Digital Trends to Watch in 2020

One important way to survive the digital marketplace is to stay ahead of and adapt to budding digital trends. Your brand should constantly engage with your target audience in new and entertaining ways. These are some important digital trends that should be on every marketer’s radar in 2020.

1. Immersive Experiences

There is a steady rise in cult classic themed pop-up bars and shops. Consumers want the opportunity to immerse themselves in the world of their favorite books and movies. The digital counterpart of this experiential marketing is virtual reality.  

Augmented Reality (AR), is also increasing in popularity. Companies use AR to stage furniture in a house, view a completed construction project, and even see how clothes and make-up will appear on a human body.  One brand,19 Crimes, is using AR to let the star of each wine bottle tell its own story. 

When a customer downloads the company’s app, then hovers a phone over the label, the individual featured appears to come to life. This “living wine label” then goes on to educate consumers on its history and shares information about the vino. 

Other interactive digital trends include 360-degree videos, quizzes, polls, surveys, emails, and mobile apps. Artificial intelligence can elevate these experiences to new heights as the trend continues to develop.

2. Voice Search

According to this Forbes article, 50% of all searches in 2020 will be done by voice command. In fact, 30% of all searches will not use a screen. This is thanks largely to the overabundance of home and digital assistants available in-store and online.  Voice search also allows consumers to multitask.  

This shift to a more natural way of asking questions will have a dramatic effect on the usefulness of the longtail keyword in paid search, and has the potential to impact the future of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Services.

3.  Artificial Influencers

Arguably one of the strangest new trends of the digital era is the creation and utilization of artificial influencers.  While this allows companies to create custom spokespeople (with no risk that they will embarrass the brand), it is pretty creepy.  Perhaps the most unsettling aspect of these A.I. creations are the fact that many who are scrolling through their newsfeeds have no idea that they are fake.  

For example, Shudu, a computer generated model, has almost two hundred thousand instagram followers. The scary part is that many who are scrolling through their newsfeeds will not be able to distinguish CGI influencers from real people.

Kentucky Fried Chicken has poked fun at this growing trend through the introduction of its “Virtual Influencer Colonel Sanders”. Their newest spokesman has credentials to rival any brand ambassador’s resume and looks unsettlingly real. 

The 2020 Revolution

Whether it’s a full-blown AR experience, a voice search, or computer generated social media influencer, the digital marketing landscape will see significant changes in 2020.  

Companies who are able to adapt to and embrace these changes will keep a considerable edge on the competition.  If you need help coming up with fresh concepts, contact us for a free consultation.