TOP TEN TRENDS IN DIGITAL MARKETING IN 2020

If you’re out of date with your digital marketing trends, you’re limiting your brand in both reach and repetition. You may be blissfully unaware of new marketing trends, but your target customer and your competitors are not. The digital marketing landscape is constantly changing. To help you stay ahead of the curve, below we outline the 10 best digital marketing trends in 2020.

1.    Chatbots Take Off

Many companies will continue using a chatbot, they’re effective software programs that interact with website visitors and customers. Chatbots communicate naturally with people viewing the site and can answer their questions in real-time.

Chatbots either use verbal interactions or chat windows to help web users find what they’re looking for. Hiring an individual to monitor and communicate with visitors on your website can be expensive, but chatbots save costs by answering common questions on your behalf. And subsequently, customers tend to appreciate the personalized service and getting their questions answered quickly.

2.    Voice-Powered Search Accelerates

As the growth in technology continues to increase rapidly, we will start to see more people using smartphones with voice assistants. Features like Google, Alexa, and Siri are useful in digital marketing.

Voice assistants can search for things, read text loudly, and even voice dictate text messages for you so that you can be hands-free. Voice search is also essential when using it for your business. It’s helping in the growth of a mobile-friendly movement and adding value to local SEO. Voice search also boosts the use of artificial intelligence and prioritizes semantics of searches.

3.    Single Marketing Software Providers Dominate

There’s an enormous number of marketing technology solutions out there. This number is overwhelming, which is why many companies are switching to one software solution that contains all the tools that they need. HubSpot is a perfect example of an all-in-one marketing software solution, as is Marketo, and ActiveCampaign.

Other companies, like MailChimp, who historically only provided email marketing services, are now adding marketing automation capabilities, landing page builders, and ad platform integration. Consolidation among solution providers is accelerating in response to the user’s desire to have all of their marketing tools under one umbrella.

4.    Shoppable posts

Although shoppable posts on social media have been introduced over two years now, 2020 will witness an explosion of these blinking dots, primarily because of easier, out of the box integrations with third party apps and ecommerce marketing tech.

As the number of Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest users are growing and buying impulses are triggered through feeds and stories, ecommerce businesses are realizing the impact social can have on their ecommerce sales with measurable numbers and increased traffic.

Furthermore, interactive ads would minimize bounce rate and reduce the sales funnel as customers are provided with a seamless online shopping experience.

5.    Direct messaging

In a bid to get more personal with customers, brands are taking the conversation to DMs. As a means of streamlining customer service and assisting in sales, direct messaging is becoming one of the hottest digital marketing trends of 2020.

Through messaging apps like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger, or through private messages on social media like Twitter or Instagram, brands are building stronger connections with their customers. These forums offer the convenience of text with the immediacy of a phone conversation, all in an environment the user is already familiar with from talking with friends.

Brands find DMing customers to be effective for forging relationships, whether addressing complaints, taking sales orders, or even just goofing around. This technique works best when you encourage users to message you by providing your handle or username, and maybe incentivizing them with an exclusive deal or coupon code.

6.    Sentiment analysis

Sentiment analysis, or social listening, is the practice of analyzing the reactions of users and customers to a product or service, typically on social media or other places online. Online reviews and posts aren’t always a black and white “I like/dislike this.”

Maybe a user likes the product on a whole but one particular feature gets in the way. Maybe the product is fine just not what they were expecting.

Sentiment analysis usually involves data-collecting tools and algorithms to scour online responses to your brand and evaluate them. Again, this isn’t a new digital marketing trend, but new technology is making it more popular than ever before. Advances in natural language processing let computers understand the meanings behind what humans say online, including slang and emoji.

Sentiment analysis tools like Critical Mention, Repustate or Lexalytics reveal what people really think about your brand. You can then use that data to fine-tune not just your products, but also your strategies for sales, marketing, social media and content.

7.    Alternative and niche social media channels

Despite optimism over Facebook’s most recent earnings, the continual declines of both user growth and public opinion have shaken confidence in the platform’s dominance. Likewise, Twitter is seeing a similar plateau in growth, leading to a shift in power. To be clear, both Twitter and Facebook will remain useful marketing tools throughout 2020 and beyond. But the exodus has already started.

Alternative social media channels are already seeing new interest and promising growth levels. If you can start developing your presence on these “secondary” sites now, it’s likely to pay off in a few years after they continue to rise. In particular, Snapchat, Pinterest, Medium and Reddit are becoming new favourites for marketers lately.

8.    Programmatic advertising

Just like with sentiment analysis, don’t send a human to do a robot’s job. AI and machine-learning algorithms are designed to make your work easier, and that includes optimizing your online advertising campaigns.

Just like with sentiment analysis, don’t send a human to do a robot’s job. AI and machine-learning algorithms are designed to make your work easier, and that includes optimizing your online advertising campaigns. Handing off these tasks to an automated system can be best for both you and your business.

9.    Smart Bidding in Google Ads

Google Ads has introduced smart bidding which, according to them, uses machine learning to optimize for conversions or conversion value in each and every auction. Smart bidding strategies include target Cost-per-acquisition, target ROAS (return on ad spend), maximize conversions and enhanced CPC. Smart bidding has been introduced as a subset of automated bid strategies.

With smart bidding, not only businesses can have better conversions but also people can get more relevant ads.

10.    Live Video

Video marketing has been one of the biggest trends in the last two years and it’s going to continue in 2020 too. However, this time it’s going to be Live Video. Live videos have already been a trend in social media and it is going to expand further into the web. The possibilities of Live Video, in the form of live webinars, shows, live interactive videos, etc. can offer great leverage for brands, marketers and content creators. 

Live video is great for grabbing the attention of your social audience on Facebook or Instagram. These types of videos are so attractive to viewers because they tap into “FOMO” or fear of missing out. When you’re not sure if a live video is going to contain a tidbit of information that you can’t get anywhere else, or it will mean you’re the first to find out about some new and exciting news, you’re going to want to watch it.

Conclusion

A lot of the stuff mentioned above isn’t talked about a lot and they aren’t popular marketing topics that everyone wants to hear, but it is the future. These are trends that will come true, some already are, and you have to adapt for them. Here’s the beautiful part, though. You just read this, and now have a chance to act on the information before your competition. So, make sure you go and do so. I want to see you not only succeed but I want you to beat your competition. And I believe you can, whether you are a big company, or just starting off with very little to no money.

Top Digital Marketing Strategies for Small Business

A digital marketing strategy is an important part of the overall marketing strategy of a business. It is true whether or not a company is doing business online. It is also true for a small, medium, or large size company but especially true for a small company.

Small business marketing for a local company can include many offline local advertising methods but needs to include a healthy portion of digital marketing strategies to be successful and maximize sales in today's economy. A small business that is doing most or all of its business online needs to embrace a digital marketing strategy that helps online users see it.

There are five main areas of online marketing that are of interest to a small business. Some of them are more important to local, offline businesses, while others are more effective with online businesses. Many businesses engage in all five areas of small business marketing on the Internet.

Search Engine Marketing

This portion of marketing is critical for a small business. It gives you a chance to compete with larger companies by being visible in search engines. Since people use search engines to find products both online and locally, it is important that your company place high in search results for words that relate to what you are selling. Professional Internet marketing firms offer this service under the name of search engine optimization. They can make sure your site is visible to those looking for your product when using a search engine.

Local Search Marketing

Location-based marketing includes website optimization for search results but also integrates a search engine's function of maps. This is especially true with Google, where your business can be listed with mapping and address information, giving the prospective customers what they need to visit your establishment. Your phone number and website address can also be listed. Customer service will often be available to help someone decide if they are interested in your product or service.

Content Marketing

This strategy revolves around giving prospective customer information about your product or service, as well as information in general. Everyone is trying to sell, but those that can inform are more likely to get sales. People will attribute a certain level of expertise to a company, and this instills confidence in the consumer. Content marketing in the past was often done with printed brochures and guidebooks, but today, this can be done with articles and other forms of information on a business's website.

Social Media Marketing

This type of marketing can be tricky. Everyone talks about social media, but the truth is, it can be difficult for companies to integrate social media with their business. The type of media used, as well as how it is used, is dependent upon the type of business you have. For some companies being in touch with their customers and giving them breaking news can be an important element of success.

Other businesses, such as a local restaurant, have seen success using social media by letting customers know of the latest specials and new additions to their menu. The most important aspect of social media is to use it to strengthen your customer base to achieve repeat sales.

Email Marketing

This form of marketing is crucial to a small business online or offline. Essentially email marketing is about building a list of customers and prospective customers. This list of names and emails are people who are interested in your business, and you know this to be true because they have opted into this list themselves.

Perhaps they were offered future updates on products as well as coupons to sign up. As this list grows, it becomes more valuable. Many marketing professionals consider this to be, in the long run, the most important small business marketing strategy in the long run.

If you have a small business, you need to take the above five areas of digital marketing into consideration. Formulate a plan and combine it with your other marketing efforts. Some of these areas of marketing will be more important and effective, depending upon your business. All of them you can have professionals help you with or outsource if you don't have the manpower to handle it. ​

Online marketing strategies that are often outsourced include social media, search engine, and local search marketing, because unless you have time to dedicate it's difficult to stay on the multiple changes that transpire when it comes to strategy. With content and email marketing, you can do much of it yourself, but it never hurts to ask experts for strategy advice to help get you started.

The Benefits of Using Twitter for Business

In the modern age, we all know just how impactful social media can be. It influences our personal lives, of course, but it has transformed the world of business marketing as well. Most companies understand the value of adding social media to their marketing mix, yet when it comes to Twitter, many of them have a lingering uneasiness. Although it can be scary adding yet another social medium to your arsenal, Twitter has many devotees within business circles, and the platform delivers outstanding results for those who use it regularly. For businesses who take the time to really understand the value of Twitter, the results are amazing, and at relatively minimal cost as well!

Speed

One of the hallmarks of Twitter is its streamlined layout and presentation. All textual content, from posts to bio material, is restricted to a confined character count. Posts, for instance, cannot exceed 280 characters. That brevity can be refreshing to new users who are all-too-familiar with the sometimes over-long messaging in Facebook or Instagram feeds. This brevity and conciseness is also a marketer’s dream, as it can work to their advantage, provided they craft their own posts in the same clean, clear, concise mode. Twitter’s brevity also means that audiences scroll further down, on average, per log-in, on their Twitter feed than they do on any other social media feed. That behavior alone tends to bring them into contact with more ads – including your ads, when you utilize that feature as well.

 Layout Freedom

From pictures, to videos, to URLs custom shortened by a Twitter helper tool, a social media planner exercises more freedom on Twitter than anywhere else. This advantage is further leveraged when one takes into account the power of adding a backlink. Meanwhile, a photo alone will give you on average a 110% increase in engagement with the post. You can also use video to expand the average time your audience will pay attention to your message, increasing engagement time from 8-12 seconds to around 30 seconds. This gives creatives a lot more room to inject some brand personality into these Tweets.

 Grow Website Traffic

Not all the advantages of Twitter are measurable on Twitter exclusively. Some of the benefits of Twitter overflow to other marketing channels. Websites, for instance, can be a beneficiary of a company’s Twitter activity. Twitter is a proven performer when it comes to growing website traffic. Twitter has made it easier than ever to link from its platform to your website, or from your website to the Twitter platform. Putting a website URL into your business’s bio line, especially when the bio line (or your pinned [uppermost] tweet) includes a call to action, is an effective way to funnel traffic to your site. Another incentive for getting Twitter users to visit your website is to offer a chance at a prize. A simple, “Go to our website and subscribe for a chance to win a $100 gift card” can be all it takes to get numerous new viewers. Furthermore, linking from your site to Twitter can also be a great way to make sure your audience is still seeing information about your company even after they’ve left your website. Twitter not only has the standard widget that you can use to link to your homepage, but it also has a button you can put on your website that allows customers to follow your page immediately without even leaving your website. Whether you’re linking to or linking from, audience engagement will go up you’ll be building a stronger customer base that has more loyalty to your brand.

 Worldwide Exposure

Twitter is popular around the entire globe. Its worldwide popularity opens doors for businesses with good social media teams. Such businesses can gain exposure to markets that might otherwise be beyond the reach of their marketing budgets. The algorithms of Twitter also lend themselves to viral sharing by elevating an account’s most popular posts to positions higher up on the feeds of those who follow that account. This feature, along with the retweet function and the comment function, allows you a chance to get your best content not just to your core audience but (through social sharing) to wider and wider circles of Twitter users, multiplying your reach and possibly winning you additional followers in the bargain. However, with this global reach also comes responsibility. One of the biggest dangers on Twitter is posting something that, while it may not be insulting to your demographic, could be insulting to someone in the broader Twitter sphere. The possibility exists that, on a platform like Twitter, someone will find something objectionable in one of your best-circulated messages. Such a reactionary user could start an awareness initiative designed to hurt your standing with the customers you already have as well. It always looks bad for a brand to be closed minded, shallow, or mean, so the best rule of thumb is if you aren’t sure it won’t insult, just don’t use it at all.

 Brand Personality

Expanding the personality of your brand can be the single most important advantage of using Twitter. Although brand information and benefits ought to be a part of anyone’s overall messaging strategy on Twitter, thanks to the platform’s higher rates of audience interaction, there is a unique and easy opportunity to imprint your brand’s personality on your followers. The single most important way to go about this is simply to make sure your social media team is responding to comments and retweets constantly, and doing so with kind and fun responses. This is especially important when one of those little crises comes along, when some Twitter user starts sniping at your business. It’s then that your followers are watching you to see how you respond. Twitter users can be more interested in how a large business handles a nasty tweet than in what the nasty tweet says itself. Here we see a similarity to yelp, except you have the chance to instantly change perceptions with just a few sentences. It is also important to mix up your tweets with content that is not always directly business related. An interesting article about activity out in the field or an office pic celebrating the holidays can remind your following of the unique and engaging qualities of your brand. A bio is yet another great opportunity to show off the brand’s personality. This is the first thing anyone will see when deciding to follow your brand or not. Make it fun and engaging, make it highlight the benefits of your company, and make it end with a call to action, and you are likely to gain followers quickly. A great example of all of these tactics successfully working for a brand is Wendy’s. Wendy’s was an early user of Twitter and has really done an amazing job of setting the tone for what works on Twitter. In just a few years, their witty audience engagement has turned their image from just a fast food place to a unique and engaging personality.

Social media has indeed done an excellent job of assisting businesses in growing their brand awareness, personality, and engagement. The results in creating a conversation between a brand and an audience, a prospect that, prior to social media, was hardly possible. With Twitter being the center of this movement and creating more average brand engagement than any other, it is vital for businesses to join the excitement and create a Twitter presence of their own. Although speed, layout freedom, linking freedom, and worldwide exposure are very helpful parts of Twitter, at the end of the day the freedom Twitter gives you to express your brand personality is the most important ingredient for businesses.

The Major Advantages Of Online Training

Online training is the art of knowledge transfer through the internet, from anywhere in the globe to targeted audiences who choose to learn a particular subject. Online training courses are of two kinds – free and paid versions. Professionals who excel in a particular field choose to teach and train students who are willing to take up online classes. Notes in PDFs, Word documents, video tutorials, and assessments are given as a package with the training modules, thereby helping students learn faster and easier. Also, some of the certifications and certificates that can be provided, to award candidates for their understanding capabilities, are highly valued by various organizations. Some companies offer training options before employees are made permanent in their jobs. This training does not end before the job begins: It rather continues through online courses by brushing up concepts and new technologies. Here are a few advantages of online training that showcase how it helps improve an employee's professional life:

1. Flexibility

Technology demands newer updates and faster systems all the time. This can only be achieved with constant training and learning. Working a 9-5 job and pursuing courses may seem tiring if you have to go to a training centre before or after work. Sometimes going to the training centre may rob your weekends and eat up your free time. Online training courses can be taken anytime, anywhere. The only requirement would be an internet connection. Making time during your coffee breaks at work, sitting on your couch and taking online courses instead of watching television, and listening to audio/video files while travelling to and from work are some of the ways online training courses can be taken up. This ensures flexibility in terms of time and effort.

2. Mobility

A place that has internet connection is a place to take advantage of. Online training and e-Learning would require a traditional registration process, followed by a user log in page, but now, since browsers are available on phones, tablets, and laptops, online courses are not only restricted to desktops; courses are configured to all types of devices. Thinking of taking a course while travelling? E-Learning is now in your pockets!

3. Easy On the Pockets

With all these physical copies of books, notes, and professors to handle courses, traditional software training courses demand a very high price for certifications and course completion. In comparison to this, eBooks and notes are permanently saved in your hard drive when it comes to online training. Certifications are provided online, in printable format, with course completion recognition that can be shared on job-posting websites, social media, and more. Reference videos, course materials, and examination scores are saved and can be viewed multiple times, with no limit. Online courses are extremely cost-effective and can be utilized efficiently.

4. Online Support

Professional educators and e-Learning customer support are always looking to help and motivate students. Online course trainers can be emailed and interacted with, when students have any questions, and chat support is almost always available on online learning portals.

5. Progress Report

Online assessments test the ability to understand topics without the pressure of taking an actual exam. Some assessments can also be retaken and reconsidered if students are not satisfied with their scores. Properly justified and marked, online assessments bring about a fair scoring system that helps online students evaluate their understanding of a given subject.

6. Easy Accessibility

In a fast moving world, almost everything is readily accessible. Downloadable online notes, online support, online interaction, training videos that can be replayed, and assessments/quizzes that can be taken anytime during the course help professionals learn better and faster. The easier courses are to be reached, the easier it is for professionals to reach their goals.

Conclusion

Some people prefer face-to-face training, while others may prefer online training. Online training is no doubt a huge cost saver for organizations and individuals, as only certification courses come with a high price tag compared to free online courses. Utilizing the internet for improving your skills is the ultimate way to climb up the success ladder, as the best investment that you can make is investing in yourself.

Ten Terms Related to Search Engine Optimization

 Algorithm

A complex computer program used by search engines to retrieve data and deliver results for a query. Search engines use a combination of algorithms to deliver ranked webpages via a results page based on a number of ranking factors and signals.

 Alt Attribute

HTML code that provides information used by search engines and screen readers (for blind and visually-impaired people) to understand the contents of an image.

Also known as: Alt Text

Analytics

The science of collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data to take future action based on what has (or hasn’t) worked historically.

Anchor Text

The clickable word or words of a link. This text is intended to provide contextual information to people and search engines about what the web page or website being linked to is about.

Authority

The combination of signals search engines use to assess websites and webpages for the purposes of ranking.

    Blog

A publication of content, sorted in chronological order, with the most recent content appearing at the top. The content reflects personal or corporate interests, and can be written by an individual or a group of contributors.

Bounce Rate

The percentage of website visitors who leave without visiting another page on that website. Bounce rates range widely depending on industry and niche. Although bounce rate can indicate potential content or website issues, it is not a direct ranking factor, according to Google.

Breadcrumb

A navigational element that helps users easily figure out where they are within a website.

Canonical URL

An HTML code element that specifies a preferred website URL, when multiple URLs have the same or similar content, to reduce duplicate content.

Click Bait

Content that is designed to entice people to click, typically by over promising or being intentionally misleading in headlines, so publishers can earn advertising revenue.

Why One should choose Digital Marketing as Career

 Digital Marketing is an inevitable element in today’s world because it can be used to promote a business irrespective of it’s volume – small, medium or large. It can used to brand a person, product, or a service. The result of Digital Marketing is enormous. 

What is digital marketing?

Digital marketing is defined as a marketing approach that primarily relies on the internet to connect with the target audience through various digital media channels and platforms.

Here are some general areas that a digital marketing professional will likely touch on during their training or career:

• Video/audio production
• YouTube Video Optimization
• Blogging and it's Optimization
• Interactive technology (such as AI)
• Mobile marketing
• Search engine optimization (SEO)
• Search engine marketing (SEM)
• Social media
• E-commerce
• Email marketing
• Marketing automation
• Content Management
• Web development
• Web design
• Copywriting and Editing
• Analytics
• Business/marketing strategy

It’s a good idea to think about getting training in at least one or two specialty areas, unless you’re in management, in which case you’ll probably need to know quite a bit about them all.

Why choose a career in digital marketing?

Digital marketing is a career that has plenty of room for techs, creatives, and business people. There are so many avenues that you can follow; it’s best to focus on one or two things that you do best, then you can always learn more from there. If you have a business or communications background, you may want to consider going into management.

What kind of designation can be taken after Digital Marketing Training?

• SEO Executive
•  PPC Executive 
• Email Marketing Executive 
• Social Media Marketing Executive 
• Mobile Marketing Executive 
• E-commerce Executive 
• Content Marketing Executive 
• Affiliate Marketing Executive 
• Display Advertising Executive

Join Digital Marketing and Boost your Career.