Discover the trends that matter most for 2020
What are the digital marketing trends for 2020?
This year, we gathered 50+ industry experts and social media pros, from Jay Baer to Matt Navarra, to define the trends that will matter most in 2020. We revealed them in our last post, covering the 8 social media trends (and one overarching trend that is a real must see).
Now, we’ve collected some of the top global brands that were savvy enough to see the trends early, to create some amazing campaigns. Prepare to be inspired.
You need to use TikTok, like the NFL
Social media users are starting to look for new platforms. The likes of Facebook and Instagram are still going strong, but people are switching to newer networks for different experiences and content.
TikTok offers bitesize, rough and ready video marketing. The trend is that people are looking for more transparent and honest content, and much of TikTok’s content is fresh and without agenda. They also have a younger audience, with two thirds of users under 30. By missing TikTok from your strategy, you miss another potential audience.
The NFL has gained traction with TikTok’s younger audience, with simple, fun content.
The NFL started partnering with TikTok in September ‘19. Since then, they’ve amassed 541K fans. The video above gained 421.3K engagements. Compare that to their most engaging tweet from the last year (190.4K engagements), and you can see how simple content that matches the TikTok style works effectively to build a new targeted audience.
Consider your consumer’s social media wellness, like Porsche
Consumers are becoming aware of their wellbeing when it comes to social media. Not just about how long they spend online, but where they spend their time too.
People want more engagement from like-minded communities, and less conflict-based opinions.
Brands should consider this, engaging in social wellness campaigns such as #DigitalDetox - a joyful movement showing how consumers can balance between being online and off.
Porsche tapped into the real world to help consumers with the #DigitalDetox.
Porsche’s Digital Detox Road Trip campaign, helped users see the world differently, highlighting the importance of experiencing the real-world (while showing off some nice cars).
With 5.8K engagement and nearly 100K views, this video is calming and supportive, striking a chord with younger audiences.
Be data privacy savvy, like Apple
Transparency is now the big keyword for the next generation of marketing. Social media users are more discerning than ever, more distrustful of brands in an industry rattled by fake news and data privacy issues.
You need to consider this in your future brand strategy. Be mindful of how your messaging could be misconstrued as a negative. Or better still, if you do tackle these elements, shout about them more.
iMessage encrypts and protects your conversations. Because privacy matters. There’s more to iPhone.
— Apple (@Apple) July 2, 2019
Apple knows consumers care about data privacy. So they shout about it
Apple’s ‘There’s more to iPhone’ campaign, relies heavily on how the brand protects user data. Although many of the points they make can be echoed by many brands, they understand that these are topics that consumers want tackled. And Apple are putting them at the core of their business.
The campaign has gained 5.9K engagements to date, with significant pick-up from Tier 1 publications.
Make the most of AR & VR, like Facebook
Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) are now entering the perfect ecosystem for growth. 5G is providing the bandwidth for these techs to go mainstream, while the latest generation of phones allow users to easily engage with the media.
In marketing, it can boost user-experience or just inspire new creative campaigns. Consumers are looking to be wowed, and AR & VR can do that.
Facebook knows that virtual reality will be big next year, launching their new VR world, Facebook Horizon. Since September 25, the launch video has been watched over 300K times. People are ready for this technical leap.
Better still, with platforms such as this arising, brands don’t have to invest in their own VR or AR platforms. Companies like Facebook will surely have opportunities for brands to jump onboard, allowing them to include this new tech with minimal outlay.
Learn to love AI, like Google
Artificial intelligence has been available to marketers for several years now. From helping you manage big data more effectively, to understanding the sentiment behind your clients’ posts, artificial intelligence is now a vital tool.
What makes it a trend for 2020 and beyond, is how marketers are changing their perception of the technology. People are now moving away from distrust, and more towards acceptance. Which is why we’ll see it become mainstream in 2020.
Today's special: Google Lens. ️ Automatically highlighting what's popular on a menu, when you tap on a dish you can see what it looks like and what people are saying about it, thanks to photos and reviews from @googlemaps. #io19 pic.twitter.com/5PcDsj1VuQ
— Google (@Google) May 7, 2019
Google is bringing AI powered data to consumers. Be part of that data
Though not a campaign, it’s worth understanding how advancements like Google Lens can work for your brand. With smart speakers in nearly every home, consumers are moving away from textual search engines, towards visual and voice search. Google Lens has a positive net sentiment of 82.3%, showing that consumers love the AI-driven features it has to offer. To be impactful in the next decade, you’ll need to make the most of those features.
Engage Gen Z more creatively, like Wendy’s
Marketing to Generation Z (and to some extent, marketing to Millennials) requires a marketing strategy rethink. These generations are going to become significantly more important in the coming decade, as their buying power increases. So now is the time to adapt and engage them.
A lot of this falls to communities. These generations don’t want to feel they’re being advertised to. Instead, they want to be part of a conversation. A conversation that means something to them, empowers them and touches on the topics that relate to them.
Y’all keep asking, so here’s your chance.
The people in charge say if you guys can get our tweet (this one right here) to 2 Million likes, they will bring SPICY CHICKEN NUGGETS BACK.
Let’s freakin’ do this! https://t.co/qrtvWXjj9V— Wendy's (@Wendys) May 4, 2019
Wendy’s has mastered their tonality to attract the Gen Z market
Wendy’s is masterful at targeting younger generations. Focusing less on selling their products, and more on entertaining and engaging their audience. With younger generations favoring platforms like TikTok and Instagram, Wendy’s has still managed to build a significant community on Twitter, with 3.4M followers, driving 11.2M engagements in 2019.
Use nano-influencers, like Daniel Wellington
Continuing the perceptive consumer theme, influencer marketing is also adapting to changing needs. In 2020, expect an increase of brands using nano-influencers; personalities that have nurtured communities that love their content, and are thoroughly engaged.
Why? People are seeing through the shallowness of celebrity influencers - those that don’t offer the honesty that these new consumers expect.
Simple sponsored posts like this from Daniel Wellington drive great engagement
Daniel Wellington is experienced in this industry, and regularly invests in influencers from the celebrity to the nano. But we’re now seeing them work with more nanos. This post from haley_stutzman (with 10.4K followers), drove 599 engagements. That may seem small, but that’s a 6% engagement rate.
Nano-influencer marketing is a numbers game. You must include more in your strategy to reach the same audience, but with a higher engagement rate, it pays off.
Profit from user-generated content, like Warby Parker
When it comes to content marketing, constantly creating content for blogs, social, websites and more, you need a constant churn of inspiration. That’s why you need to get your audience involved.
User-generated content is the perfect solution for this. Not only do you get a constant supply of usable content, but UGC is great for engagement. The craving for authenticity, sees consumers loving the rawness of UGC, with 90% of consumers saying user-generated content influences their purchasing decisions.
Cute UGC helps Warby Parker drive community engagement
Warby Parker regularly includes photos from their wearers, to help promote their glasses. It’s quick, and helps build a sense of community. Though some posts are more popular than others, the one above created 15.7K engagement on Instagram alone.
Make the most of the 2020 digital marketing trends
That’s just a flavor of what can be achieved by being a trendsetter. There’s more to be learnt from the social media trends of 2020. That’s why you need our latest eBook, with 50+ influencers discussing the biggest trends for the next decade, trend analysis, and a free campaign playbook to help you profit from the trends in your industry. Just click below to download.
