We’re living at the peak of the digital age, and new technological shifts are occurring almost every month. Today we take a look at the broader state of digital marketing trends, and what’s likely to be super hot in 2020, as well as what it will mean for smart digital marketers.

1.  The rise and rise of virtual reality

This has been mentioned an awful lot in trend articles, and for good reason. Virtual Reality went very abruptly from ‘that thing computer nerds have geeked about for decades’ to a real, viable technology. We’re seeing it everywhere- games, museums, shopping…. yes, shopping too. Augmented reality, an offshoot of VR where virtual elements are overlaid on a real environment, has huge potential as a marketing tool. Expect to have to adapt digital marketing strategies to include at least a little VR love this coming year.

2.  A shift in what we enjoy consuming

‘Influence culture’ is changing. If you think ‘Influencer’, you’re probably thinking of celebrities, or ‘internet famous’ people with millions of followers, but it turns out we’re just not that into that any more. There’s a social shift occurring towards more authenticity in marketing in general, and we’ve finally cottoned on that endless ‘sponsored content’ that seems fake and lifeless isn’t that appealing. We know they’d shill anything they got freebies to, and we’ve lost faith they’re working for us at all! Sure, we’ll probably see some of this continuing in 2020, but if you’re keen to capitalise on the marketing side of this shift, you’ll want to look elsewhere.

Personalisation has been rising in marketing for a while now, and in 2020 we’ll want our Influencer marketing personalised too. A smaller social following, but a trusted voice that actually has chops and credentials to back it, is the way to go in 2020.

3.  Streaming rises in popularity

Netflix, Hulu, Disney… steaming is the new way we like to consume media for fun. Streaming services are set to boom in 2020.  Yup, you know what that means as a digital marketer! We’ve already told you the rise of video content was becoming astronomical, and here’s your proof. Intriguingly, trend data is suggesting ‘live’ videos on Facebook and other platforms are getting consumed with more attention then premade content, too.

4.  The Internet of Things

The IoT is nothing new. We already have Alexa, smart TVs, smart fridges…really it’s simply a question of what isn’t smart these days. But we’re finally seeing it all come together (along with voice-interactive media) as a cohesive whole. It’s a genuine lifestyle trend, now, not merely something your tech-savvy neighbour likes to show off. Time for smart digital marketers to start integrating some IoT thinking into their own developments.

5.  Interactive content

This last ‘trend to watch’ neatly ties together VR, the IoT, and our love of authentic, personalised experiences. Leaps in digital tech have brought us intriguing interactive content- and people love it. 360-degree videos, polls and quizzes, ‘shoppable’ posts…there’s a lot of juicy details here for the social media marketer with a love of tech and a good imagination to use. Time to get creative!

Technology has come to dominate our lives, so there’s little surprise that its shifting trends dominate our marketing strategies too. Start 2020 off on the right foot with a tailored marketing campaign through Zebra 360 Online Marketing, and make sure you keep your place in the public eye tech-friendly and digital-savvy.