2020 – WHAT’S NEXT FOR DIGITAL MARKETING?

As we rapidly approach the end of another year, what are the emerging digital marketing trends for 2020 and more importantly what should professional services firms consider implementing in their strategy.

We look back at what has stood out in 2019 and what to focus on in 2020.

2019

1. Content marketing – producing valuable content through blogs, videos, posts and industry specific reports providing useful, relevant and sector specific information, in turn helping solve the target audience’s challenges has been key.
2. Instagram - with 1 billion active Instagram accounts worldwide every single month and 80%
   of accounts following a business Instagram, there has been an influx of professional services firms signing up to the platform and using it to demonstrate personality, showcase brand values and culture, as well as helping to recruit staff.
3. Video has dominated social media - it is becoming harder to stand out when consumers scroll through their feeds and video has been integral to bringing brands to life and catching the target audience’s eye.
4. Animation – explainer and storytelling animation has been popular due to the visual appeal and ability to explain technical processes in an easy and digestible way, a picture tells a thousand words.
5. Paid social media advertising – with organic reach becoming more challenging and the ability to reach a new targeted audience fast, social media advertising, especially on the likes of Facebook and LinkedIn, continues to provide a strong return on investment.

Our Rundown of the 2020 Tips and Trends:

1. Video marketing – video will continue to dominate social media and remains a favoured form of content by consumers. Captions are now also a must for your videos - stand out captions immediately let content consumers know what your video is about (even with the sound off).
2. Stories – with the rise in Instagram stories, businesses are now following the trend known as ‘ephemeral content’ – transient, very visual content that sticks in the mind, often with a strong call to action. Stories are a great way of grabbing people’s attention in such a crowded online market and 2020 will see the continued growth in the use of this type of engaging content.
3. Content Marketing – the generation and distribution of valuable and authentic content will continue to be a cornerstone of digital marketing strategy, particularly in professional services. Relevant and up to date content, be it blogs, videos, white papers, animation or infographics, will educate and inform your target audience as well as build credibility and trust, highlighting your business as thought leaders. Looking ahead, all content should be optimised for voice search and with website users now having to actively opt into marketing/analytic cookies, it is important to give consumers the option to sign up/download content to build subscribed audiences.
4. TikTok – although TikTok’s primary users are younger (under 30), it now has 500 million active users worldwide - it is more popular than Twitter and Snapchat. This is one to watch for 2020 and to get your head around how it works. It might not benefit your business right now, but how many times have we said that about a new social media platform? Could this be the new Instagram – as a way of demonstrating your personality, values and to attract employees as well as future clients. As with other similar platforms, advertising opportunities may well develop in the future too!
5. Podcasts – With busier lives, less time and shorter attention spans, podcasts are great way of consuming content that you’re interested in ‘on the go’. 6 million people listened to a podcast last year and with more and more people listening to podcasts on an increasing array of devices, including smart speakers, it is another practicable and straightforward channel through which to demonstrate expertise, thought leadership and ultimately reach new clients.

With digital marketing and social media integral to our everyday lives now, businesses and professional services firms can no longer afford to ignore these platforms as opportunities to demonstrate their expertise and engage with their target audience. It is difficult to stand out with so much content online and different channels through which it is distributed. It is therefore important to have a clear, defined plan to achieve your digital marketing objectives. Cal Partners work with professional services firms including lawyers, accountants and financial planners to develop and deliver client winning digital marketing and social media strategies. Book your FREE consultation and we can help you work on your 2020 strategy.