Technology and its advancements continue to take marketing to new frontiers. With 2019 already in its second half, you may wonder what is in store for digital marketing next year.

One of the best ways to keep in step with the changing times is following the latest trends. Businesses who follow the trends to determine if they are on the right track. They improve the way they engage with their target market.

What are the upcoming trends to watch out for? What are the things that will shape the future of digital marketing in 2020 and beyond?

Continue reading below as we tackle some of them.

A Glimpse at the Future of Digital Marketing

With the dynamic world of digital marketing, innovations arise more often than ever. To stay in pace with changes, you need to know what is happening. You should know what companies are anticipating over the next few months.

Here are 10 digital marketing trends that you should incorporate in your strategies.

1. Emotion Analysis

Artificial intelligence continues to change the world of digital marketing. By next year, expect to see more companies using analysis of emotions. This pertains to the analysis of keywords that people use when expressing sentiments.

Companies only need one keyword to perform an analysis. If you comment the word “excellent,” artificial intelligence (AI) will study your comment. It will determine if your post is positive or negative.

From there, they can make the necessary adjustments in their products and customer services.

2. Voice Search

Another trend that uses AI is voice search. More companies will likely incorporate voice input. This means that customers will send in their requests by voice search.

You will likely see a similar approach in online maps. More establishments and online stores will use online maps. This will help customers locate them faster.

3. Chatbots

Chatbots is another trend to watch out for in 2020. Chatbots provide instant responses to customers via chat. They can answer all of the customers’ queries 24/7.

Companies also use chatbots to introduce new products and services. Today, about 70% of websites use chatbots. But the quality is not yet at its optimum.

Furthermore, surveys reveal that 63% of consumers prefer connecting with a brand by messaging a chatbot online. By 2022, experts project that chatbots will help save businesses $8 billion per year.

4. Intense Personalization

Despite the internet playing a crucial role in the way people transact, consumers prefer more personalization when it comes to content. Marketers will produce more personal messages to their customers.

They will also deliver these messages on time. Studies reveal that 63% of consumers do not appreciate generic advertising. Moreover, 80% say they prefer dealing with brands that give them personalized experiences.

Some companies already upped the ante in terms of personalization. Cadbury launched a video campaign wherein they matched their Dairy Milk flavor with certain customers.

They used the customers’ data like their age, location, interests, and details from their Facebook profiles.

5. Shoppable Posts

Expect to see more companies using shoppable posts. These are posts that allow consumers to purchase the product directly from the picture or video they are viewing.

By simply hovering their cursor over the image or video, they can click on a “Buy Now” option. Once they click the link, the image will redirect them to the product page. This feature significantly reduces the buying time the customers.

Today, Pinterest and Instagram are shopping destinations for millions of online users. These social media platforms integrate the images with links directing consumers.

6. More Interactive Content

People will look for more interactive content in 2020. They will ask for more online quizzes and polls. They will also crave for more 360-degree videos.

Interactive content will give consumers a reason to go back to the company’s website. It will also give them the power to share the content with their network. It creates opportunities for brand awareness.

7. Social Messaging

The year 2020 will also showcase more people using social messaging apps. Facebook Messenger alone is home to over 10 billion monthly message exchanges.

But beyond the personal exchanges, people will use these platforms to connect with companies and vice-versa. More businesses will use social messaging to strengthen relationships with existing clients.

They will also use them to educate their target market about new products. They will also extend their customer support through social messaging apps.

8. Mobile Optimization

Marketers will put more focus on mobile OS optimization. This is because Google is now prioritizing mobile-first indexing.

Moreover, marketers may need to look into new mobile ads network. This is for possible use in their in-app ads.

Additionally, more people will realize the benefits of mobile transactions. They will prefer to buy online than visit physical stores.

9. Focus on Psychological Variables

Companies will put a premium on psychological variables. They will take this route to focus more on the individual instead of a broader audience. Through this, they will gain more access to behavioral attitudes and demographics.

They will also use tools like heat maps. This will enable companies to understand their customers and the reasons they visit their websites.

10. AR/VR Marketing

Last but not least, AR and VR marketing will continue to shape the future of digital marketing. More companies will launch AR and VR marketing initiatives. These immersive technologies easily excite consumers.

They give people something new to look forward to.

AR and VR marketing enhances the overall customer experience. It entices them to try products and buy them eventually.

Between the two, however, AR will likely outpace VR. This is because AR is much easier to implement when it comes to marketing.

Be a Step Ahead in Digital Marketing

Getting a glimpse of the future of digital marketing should excite you for next year. But excitement alone is not enough if you wish to stand out from the rest. You need to build a solid digital marketing strategy using the right knowledge.

I invite you to experience our consulting practice. I help companies improve their digital marketing capabilities.

I provide workshops to teach you the essentials. I formulate marketing projects to help you implement your strategies.

Send me a message and let me know what you need. Let’s take you a step ahead through topnotch digital marketing.