct (to consumer) messaging.
Another trend that will likely gain traction next year is the use of messaging apps to communicate with customers. It stands to reason that if you have an active Facebook page, where customers can get all kinds of information about your business, then they should be able to message you on the platform for some one-on-one attention. Consumers have come to expect increased availability, so resolve to make yourself more reachable.
And a happy you year.
Personalization has always been a cornerstone of successful marketing, but technology is always upping the ante. Personalized marketing will continue to be very important in 2020 — this includes everything from curated customer lists in MailChimp to digital loyalty programs. People are far more likely to stay engaged with personalized content, so make it a priority to show your customers you care.
With all this in mind, we’d like to make a few 2020 predictions of our own: Mark Zuckerberg will gift us at least one more painfully uncomfortable helping of congressional testimony; Instagram will replace its retired Following tab with some even creepier feature; the ASMR trend on YouTube will, despite its strangeness, only grow in popularity; and I will try but ultimately fail to stop liking photos of Dalmatians on any and all social platforms. It’s going to be a big year.
