2020 marks 30 years since the beginning of the World Wide Web as we know it. As the never-ending evolution of tech keeps digital marketers on their toes, fourteen 2020 digital marketing trends are likely to impact every marketing leader’s deliverables this new year.

Here is a condensed look at the top 14 ways digital marketing will evolve in 2020, uniquely impact customer connections and relationships.

 

Fourteen 2020 Digital Marketing Trends

 

  1. Goodbye, cookies!

    GDPR is now moving into year three of ratification. As more countries and states enact similar laws, the digital advertising industry will need to start identifying some targeting capabilities beyond the cookie. Contextual advertising has started emerging as a viable answer, but we can expect more focus on this question in 2020.  

  2. Mobile-first web design.

    The percent of webpage visitors on mobile has hovered just under 50% for the last two years. But this year, mobile is expected to become the no. 1 device type for internet browsing. This will make having a responsive web design critical to success.

  3. Consumer expectations.

    More and more people are expressing their growing concerns about how the data they share online is used. Expect to see a stronger push from consumers to understand how and when data is collected and used, from social media giants and from company websites.

  4. 5G opportunities.

    The biggest telecom companies are planning a 2020 rollout for their 5G networks, which will open up lots of opportunities for connected devices, with reliable mobile data and more.

  5. Customer data analytics.

    The days of trusting your gut are long gone. Companies will increasingly move toward complex customer data analytics to drive marketing programs. Cross channel analytics view the complete customer journey to identify opportunities to adjust and optimize for a better ROI.

  6. Dynamic content.

    Your website will learn more about you and predict what you’re looking for using dynamic content. Dynamic content changes based on your past browsing history, how you arrive at a website and more.

  7. BERT.

    Google rolled out its newest algorithm at the tail end of 2019. An estimated 15% of all searches are impacted by this update, which means now is the time to review your keywords research and SEO work.

  8. Conversational AI.

    Artificial intelligence is advancing, which means the ability to have realistic conversations with bots is increasing. We’ve seen a few prime examples in 2019, but this will be the new frontier of customer service in 2020.

  9. Voice search.

    This isn’t new, but voice search is continuing to play a larger role. More and more homes are getting voice assistants (Google Home, Alexa), and they’re getting smarter.

  10. TikTok.

    The app exploded in 2019 and may become one of the mainstay social media platforms in 2020. As it continues to grow, expect advertising efforts from TikTok to start generating a profit. Get the 411 before you get started.

  11. Micro-influencers.

    2019 was the year that the influencer bubble burst. With fake influencers, purchased followers and poorly executed promotions, the mega-influencer market has taken a hit. Plus, Instagram removed like counts from individual posts. But influencers can still be an effective tool for marketing, and working with micro-influencers will hold fast through 2020.

  12. VR + 360-degree video.

    As this technology becomes more accessible and Oculus makes a play for in-home use, more brands will take this on and create unique, immersive video experiences.

  13. Interactive content.

    Consumers want to have an answer that matches their exact use case, so it will be key to have calculators, quizzes and other interactive content on your website and social media.

  14. Hyper-local targeting.

    We are now able to target ad reach down to the building or block, so expect to see more ads specific to the sporting event you’re attending. or the store you’re about to walk into.

 

No one can predict the future, which is why constantly researching these 2020 digital marketing trends and new technologies this year and every year, is our team’s priority. What trend most excites you?