The last decade was a break-out phase for digital marketing as a mainstay in most organization’s general brand positioning and marketing strategies around the world.
Whereas brands largely relied on traditional marketing media such as print (newspapers + magazines), electronic (tv + radio), and OOH (billboards, street poles etc.), the onset, and growth of digital marketing has enabled and revolutionized the execution of both above the line and below the line marketing strategies with reduced budgets and to great results.
Looking ahead to 2020, what are some of the most popular digital marketing trends that brands will look to leverage on for better positioning and improved conversion marketing?
1. Employee Advocacy
“People do not buy goods and service. They buy relations, stories and magic.” – Seth Godin.
Your employees are the drivers of the business/brand experience. They are your most valuable assets. How well are your employees advocating for your business online either through products/services updates, reviews, Q&A forums, company culture commentary and employer-brand recommendations?
A recent customer experience (CX) survey by PWC shows that 46% of consumers will abandon a business whose employees are not knowledgeable, and bad employee attitudes is the main reason that drives customers and prospects away from a business.
Investing in strategic and sustainable employee advocacy programs at your business as a key digital marketing trend for 2020 will, among other benefits, help you steer brand awareness and recognition, grow your digital organic sharing and engagement, and support your conversion marketing strategies through acquisition of new business leads/customers.
2. Video Ads
Whereas video marketing is not new, the 2020 digital marketing trend lies in integrating videos across the marketing funnel. This ensures all levels of the marketing funnel are targeted with relevant content to meet their immediate needs, whether to understand your brand and products or to act – make the purchase.
Compared to text or images, well-done video content is able relay a lot of information about your brand in a short amount of time, complete with emotional cues that your audience can identify with and specific call to actions.
With the continued growth of budget-range short video creating platforms such as biteable.com, promo.com, and wochit.com, generating video content for your 2020 digital marketing strategy is much easier.
If you are looking to keep marketing your spend at a minimum, you can make use of your smartphones as well to create video content for your business platforms and those of your employees who will be participating in your advocacy program.
3. Content Personalization
Over the years, the average consumer has become more sophisticated and exposed to a lot of information on alternative products & services. Additionally, social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter have refined their policies and algorithms to ensure that their users (your target audience) see the content that is most relevant to them by controlling the ordering and presentation of posts. This, in turn, affects the reach of your branded content.
Increasingly, consumers are looking for information, products and or services which directly impacts them. Personalization, therefore, requires customized content for your target audience to ensure relevance and consequently increase your brand engagement and sales conversions.
For example, Segmenting your marketing activity based on your target audience demographics (age, location, gender, industry etc.) and psychographics (desires, wants, needs, motivation etc.) will help you show the right messages to the right group at the right time.
Remember – Don’t just personalize your marketing content, make it shareable.
4. Livestreaming & Live-Video Content
Simply said, it is the “hot stuff” that produces results! Livestreaming simply enables you to serve content to your audience while its hot, which is a great way to remain top of the mind.
Relevant live-video content may range from events to seminars, product unveiling/displays, campaign launches, a simple Q&A with a business/company representative or a panel session with your clients or renown industry players discussing topical issues.
Through well-thought, timely and targeted live content, your business can be able to tap into FOMO marketing (Fear Of Missing Out) which creates the desire to stay continually connected with what is going on; you will be able to drive a given audience to plug and listen in or interact with the video, thereby improving your general brand engagement.
In a nutshell, whereas the last decade was about calling the client king, the increase in customer sophistication means that content requires a personal touch to appeal to and ensure engagement from the target market.
Let us know what you think of the article in the comments section. Which other 2020 digital marketing trends in Kenya would you have liked to see in our list?
This article was written by Victor Ooko, a marketing and communications strategist at Shupav. Email Victor via info@shupav.com for a free audit of your business’s digital marketing or contact us via the form below.
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