Listen Up: Here are 10 Advertising Trends in 2020

Throughout 2019, we saw growth in omnichannel marketing and artificial intelligence. With 2020 in full swing, there are ample opportunities for both existing and new trends to make waves in the advertising industry.

Based on what we saw in 2019 related to digital marketing and advertising, the following are trends we expect to dominate 2020.

1. Shoppable Posts

With the introduction of shoppable posts on Instagram, this trend has become common in marketing. Users can view products and pricing with the tap of a photo on Instagram.

Pinterest offers a similar feature known as “Shop the Look” in which business profiles can tag products from Pins so users can make their desires a reality.

Seeing the successes of shoppable search on Instagram and Pinterest, Google hopped on the bandwagon and began using shoppable search. When someone looks up an item, they can view an ad and hover over the image to view product prices and purchase them.

This feature offers a convenient way for consumers to peruse and eventually purchase products, which means brands can reach their audience early on in the consumer journey. Providing a seamless consumer journey, shoppable search ultimately has the potential to boost brand sales and ultimately grow customer loyalty.

An example of a brand successfully implementing this resource is Crate & Barrel, a well-known home décor store. Their Instagram page features numerous posts featuring a fully-decorated home and tags on products in the image that you can purchase.

According to Hootsuite, over 130 million users visit Instagram shopping posts each month. Because this method of shopping combines convenience with personalized user experience, we believe this trend will continue to grow until shoppable search becomes the norm for online shopping experiences.

2. Interactive Infographics

Consumers now more than ever don’t want to just read your infographics and other marketing collateral. They want to engage and interact with your content.

Crafting interactive infographics is a unique way to consolidate informative material in a medium that’s digestible, fun and appealing to the digitally-savvy consumer. Long gone are the days of plain graphics, jargon-filled charts and excessive copy. It’s all about making an impact with your assets.

The other plus about these graphics? They’re extremely easy to create. With a talented team of designers or creatives, infographics can be made from popular platforms, such as Adobe creative apps. Even Canva, known to be a user-friendly platform, would suffice.

Your content needs to be engaging now more than ever with the sheer abundance of content available at consumers’ fingertips. Brands should develop ways to keep users on their site or social platforms as long as possible to boost engagement.

After all, engaging with consumers via social media platforms should be two-way communication.

3. Personalized Marketing

Put yourself into the minds and shoes of the consumers to make a truly effective campaign. Understanding consumers’ needs is paramount, especially in the digital landscape.

With increasing competition for various products and services, catering to the right audience with the right message is an effective way to grow leads and ultimately sales.

4. Native Advertising

Make your content fit into the platform in which it’s posted using native ads. Native ads blend with the social platform they’re on, looking more like another post on a feed rather than a display ad.

With an increasing aversion to display ads, native ads receive 53% more exposure. What does this mean? Consumers are more likely to view your ad if it fits into their social feed versus sticking out like a sore thumb.

5. Influencer Marketing

With an increasing reliance on social media to drive brand image and awareness, the prevalence of influencers and their growing contribution to marketing efforts is undeniable.

Relying on influencers to spread awareness of products, services and brands, in general, is becoming common. Over 49% of consumers rely on recommendations from influencers to guide their purchases.

Word of mouth will remain a powerful form of communication between brands and consumers.

6. Visual Search

Visual search is a unique way to search within certain apps and browsers. Using visual search, a user uploads a photo to the platform to obtain more information on the image’s subject.

For example, if you upload a picture of a book, the search can pull reviews of the book. If you upload a person’s business card, the search can pull further contact information.

Several visual search programs already exist, such as Google Lens and Lens from Pinterest.

7. Predictive Analytics

Predictive analytics model future outcomes based on previous trends. This tool doesn’t determine the future, but rather suggests outcomes based on patterns of consumer behavior.

A common application of this resource is Amazon’s product recommendations. Based on the purchases you make, Amazon will recommend similar purchases for you and these recommendations support 30% of purchases through Amazon.

Brands should take note of the sheer impact predictive analytics can have. If Amazon is winning sales using this program, perhaps your brand should look into doing so.

8. Lifecycle Marketing

How do businesses create relationships with consumers from their first interaction with a brand to final purchase? Lifecycle marketing.

Lifecycle marketing is arguably one of the best ways to accompany the consumer journey from prospect to eventual brand advocate.

Through lifecycle marketing, consumers are provided the tools they need from their first exposure to a brand until their eventual purchase, and hopefully later as a loyal customer.

Lifecycle marketing is comprised of several phases to convert leads into customers. The first phase is how brands reach the consumer, whether through content marketing, print advertising or SEO.

Next, consumers become prospects by contacting the organization and keeping in tune with the organization’s social media.

Finally, consumers lock in their purchase and hopefully become loyal consumers of said product or service.

Through this experience, the consumer will likely spread the word about their positive experience with the brand, driving sales.

9. Artificial Intelligence

The buzz surrounding artificial intelligence won’t stop in 2020. According to Forbes, over 49% of consumers believe AI has already replaced jobs and people.

There’s a rampant concern that artificial intelligence will continue to replace many creative roles with increasing urges to reduce costs and improve efficiency.

The future of AI is up in the air, but all we know for sure is that AI will remain a powerful tool in analyzing consumer behavior.

10. Augmented Reality

Despite the initial dominance of virtual reality, augmented reality is expected to grow in 2020.

From phone apps to enhanced navigation tools, augmented reality allows users to explore a digital environment with either realistic or superimposed effects.

For example, with the help of Ikea’s Place app, consumers can use augmented reality to visualize what a piece of Ikea furniture would look like in their home.

Other programs allow consumers to view clothing on themselves without ever leaving their home or offer AR filters, such as those seen on Snapchat.

Need a helping hand to keep up with these trends? Appleton is an award-winning, full-service Orlando advertising agency that works with local, national and international clients to deliver impressive ad campaigns, branding, print, web, public relations, social media and video services — all in-house. At Appleton, we want to learn about your business, empower your marketing team and be your creative resource. Your advertising goals are worth a conversation: contact us at 407-246-0092 or info@appletoncreative.com.