5 Marketing trends to look out for in 2020
One thing’s for sure – content, SEO and email marketing are key elements of successful marketing campaigns and should not take a back seat. However with so many developments in the digital sphere, it’s important to acknowledge and utilise these new marketing tools, to keep up with your competitors. Here are the top marketing trends you should watch out for and implement in 2020:
1. Video content
Engagement stats for video content are unparalleled and they keep on growing. People watch content online more than ever before, with nearly half of Millennial digital video consumption happening on mobile. Therefore, incorporating videos into your marketing strategy should not be optional! Its easy to create video material content from already existing content - why not turn some of your blogs into video guides?
2. Personalised content
Personalisation is the future of digital marketing. Most social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and YouTube are already customising a user’s newsfeed based on their likes, interactions and click preferences and it is not impossible for you to do the same. One of the easiest ways to do this is through email marketing, as you can easily get statistics on what each person in your email list is opening and clicking on. A simple place to start is to segment your email data. Send relevant and different content to each group on your email list.
3. Niche platforms
Whilst Facebook, Instagram and Twitter cater to a large variety of audiences, we will see the rise of platforms like LinkedIn which serve a more niche purpose. It’s important to keep a lookout for these to see if there are any more niche platforms which you can use that will allow you to reach an audience with the right intent. Even doing things like joining forums or groups online and taking part in conversations can be a great start.
4. Advanced insights
With the rise of AI and platforms like Google Analytics/ SEO analytics programmes constantly developing, in 2020 we will have access to data about people’s online activity more than ever before - so it’s important to invest in a good platform which provides you with these insights. At Digithrive, we have our own easy-to-use marketing platform where clients can sync all of their social media and content outlets. Our analytics tool – Advertising Intelligence – analyses data across all of your platforms and frames it in a way that is easy to understand and analyse trends. To find out about signing up to the platform for free, get in touch.
5. Augmented Reality (AR)
Augmented Reality (AR) is the layering of digital objects onto the real world as seen through a screen – for example, the Snapchat dog filter. The inclusion of these digital objects can enhance and amplify the real world perception for the viewer and as we shall see, the application of this technology offers almost endless possibilities for marketers, as well as the opportunity to increase your competitive advantage. For example, did you know that you can create your own filters on Snapchat and Instagram? Augmented reality is a unique way to keep your target audience engaged and interacting with your material.
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What is Content Marketing and why does it matter?
What is content marketing?
Content marketing is a marketing technique of creating and distributing valuable, relevant and consistent content to attract and acquire a clearly defined audience – with the objective of driving profitable customer action. There are many different avenues for business owners to interact with consumers, and social media makes it easier than ever for business owners to reach potential customers through strategic tactics like content marketing.
Purpose of content marketing
The main purpose of content marketing, or inbound marketing, is to offer consumers value by presenting a solution to their needs, thus influencing the buying cycle. The beauty of content marketing is that it may lead consumers to recognise a problem or need in their lives that they would have otherwise been unaware of. This will draw them to your business when they are ready to buy, rather than knocking on doors or cold calling to try and convince someone to buy something from you now. Utilising content marketing tactics in your business’s strategy also introduces several benefits, many of which are long-lasting. Compared to traditional marketing programs, content marketing costs 62% less and generates approximately three times the volume of leads (DemandMetric).
The buying cycle
The main difference between traditional marketing methods and content marketing tactics is how each strategy affects the buying cycle for consumers. Traditional push marketing methods such as flyers, billboards or commercials seek to influence the comparison and purchase stages of the buying cycle by promoting or offering incentives that make a product or service seem superior to alternative solutions. Content marketing, or pull tactics, aim to increase consumer awareness and provide helpful information about the product or service your business offers as a solution.
The benefits
This method serves as a means for your business to attract, inform and engage with consumers. Here are some of the benefits that can accompany an effective strategy:
- Brand awareness
Publishing valuable content will lead consumers to discover your business and product offerings as they search for solutions to the problem they are facing. 80% of executives and business owners prefer to receive information about a company through articles rather than advertisements (Stratabeat). Therefore, by making content available to consumers, your business will communicate an awareness of consumer needs, humanising your brand with a personality that is friendly and helpful, as well as creating the opportunity for customers to form a relationship with you.
- Brand equity
Content that is relevant to the needs of consumers and offers them a valuable solution establishes your business as a thought leader in your industry, which helps build a trusting relationship with consumers. Attaining this level of credibility will lead consumers to prefer your goods and services over alternative solutions since they are aware of the unique value proposition offered by your business: that you are knowledgeable experts in your field.
- Effective long-term results
If the content your business releases is designed to be a mix of time-sensitive and evergreen pieces, your business’s content library will still be relevant to consumers as time passes. High-traffic content will also improve search engine rankings, and the consistent release of content can serve as a continuous source of interested consumers. On average, conversion rates are six times higher for companies and brands using content marketing than those that aren’t, at 2.9% vs. 0.5%, respectively (Aberdeen Group).
- The main sell
Content marketing is an effective strategy to interact with consumers and introduce them to your business’s brand. By providing consumers with value before they even visit your store, you are building positive relationships and connections to your brand, resulting in long-lasting customer loyalty and brand equity for your business.
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