Laura Donovan — December 19, 2019 
susan-lu4esm / Pixabay
Another decade is ending and a new one begins. It’s time to stop marketing like it’s 2010 and step up your efforts into 2020.
Here are the top 5 trends to watch and to add to your marketing mix.
1. Social Shopping
78 percent of American consumers have discovered retail products to buy via Facebook
You no longer need to leave sites to shop or make a purchase. With just a few clicks, consumers can see something on Instagram or in their Facebook News Feed and make a purchase right then and there.
This cuts your sales funnel almost in half and gives consumers the ease to make purchases quickly.
Understanding and implementing these shopping features on the Social Sites can boost your sales in 2020.
2. Social Stories
500 million people use Instagram Stories every day
Stories are “short user-generated photo or video collections that can be uploaded to the user’s feed. Stories are available on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and even YouTube. They are considered a second news feed for Facebook. Stories provide viewers with more authentic information. Stories disappear quickly, which makes them a great place for businesses to offer flash sales or discounts for loyal fans.
3. Chatbots
85% of all customer interactions will be handled without a human agent by 2020
Chatbots initially offered canned responses and prewritten messages to general questions most businesses thought they would be asked. Keywords were used to trigger the bot responses.
Chatbots are being improved with new algorithms and no longer required canned, pre-written content. Chatbots are also able to talk to multiple people at once. Something a human customer service rep cannot do easily.
Chatbot intelligence and popularity is expected to grow in 2020.
4. Social Customer Service
67% of consumers worldwide used a chatbot for customer support in the past year
Having a live customer service team 24 hours a day, 7 days a week is not realistic for most companies. However, incorporating Trend #3, Chatbots, into your customer service can help your company look as though it is there for its customers at any time of the day.
Chatbots to answer questions as Trend #3, but also to solve problems any time of day or night will boost your company’s reputation.
5. Influencers
53% of Americans consider product reviews and ratings as the most crucial attribute of the online shopping
We know that consumers have grown tired of advertising on their Social feeds. Instead they are seeking referrals and references from their friend’s updates, reviews from other people, and even local experts or celebrities.
While celebrities may not be a viable option for your business’ budget, using reviews and requesting referrals from current customers can help boost your reputation and use your happy, loyal customers as influencers to their networks, which helps to grow your network.
Social Media Marketing continues to change, creating a Digital Marketing Strategy that incorporates Social Media is crucial to your business’ success in 2020 and beyond.
Here’s to a successful and prosperous New Year!
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