2020 has been a year of massive disruption. We’ve seen our routines changed beyond our control and formed new habits ourselves, too. Marketers have had to keep up with fluid changes in consumer behavior, leading to innovative new techniques and technologies. Here are some things that are important to understand about trends in consumer behavior and the implications for digital marketing tactics in 2020:

Consumers are increasingly visual.

Studies show that roughly 65% of people are visual learners, lending them to be more engaged by visual content. Incorporating visually oriented content into your social media mix can attract more attention than traditional copy-heavy posts and increases the likelihood that your audience will read the text. To take advantage of this, Reuben Rink creates custom branded infographics for many our clients—like the one below from Guilford Technical Community College’s Instagram page.

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But the visual trend doesn’t stop at content. The introduction and rapid growth of visual search tools indicates that users want a visual shopping experience, too. New tools, including Pinterest Lens, Google Search by Image and Amazon StyleSnap, allow users to upload a photo of a product they like in place of a traditional search query. The app’s AI then returns similar products based on the image. Visual search tools present new opportunities—and new challenges—to product marketers moving forward.

They want more video.

Video is now non-negotiable as part of a digital marketing strategy. Recent research shows that 56% of internet users are watching video on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat monthly and 75% of US consumers regularly use social media to watch video. Plus, if you’re broadcasting live, your video can keep people watching up to three times longer than with prerecorded content. These days, virtual events are prime for engaging audiences and creating a sense of connection while we can’t gather in person—check out our recent blog post for tips on hosting a successful virtual event.

Video is also a great tool for product marketing. What better way to research a purchase than to watch it in action? Product unboxing and review videos are skyrocketing in popularity and marketers are integrating these into their digital marketing by purchasing the rights to use successful videos across multiple platforms.

They want a personalized experience.

Epsilon reports that “80% of consumers are more likely to make a purchase from brands that personalize the experience.” Forming a connection that feels genuine is the key to brand loyalty for modern consumers. Personalization ensures that relevant content and experiences make it to the screens of the right audiences. To do this, marketers are incorporating more AI and better targeting practices into their strategies. Predictive analytics, automation, and interactive experiences like chatbots and voice control can help create the high-quality experience that consumers have learned to expect.

Does a customized experience lead to measurable results? Yes:

• Personalization is proven to improve conversion rate optimization (CRO)
• Pay-per-click (PPC) marketing through Google AI is still showing a $2 return for every $1 spent
• Personalized email marketing campaigns consistently show better click-through rates (CTR) than generic efforts

They’re shopping on social media.

Knowing that consumers are geared toward visual content, it should come as no surprise that they’re using visual platforms like Instagram to shop. Paid social media ads are becoming more seamlessly integrated into users’ feeds, generating engagement, conversions and purchases.

Looking for engaging content without the leg work? Influencer marketing is a great tool for driving traffic and reaching new audiences. As mentioned above, product unboxing and review videos are a current favorite among modern consumers—consider reaching out to popular accounts for collaborations or to purchase the right to share organic content about your brand. A favorite or trusted influencer’s endorsement can carry a lot of weight when forming opinions about brands and making purchasing decisions.

TL;DR

• Incorporate visually oriented content into your marketing mix
• Video is a non-negotiable, live streaming is even better
• Personalize the customer experience to form a connection
• Don’t discount the power of social media for product marketing

Need help designing and executing a digital marketing strategy that works for your business and the modern consumer? Contact us today.