By Laurie Jo Miller Farr

If only 2020 meant that all digital marketers would have perfect vision. Without a crystal ball, we can at least improve our vision by popping on some eyeglasses to take a closer look at digital marketing trends at the start of the new decade. Importantly, let’s look at a few tips about getting ahead of each trend as well.

Educated guesses? Yes. But one thing is for sure, more digital investment is overwhelmingly where budgets are headed.

What else is trending among the popular predictions for digital marketers in 2020:

  1. Expect the use of voice-activated search to soar. As Google, Alexa, Siri and the rest become more and more savvy to natural human speech patterns, an action we can all take now is to continue building out long-tail keyword phrases.
  2. Phones are being used less and less for telephone calls. Sophisticated chatbots are coming and they’ll soon be everywhere they are not already found. Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning allows for more personalization and better conversational marketing, giving rise to the power of chat messaging apps.
  3. Video, video, video. Although Facebook was caught messing about with the metrics, it remains a fact that video is an engine that will not stop gaining speed. Due to Periscope, Snapchat, Tik Tok, and Stories, digital marketers have learned that effective video storytelling does not require a massive budget—but it does require a great story.
  4. Content isn’t going down in volume and attention spans aren’t getting any longer. So, getting noticed requires an ability to surprise, delight, humor, or otherwise provoke an emotional response. Remember this when creating stories that won’t be overlooked.
  5. Re-shaping the changing funnel. Social commerce, also known as shoppable posts, will be standard. Think of them as cutting in line or a shortcut into the sales funnel. Instagram and Facebook are already increasing used this way and in 2020 these posts will be enhanced with AR/VR, 360-degree videos, quizzes, and shareable polls that increase awareness and distribution and awareness.
  6. Micro-influencers with authenticity and authority among targeted audience segments will continue to gain while celebrities and influencers with huge follower numbers will lose traction. Instagram wants it that way and they’ve killed “likes” as a result.
  7. Website management used to be about mobile responsiveness and speed on opening. In 2020, website accessibility that’s free of barriers for users with a disability will be assessed and ranked by newly updated Google algorithms. Even the Supreme Court has weighed in on this in refusing to hear the defense by Domino’s Pizza, so everyone needs to pay attention.
  8. Consumer privacy is exceedingly critical in 2020 and beyond. The EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and California’s Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) reaffirm the need for businesses to focus on privacy when managing data. Watch for more states to follow California’s lead.
  9. Google Ads Smart Bidding uses machine learning to set bids at auction time. Read more from Google here.
  10. The internet of things will take off. In 2020, 5G-compatible devices will enter the market in volume gaining 74% of mobile contracts by the close of 2025. In turn, this change enables new technology such as self-driving cars.
  11. Blockchain…it’s anybody’s guess.
  12. Let us know how Spritz Marketing can help you get up-to-date in 2020 and to say…