Digital marketing is a field that is continuously shifting and adapting. As such, it is always time to look out for the new trends. While 2019 fades out and everybody begins looking toward 2020, digital marketers are already planning for the new year. Join us as we explore the trends for 2020 that digital marketers should focus on. Some of these trends were already important to 2019, and some are projected to rise in 2020.

  1. Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing is not a new idea – companies pay social media celebrities to vouch for or advertise their products. However, the use of influencer marketing is changing. Instagram is hiding likes and certain huge accounts (primarily reality stars’) are no longer considered trustworthy sources. So what will influencer marketing look like in 2020?

In 2020, influencer marketing will become much more targeted. Instead of just picking the person who has the most Instagram followers, focus more. Find an influencer who has a following in the market you’re appealing to. Their follower numbers may be lower than the biggest of accounts, but their number of interested followers are likely higher.

Additionally, more sincere influencer marketing is important. While an Instagram photo is nice, younger audiences want to see the product in use. Video formats, particularly on Tiktok and YouTube, are growing. Appeal to a younger audience by working with influencers on these platforms and watch your ROI increase.

  1. Interactive Content

Interactive content includes options such as shoppable posts, quizzes, polls, and augmented reality. Consumers forced to sit through ads want something to do while they wait. Why not make the “something to do” the ad itself? This option is especially important for mobile marketing.

Gaming apps are already capitalizing on interactive ads, allowing consumers to play a trial round during the ad. Additionally, streaming service Hulu allows customers to select which ads they would like to see. This combines interactive content with content personalization, which is the ultimate power combo.

  1. Voice Search

We’ve written before about the rise of importance of the voice search. Voice search is increasingly on the rise due to smart speakers. From Amazon’s Echo to Google Home, consumers are increasingly reliant upon a technology that they don’t need to type on. Experts estimate that the number of people using voice search will skyrocket in 2020 – from 25% to 50%.

The best way to optimize your sit for voice search is to shorten or simplify keyword. For example, instead of “How do I optimize my website for SEO?”, try “optimize website for SEO.”

  1. Messenger Apps

Social messaging apps, particularly Facebook Messenger, are very important for marketing. If a consumer clicks on a business page on Facebook, the Messenger window automatically pops up. This has led to over 10 billion messages back and forth between consumers and the business. These chats are the perfect way to connect with consumers, answer questions, and provide customer support. Again, this is a form of personalized marketing that appeals to consumers.