Digital Marketing Trends from 2019

As we approach the end of yet another year, we look back on the highlights from the digital marketing world that shaped 2019. 

With technology evolving so fast, it’s easy to focus on the future in terms of innovation but it’s always good to stop, reflect and recalibrate. It’s important to get perspective on where we are, how far we have come and where we need to be going next.

Without further ado, here are 10 of the biggest trends from 2019 that made an impact in digital marketing:

  1. Voice Search

Voice search has been steadily growing in popularity over the last few years and is now a significant way in which we seek out information. According to Comscore it is estimated that by 2020, 50% of all queries will be voice-based and this will undoubtedly continue to grow as technology becomes more interactive.

  1. Augmented and Virtual Reality Marketing

When we first learnt about augmented reality in advertising, it looked like a futuristic tool that was years ahead of its time. However to many people’s surprise, AR is now one of the major applications marketers are using. AR has revolutionised advertising, bringing together the offer with the reality by enabling buyers to visualise the product or service in real situations.

  1. Smarter Chat

Long gone are the days when users discarded the idea of Chatbots, preferring to speak to a real person. Chatbots are no longer for the technically minded or deep introverts. According to Grand View Research, 45% of end users prefer to use Chatbots as a major means of communication in customer service and as with patterns for AR and voice search, it’s set to grow.

  1. Live Videos – More Stories

The past few years have seen a significant rise in live streaming. As if social media platforms weren’t real-time enough, live streaming went and smashed this out of the park with ultra real-time, on the spot streaming of live content. Thanks to Facebook, Instagram and Youtube, live content is the fastest growing segment of internet video traffic due to the remarkable waves in the recent 3 years.

  1. Content Personalization

Content marketing folk have always been tasked with creating dynamic content to meet the personas of the varying target markets they are trying to attract. Advancing software is becoming more adept at understanding its consumers to help create personalised content for a higher conversion. Gartner predicts that by 202 personalisation software that can successfully understand customer intent will increase digital businesses revenue by 15%.

  1. Micro-Moments

Micro-moments are when users turn to a device to perform a significant action such as to learn something or buy something. These are recorded as a micro-moment and they important markets of consumer behaviour. As more users are processing their online activities using their smartphones, marketers are able to utilise micro-moments insights to their advantage, utilising the data to provide users with instant gratification with the content they desire.

  1. AI and Machine Learning

Love it or hate it, artificial intelligence and machine learning are here to stay, so much so that global leaders like Amazon, Microsoft and Google are extending their resources in AI and machine learning. Probably the most noticeable day-to-day application of AI and machine learning is the way we now see ads on our smartphones for topics we may have been discussing.

  1. Engagement-Based Email Marketing

Email marketing is still a dependable marketing avenue and it’s no surprise that it’s getting smarter. Marketers have started to care more about sending emails to subscribers who are active on their lists and AI has made it much easier to ring-fence high engagers, not just by the how’s, when’s and where’s of the engagement, but also the why’s. Understanding consumer intent allows for email content that maximises relevance, trust and value.

  1. Rich Lead Profiling

Rich lead profiling is a lead generation method of enriching the data that is held about a consumer. Data enrichment reveals more details about a particular lead, meaning markerters can personalise their approach much more accurately. The collection of this data not only enables them to collect missing profile information, it also removes any wrong or inaccurate information. Data collection companies use data enrichment insights to send emails that address the needs of their profiled consumers.

  1. Browser Push Notifications

Push notifications are the messages that appear on phones from our apps, notifying us of an action. We probably take them for granted, however they are much more than just notification messages – at least they are for the marketer. They are a powerful way to encourage engagement off-site, driving specific actions. Browser push notifications reach users across a multitude of devices and are now much richer in their content, with powerful CTAs, images and even emojis to drive interest.

2019 has been a busy year for advancements in the digital marketing world. The key trend seems to be across machine learning where systems are becoming much smarter at understanding consumer behaviour and intent, delivering relevant content in real-time that gives instant gratification to the user and maximises engagement and conversion. There’s no doubt, we are seeing some exciting developments in AI and beginning to really understand its power in the industry. It certainly leaves us wondering what’s in store for  .

Do you have a question about your digital marketing strategy? Why not give the Whitefish Marketing team a call. We have deep expertise in helping Kent-based businesses to grow their online presence.

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About Hannah Revill

Hannah is an experienced SEO Manager with expertise in both the technical and content elements of SEO. Her core skills lie in content strategy and digital copywriting and she has contributed towards numerous online blog platforms.