With the new year approaching, it is a good idea to start thinking about ways you can adapt your marketing strategies in the coming year. So, what are some marketing trends you can expect to see in 2020? Check out our predictions as VSG team members discuss trends they expect to see in the market over the coming year.
1. A.I. on the Web
Staff: Jared – Web Development
In web, change is the only constant. Something I’ve noticed is the rise of not just chat support, but chatbots. Or more generally stated, A.I. on the web. It still feels like it’s in the early stages but it has huge potential when applied to data. Something else I believe you’ll see the rise of is augmented reality experiences. Recently, I was shopping for a desk and had the ability to hold my phone up, scan my room, and see literally what it might look like in the space. We are on the brink of some colossal technological advances as impactful as the computer was. It’s only a matter of time before someone applies it in a way that changes the world as we know it forever.
2. Increased Personalization in Campaigns
Staff: Katie – Marketing (Multi-Channel Campaigns/Nonprofits)
As technology and data tracking continues to get more advanced, it results in consumers/customers receiving more personalized and targeted messaging. This trend will inevitably continue to impact how we as marketers think about the content and deployment of multi-channel campaigns, especially in the nonprofit sector. Historically, nonprofits have sent letters, postcards and emails that all contain the same content with no or possibly one custom merge field for a donor’s name. As people get more and more accustomed to the personalization in how they’re reached and influenced in their consumer behaviors, they will also come to expect it in their philanthropic efforts. As a result, nonprofits will have to increase their efforts in smarter and consistent data capture, A/B testing of messaging and driving their donors further into the digital sphere.
3. Marketing Teams Getting Smarter and Leaner With New Tools
Staff: Alex – Marketing Strategy
The more the industry embraces automation, the smarter marketers can become. It allows us to create personal touchpoints at key places in the customer journey and what’s more, everything is tracked. The increased specificity and quality of data leads to better results. It also leads to the opportunity to have a leaner marketing team OR utilize smart players in other areas.
4. Long-Form Digital Content
Staff: Justin – Digital Marketing
Over the last few years, the implementation of video content has skyrocketed. If you haven’t started using video content as a part of your marketing strategy, you should! We wrote a blog about it! If you haven’t already, check it out. Shameless plug. Not only does it keep your users engaged with your brand longer, but data proves that video content results in an increase in conversions when compared to photo or text content.
This is only one of many trends we are expected to see for 2020, but going forward, we can expect to see an increase in longer video content. That’s right. LONGER. Emotionally, longer media allows for viewers to relate and connect more with what they are seeing. Statistically, we are seeing that video content exceeding the 15-minute mark has over 50% of total video content engagements. Oh and by the way, 15+ minute videos only consist of 8% of all video content that is being released right now. So, 8% of the videos are engaging with more than 50% of the viewers. This also hints at the rise of podcasts and other types of long-form media. Don’t get me wrong, shorter videos are easier to consume/more convenient for on the go and you should absolutely keep doing them, but remain open-minded to longer content.
5. Changing Color
Staff: Andrea – Design
Over the last year, brands have used a lot of bright, bold, and vibrant color pallets in order to stand out from the crowd. There was a rise in neon yellows, greens, pinks, and anything that alluded to the 80s and 90s. As a result, brands are now using more muted and monochromatic color pallets that take the neon and desaturate it with black, white, or a primary color. Part of this trend started a couple of years ago with duotone photography, but recently this has evolved one step further into monochromatic filters in photos and elements. As a result, these muted colors are often used with neutrals on darker or lighter backgrounds. This doesn’t take away from contrast, it’s just a more understated way to make a statement without a highlighter.
6. Technology-Based Brand Strategy
Staff: Marissa – Design
Every passing year, UX design trends and techniques change. The designing principles, as well as processes, stay the same, but the trend of UXD evolves. With the changes in human behavior, usage in tech devices and demands for interactive and engaging user experiences have increased.
For designers, it has become mandatory to stay in touch with up and coming UXD trends to meet future demands and newly introduced design requirements. So, here are the new designing trends that we can expect to see in 2020.
- Device synchronization
- Compelling storytelling designs
- Minimalism
- Mindful Designing
- Voice User Interface and AI technology
- Chatbots
In closing, new trends don’t emerge when the clock strikes midnight on January 1st. They evolve and adapt over time. However, VSG believes we will see many of these trends quickly become favored and valued by businesses and consumers over the next year.
What do you think we will see in 2020? If you have other thoughts or want to know how you can best practice these trends, reach out! We would love to chat.
