6 Digital Advertising Trends & Tips for 2020
Digital Advertising Trends to Know for 2020
Originally posted January 15, 2020. Updated July 27, 2020.
In 2019 it felt like every week something major was changing in digital advertising. Automation was coming in hot, match types were becoming suggestions, and the power of voice search was still up in the air.
2019 was the year of “what on earth will they throw at us next,” which has led us to 2020 – the year of mastering those changes! Here are 6 trends and tips to continue rocking paid ads and delivering stellar performance.
1. Automation. Automation. Automation.
The robots were ready to take over in 2019 and in 2020 we’re getting out of their way. While we struggled with the idea of releasing our control, in many cases this shift has been for the better!
Think back to all that time you spent building out super granular campaign structures or layering in bid adjustments across devices, locations, audiences and more.
With everything from bidding to copy to entire campaigns being automated, there’s so much more time to do the fun stuff! You can test ad formats, messaging, launch new channels, and drive overall strategy.
Don’t know where to start? Some of our most adopted products have been smart shopping, responsive search ads, and target CPA bidding.
Pro Tip: Not all ads are created equal – Google’s new best practice is to have one responsive search ad and two expanded text ads per ad group to maximize visibility on the SERP and traffic to your site.
2. Creating multi-channel and platform strategies.
With all of this new free time we’re able to elevate our performance by branching into new territory. Interested in generating additional awareness? Try a brand awareness campaign on social. Have killer video assets? Create a remarketing campaign for website visitors on YouTube. Want to nurture existing relationships? Share promotions through email.
We all have the same gift of time (thanks bots!) so stay up to date by testing what else is out there for yourself.
3. Communication is key.
There’s a greater risk for miscommunication and missed opportunities when multiple advertisers are handling multiple channels for a client. Be sure to have regular syncs with your project teams to align on goals and upcoming initiatives. Our own project teams check in with each other once a week.
Communication with all teams gives you benefits such as:
- Fluidity in budgets
- Aligned messaging
- Intentional customer journeys
- Increased client confidence
The days of working in silos are behind us friends!
4. Get creative!
“The real fact of the matter is that nobody reads ads. People read what interests them, and sometimes it’s an ad.” – Howard Luck Gossage
Keeping creative fresh and avoiding ad fatigue is the name of game. However, putting up a new image ad every couple of months may not cut it. 41% of users report that entertaining content makes them more likely to engage with a social ad.
This doesn’t necessarily mean you need to shell out extra cash for top creative resources. Something simple like testing new ad formats, sharing helpful tips and educational content, or spotlighting users is enough to allow the brand to stay relevant without being redundant.
On Facebook, our favorite creative to test has been video ads. The best part is, you don’t need a video to get started! If you have a handful of images, you can select one of their premade templates to get the ball rolling.
5. Let the user’s voice be heard.
Did you know that a whopping 93% of consumers say online reviews have an impact on their purchase decisions?
You can tell potential customers all day long how great your product is, but it’s up to other users to confirm these claims. Allow the voices of your consumers to be heard by making resources like reviews, testimonials, and case studies easily accessible.
Want to encourage more feedback? Ask for it! 77% of consumers are willing to leave a review if asked.
6. Privacy.
Starting January 1st of this year (as in, we’re already in this folks) California’s Consumer Privacy Act went into effect. In a nutshell, this is a policy that gives users the option to not have their data collected and distributed without their consent. Read more about how brands are preparing.
If your company isn’t directly impacted now, still consider taking action to add ‘opt-out’ features to your website. Many states are starting to shape their own data privacy policies and taking the time now to prepare yourselves will prevent last minute scrambles down the road.
Here’s to a joyful 2020!
Continue experimenting, adapting, and putting customers first. Above all, have fun conquering new challenges and delighting your clients. Happy advertising all!
Do you have more tips for conquering the digital advertising world in 2020? Share them with us!
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