When you’re starting your own business, making a massive list of what you need to buy is inevitable. But as well-established companies like Zara and Marks & Spencer offer a wide range of products at low-costs and with amazing customer loyalty, it’s fair to say that the world of online marketing is more competitive than ever.
Whether you’ve been doing business online for years or are just getting started, it’s essential to keep up to date with the latest marketing trends. So here we’re going to highlight 10 ways that marketers are changing the game in 2020 and how you can adopt their techniques to outsmart your competitors.
1. Content is King (or Queen)
In the past, customers would visit a website and perhaps visit a few other places on the internet before making a purchase. Now, with content being accessible on every major social media network, people are literally glued to their phones, digesting whatever info they can about a product or service before acting.
According to HubSpot Blogs research, 89% of consumers visit an online shop, review, or blog to learn about products. Additionally, 71% of consumers have made a purchase after reading online reviews. So in case you’re wondering, yes, content is definitely still king (or queen).
2. The Key to Effective Marketing is Creativity
Anyone can knock together a bunch of pretty design templates and throw together a few Facebook ads, but that’s all it takes these days. With so much competition, businesses can’t afford to rest on their laurels, instead they need to find ways to stand out from the crowd.
As a marketer, how can you be creative and come up with new ideas to engage your audience? Instead of focusing on what’s been done before, you need to find the uniqueness within yourself and become the go-to person for new ideas. If you can’t think of anything new to try, then at least try to implement something you’ve seen successful in the past.
3. Mobile First
Most businesses are slowly making the transition to a mobility strategy, understanding that consumers are constantly connected to their phones. What used to be the domain of desktop computers is now accessible via mobile phones.
According to Google Search, 75% of global searches now take place on mobile phones. Additionally, people are often on their phones while shopping, so if you want them to visit your store, then make sure they have the best experience possible by creating a mobile-optimized store. Testing different mobile versions of your website to see which one works best for users is a good idea too.
4. Video Is On The Rise
If someone tells you that they don’t have time to watch videos, you can probably assume that they’re a little bit bored. After all, videos consume a lot of time when you consider the amount of content that users have to watch in order to make a purchase. From Google searches to Instagram videos, people are turning to video content to educate themselves about products.
According to HubSpot Blogs research, 39% of consumers have watched an explainer video to better understand or learn about a product or service, and 16% have watched a promotional video to make a purchase. So if video content is going to rise, businesses need to consider how to best utilize it in order to maximize their effect.
5. Personal Marketing Is On The Rise
Just like with video, personal marketing has also seen a rise in the amount of people using it to explain products and services to their followers. Sometimes, influencers will even make a short video endorsing a product or service, which can help drive sales.
Just remember that while personal marketing can be extremely effective, you need to connect with your audience if you want people to listen to you. So build a community of engaged followers by regularly sharing useful or interesting information that’ll make them want to return.
According to HubSpot Blogs research, 22% of consumers have used social media to learn about products or services, and 12% have used messaging apps to the same end. With personal marketing on the rise, businesses should consider how to best engage with existing and potential customers on social media channels like Twitter and Instagram.
6. Influencers And Micro-Influencers Are On The Rise
Depending on your product or service, you might not need an influencer at all. But for those businesses that do, they can bring a lot of value. Influencers can help with brand awareness, product testing, and even public relations. They may also be able to get you access to valuable audiences that would otherwise be out of reach.
According to HubSpot Blogs research, 16% of consumers have used social media to learn about products or services, and 8% have used messaging apps to the same end. With influencers and micro-influencers on the rise, businesses should consider whether or not to use them in their marketing mixes.
7. Authentic Long-Form Content
While shorter content (think blogs and Twitter posts) have their place, making a long-form content can be extremely valuable in certain situations. According to HubSpot Blogs research, 13% of consumers have made a purchase after reading an entire blog post, and 7% have made a purchase after reading an entire news article. So in case you’re wondering, longer content does work. Just make sure you’re creating engaging enough content so that your audience wants to keep reading.
8. Voice Search Is On The Rise
If you want to succeed in 2020, make sure that your website is mobile-friendly and that you’re optimizing your content to perform well on voice search. Instead of simply typing a query into the search bar and having it bring up results, customers can now ask questions or make requests using their voice. And since people are speaking more, businesses must listen and respond quickly.
According to HubSpot Blogs research, 16% of consumers have used social media to learn about products or services, and 12% have used messaging apps to the same end. So if you’re going to be doing any marketing in the near future, make sure that you’re taking advantage of voice search and responding to customer queries quickly. Responding to customer queries on social media is also a great idea as it allows you to connect with potential customers while also showing existing customers that you’re listening and aware of their concerns.
9. Online Research Is On The Rise
If you want to become the go-to source for information about your product or service, make sure that you’re getting the data you need to back up your claims. Instead of simply believing what you’ve been told, seek out information online. According to HubSpot Blogs research, 16% of consumers have used social media to learn about products or services, and 12% have used messaging apps to the same end. So if you’re going to be doing any marketing in the near future, make sure that you’re doing your research online first and then confirming what you find.
According to HubSpot Blogs research, 22% of consumers have watched an explainer video to better understand or learn about a product or service, and 12% have watched a promotional video to make a purchase. So while content is still important, getting the actual data behind your content is even more crucial.
10. Measuring The Effectiveness Of Your Marketing Is On The Rise
While it’s important to have a clear vision of your marketing objectives, it’s also important to know how you’re actually doing. Marketers are now equipped with the right tools to measure the effectiveness of their strategies, so they can determine what’s working and what’s not.
According to HubSpot Blogs research, 17% of consumers have used social media to learn about products or services, and 12% have used messaging apps to the same end. If you’re going to be using social media for marketing, it’s important to keep track of how many people are engaging with your content and what demographics you’re reaching.
With the world of online marketing changing as it is, the need for marketers to stay abreast of trends is more important than ever. As a business owner or marketing manager, you need to set the pace for change and show your team that you’re always looking for new ways to reach your audience. With new technologies and platforms being launched all the time, marketers need to constantly be evolving with the times or falling behind the curve.