The year, and the decade, is quickly coming to an end. For some entrepreneurs, 2020 is already looking bright. Digital marketing opportunities Digital marketing opportunities are abundant and prime for the taking. So, the most optimistic business owners are those who are channeling their focus on what is to come this year and onward. What marketing innovations will the new decade bring? Where are the most forward-thinking brands investing their ad dollars? Who will fare the best from the inevitable changes in digital marketing strategy trends?

The rapid pace of marketing today makes it tough to predict the future. As platforms and tools advance, marketing efforts must do their best to not only keep up, but to stay at the forefront of these progressions. From voice and visual search to AI and machine learning, savvy digital marketers are gearing up for 2020 in a big way.

Thinking through marketing initiatives for 2020 and beyond can seem daunting. With so many options at our fingertips, it’s easy to get overwhelmed and unengaged. While different tactics make sense for different organizations, there are some overarching trends that we anticipate will shape digital marketing in the year and years to come.

Digital Marketing Success in 2020

First and foremost, it is important to recognize that any successful digital marketing strategy in 2020 and onward must be adaptable. This means creating a plan that is dynamic – a living, breathing blueprint that freely welcomes changes and innovations.

Next, it is absolutely critical to invest substantially in digital marketing efforts. The reality is that your competition is putting their money there and will continue to do so. This year, those who neglect to earmark their dollars for this purpose will be left to watch from the sidelines as new business opportunities go elsewhere.

With that said, the possibilities for digital marketing success in 2020 are endless. Before sitting down to craft your own, think about incorporating the following digital marketing strategy tactics:

1. Search: voice search has become more and more important over the last several years. While this is certainly something that you must still optimize for, visual search is quickly emerging as a new frontrunner. Make sure that your site is optimized for cameras and images to take a stronghold in search behavior.
2. Machine Learning: AI is here to stay. Those companies who use it to their advantage will see their sales numbers increase dramatically. As of now, machine learning is most often applied to ad targeting based on user behavior like buyer preference and demographics.
3. Personalization: customers will continue to have higher and higher expectations for the ads that they are shown. This means crafting marketing materials that speak directly to their wants and needs, all while leaning on technology to do the heavy lifting.
4. Community: savvy brands have been and will continue efforts to build a brand community. This means activity in things like online forums, on social media groups, and in answering questions. In doing so, brands are transformed into relatable entities that people can form relationships with and like-minded people are united in their shared affinity for that brand.
5. ADA Compliance: the Americans With Disabilities Association (ADA) has set standards that websites must take note of and follow. Ensuring that your site is accessible for all persons is imperative to not only offer an exceptional user experience, but also to avoid potential lawsuits and fines.

These five digital marketing strategies only scratch the surface of what should be done in 2020 and onward. Generally speaking, companies must focus their digital efforts on creating killer content and sharing strategically on social media. The combination of these two tactics will serve to promote your brand, build your community, and facilitate new business.

At Big Customer Network, we know digital marketing strategy. We live it, we breathe it, and we spend our days perfecting it. In 2020, those who invest in digital marketing will find themselves leading their industry, outperforming their competition, and growing their profits.

Are you interested in a digital marketing strategy specifically geared towards your company goals? Contact our digital marketing team today to learn more!

Digital Marketing Strategy Requirements

From startups to massive corporations, digital marketing has slowly but surely trickled its way into nearly every single successful business today. What was once considered a new, exciting element in the marketing mix has now become a central and integral component, critical to strategies both large and small. In fact, even today’s traditional marketing tactics are harnessed by their digital counterparts.

In 2020 and beyond, business owners must take their digital marketing efforts seriously. The reality is that time spent online continues to increase at rapid rates year over year. Those who have been slow to accept the shift into the digital world will find out the hard way that their customers (and their competitors) are living online.

Digital marketing strategy means getting all of your internet ducks in a row – from search engine optimization (SEO) to pay-per-click (PPC), from content marketing to social media marketing to email marketing, and so on. Why? Well, for starters, about 90 percent of all searchers have yet to make their minds up about a brand prior to starting their search. Your digital footprint is invaluable to attracting new customers, keeping old ones, and maintaining a stronghold in your respective industry.

Today, we highlight some of the most essential elements of a digital marketing strategy that will put your organization in a position to succeed online and, in turn, offline.

Digital Marketing Strategy for Big Wins

Hesitations around committing to a digital marketing strategy are typically founded in uncertainty. “Do my customers really search online?” “My company is B2B, we don’t need to put money into internet marketing.” “My marketing budget is small and I don’t see the value.” These are some of the most common issues brought to our attention by business owners. What these entrepreneurs fail to recognize is the massive shift that has occurred over the last decade.

Decision-makers are living online and doing research online and making choices online, no matter who your target audience may be. As such, building a digital marketing strategy that speaks directly to those people will set your company up to succeed. Much like any strategy, beginning with the end in mind is key.

Any digital marketing framework must rely upon specific objectives for the overall strategy. Are you looking to build brand awareness? Do you need to establish online sales? Are you introducing a new product to the market? Understanding where you want the company to end up as a result of your digital marketing efforts will create the blueprint for getting there.

As with anything, starting with the right components is imperative for the company to thrive. The following is a checklist for the most critical aspects to include in your digital marketing strategy:

1. Brand: who are you as a company? Do all of your company assets (website, messaging, etc.) represent that brand image?
2. Business Objectives: what specifically are you trying to achieve?
3. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): what metrics will you use to track successes and failures?
4. Search Engine Optimization (SEO): what keywords are you targeting? What is your plan to improve search rankings?
5. Content Marketing: do you regularly produce content that asserts your authority in your industry? What value are you offering website visitors?
6. Social Media: how are you communicating with customers and prospective customers? Does your social footprint attract leads with intention?
7. Paid Search: is your brand blanketing search engine results? Are your ads on the first page of Google?
8. Email Marketing: are you making consistent efforts to touch base with your audience?

Marketing was once a guessing game. Buy a billboard and hope for the best. Send out flyers and pray that someone notices. Today, marketing is trackable and ever-evolving. This means that the guesswork has finally been removed from the equation, leaving only an opportunity to build awareness, drive traffic, and generate new business.

Digital Marketing with Big Customer Network

At Big Customer Network, we create custom digital marketing strategies for our clients. We analyze the industry, the company, and its competitors to craft a solution that makes a true impact. Our digital marketing team works tirelessly to build internet muscle that generates digital success, for clients both large and small.

Are you ready to take the next step with your digital marketing strategy? Contact us today to learn more!