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As businesses wrap up their plans for 2020, marketers are expected to brace for more changes in the digital marketing landscape in the coming year. Thinking about which content trends will still apply and what kinds of content to produce can be challenging if you don’t unlock insights that can guide you as you plan ahead.
Consumers are now more mindful of the content they consume. They choose who they are influenced by. They are also more likely to favor convenience over choice. How can marketers plan ahead while keeping this in mind, and how will it affect campaigns in the coming year?
At the GetCraft Manila Marketers Meetup last September 17, the panel of experts talked about planning your marketing approach for 2020. The discussion included new content trends and channels to focus on, the demand for video and viewability, and the importance of having agenda-driven plans that will serve as the backbone for the entire year’s marketing efforts.
Miguel Atienza, digital strategy director of Publicis-JimenezBasic, highlighted the content trends that marketers should consider when planning their 2020 efforts. These should help brands have a clear vision of what the new decade will have in store, and what they should prepare for.
He cited that customers are now after convenience, which encouraged businesses to expand their products and services. This “lazy economy” will pave the way for more innovations. Brands are expected to be part of the effort to revolutionize shopping and living for consumers.
He also highlighted the rise of social networks as a commerce channel, with buying made easier on social media platforms. Brands can now share their products through storefronts on social media. There’s also the continuous rise of content and influencer marketing, with more strategic product placements, native ads, and a better understanding of audiences and what influences them.
Atienza also emphasized the importance of intention over attention. This consumer signal is a valuable insight because brands no longer have to guess what customers want. This will also teach marketers to listen. Deeper insights will allow brands to create better stories, allowing them to produce more authentic content.
Effective campaigns don’t come with a definite framework. Atienza said that in order to develop one, marketers should really learn how to listen, analyze, and collaborate. This will allow teams to determine what their customers need and help them come up with campaigns that will click.
2020 also signifies major digital transformations. Samuel Jeanblanc, market lead of Google Philippines, highlighted the high speed of change in connectivity in the Philippines. This presents greater opportunities for businesses, since the digital economy in the country is expected to grow to $20 billion dollars by 2025.
According to Jeanblanc, brand video campaigns are key to getting your market share in the industry. Since YouTube is Google’s strongest platform in the Philippines, brands can reach their audiences by choosing endemic creators in the country that are able to influence their target market.
He talked about how brands can optimize between media channels. He cited local TV channels that also post videos of their shows and programs on YouTube. This helps increase viewership and also allows brands to track user attention.
Jeanblanc also highlighted the importance of improving viewability. Marketers should be able to capture their audience’s attention, especially on a platform where they’re saturated with ads. He said that sustaining their attention is key to building a brand online. Creating content that engages audiences will allow them to remember brands better.
“We live in such convoluted times in marketing,” said Francis Chua, group marketing head at 2GO Group. He mentioned that it’s time to reboot the way brands work. Consumers are now demanding more for less, which gives businesses an idea of what they should give them.
Even though there are more channels to reach customers, it’s also harder to penetrate them. This calls for a tighter focus in order to give customers exactly what they want. He said that aspirations matter in branding, and suggested that businesses should align their brand architecture and find out why they exist as a company. Therefore, marketing teams should link this with their plans for 2020.
Chua highlighted the importance of being relevant and relatable and how this is very important for developing marketing plans. He mentioned that every brand should aim to be part of the current conversation. To be able to do that, brands should understand their customers.
Since customers don’t wait for brands, it’s important for businesses to follow their consumers’ lifestyles instead. A thorough understanding of the market is essential, and being present in their consumer journey is crucial to staying on top of their minds.
Being adaptable is also important in marketing, Chua said, but brands also have to be consistent. This is why authentic content matters. Creating a community and acquiring customers won’t be possible if you don’t know what resonates with them.
Chua suggested that brands should plan for 365 days. A realistic content plan will help keep everything in line with the agenda for the year. It’s time for brands to plan for synergistic content creation and native, coordinated stories.
