2019 witnessed some iconic milestones from optimized video content for better social media ranking to steady development in usage of AI and augmented reality for better customer experience. With constant developments in technologies, digital marketing shows no signs of slowing down.

While the trends from 2019 like chatbots, programmatic advertising, social media presence, personalised mails, video marketing, etc. will still make a great deal of impact; Here are 5 trends which will help businesses gain the competitive edge in the online landscape in 2020:

  • Artificial Intelligence (AI):

According to research, 97% of mobile users are already using AI-powered voice assistants. AI helps businesses gain better insight into customer behaviour and search patterns. A gold-mine for enterprises will be the use-data analysis from social media platforms. Brands will have the power to anticipate customer requirements, increase reach exponentially, and create a better customer experience.

  • Interactive content:

Websites and social media platforms have done away with the one-way-communication content. Businesses are focusing on increasing customer involvement and connect through interactive content. 2020 will see this trend go a notch up towards more dynamic and engaging content to enhance the immersive experience of the consumers. Interactive content like 360-degree video, quizzes, augmented reality ads, etc. leave an impression on the consumers and can help them get more involved in the purchase process.

  • Lifecycle Marketing:

2020 will see an emphasis on brands focusing more on lifecycle marketing in the online space. The sure-shot way of converting one-time buyers to brand loyalists is by creating better customer experience at all touch points, transforming them from prospects to customers, and ultimately to brand advocates. Creating a better customer journey across the typical lifecycle of ‘Reach, Act, Convert, and Engage’ will pay back in a revenue boost.

  • Social Commerce and Shoppable posts:

2019 saw brands maximizing their online sales opportunities through social media in the UAE. Instagram introduced exciting features like Shoppable posts where tagging products is as easy as tagging people and shopping bag icon to indicate an inventory of products. The Shopping-made-easy feature enhances opportunities for customers to click and shop while browsing through their social feed. This most certainly will catch more pace in 2020.

  • Social Media Stories:

Live streaming and stories are the ripe opportunities for brands to foster constant engagement with the customers. Given the average attention span reducing to less than 3 seconds, stories are not only cost-effective but also are more efficient in customer engagement through frequent posting of short and engaging content.

What’s more, all age groups today use one social platform or the other, so posting great content on as many platforms as possible at a time is a good idea! From Snapchat in 2013 to Youtube in 2017 social media platforms have joined the game providing more options to increase traffic on the website and cover more of the target demographic.

The advances in AI and machine learning and their active use to augment digital marketing and social sales in 2020, might sound like it is straight out of a futuristic scientific movie. However, it definitely is more promising in terms of better and happier endings for businesses and consumers.

Light Digital is a boutique digital marketing agency in Dubai supporting clients to build their online brand presence. For more such exciting digital marketing insights and ways to make the most of it for your brand…Keep watching this space!!