It’s not easy to keep up with all the changes to algorithms, constant updates and new techniques in online marketing. But if you want to ensure your small business runs smoothly in 2020, and beyond, you need to be aware of emerging and continuing digital marketing trends that can help keep your business at the top.

So, without further ado, here are some of the top marketing trends and tactics that your small business should focus on in 2020.

Use content marketing to communicate from a place of authority

Is content still king in 2020? Yes, and that’s not going to change any time soon.

Why? Because it’s how you get your audience to care and pay more attention to your brand than to your competitors.

When you create high-quality content that informs, educates and entertains people, you’re not only attracting more potential customers by demonstrating knowledge and expertise, but you’re also building trust so they feel comfortable taking that next step and buying from you.

In addition to attracting and enticing people to choose you over the competition, great content also fuels the fire that is your search engine optimisation. In other words, it makes your small business easier to find in the search engine results when your audience is looking for answers, advice or a solution to their problem.

So what type of content should you be creating in 2020?

Anything that tells a story about your brand, knowledge, expertise and how you can improve your audience’s life. This includes:

• Short and long-form content like blog posts, infographics, whitepapers and case studies.
• Educational yet engaging videos that explain how to use your products or services, or how to solve a specific problem that your audience is facing. Here is more information and examples of types of videos you can create to engage your audience.
• Interactive content like 360-degree videos, quizzes, polls and surveys, and contests. Check out these seven types of interactive content to get some inspiration.

Optimise for search intent

Want to rank higher in your area of expertise in 2020? Then you need to understand and create content with search intent in mind.

What is search intent? It’s the “why” or the ultimate goal of the user who’s running a search on Google.

There are lots of reasons people run a search on Google. Some may be looking to learn something like “what is search engine optimisation (SEO)” or “how to make candles”. Others may want to complete an action or buy something like “where is the nearest flower shop” or “emergency plumber prices”.

With Google’s algorithm updates, the search engine giant can now interpret a user’s search intent and display results that meet that search intent.

What does this mean for your small business?

It means that in 2020 you’ll need to focus on creating content that answers your audience’s questions and search queries, and ensure it aligns with their intent.

In simple words, you’ll want to include in your content the questions and search queries that your audience uses on Google to find your business or information related to it and your niche industry.

You’ll also need to make sure that your content gives them the exact information they’re looking for, meaning that it’s relevant to their search query and intent.

Here’s where you can find more useful information and tips on how to optimise your content for search intent:

• A quick and easy guide to understanding search intent for SEO
• How to use search intent for your business

If you’re new to SEO, you can always get our Search Engine Optimiser tool to help with relevant keyword suggestions. It’ll also recommend how to use them to properly optimise your content and make it easier to find on Google by your target audience.

Give live video a try

You’ve probably noticed lots of brands doing live videos on Facebook and Instagram. It’s a great way for businesses to get noticed on social media, especially because of the prominent spot at the top of the feed which makes them almost impossible to miss.

Now, while live video helps lots of brands to stand out from the crowd on social media, it doesn’t mean it’ll also work for your small business, too. But that’s no reason to not try it.

In 2020, give it a chance and find out if your small business could benefit from live video. Whether you’re engaging with your audience on Facebook or Instagram, or both, try doing a few live videos to see how they work for your small business.

Read these posts and tutorials to learn more about how to get started with live video:

• Everything you need to know about Facebook Live
• Facebook Live for business examples to get inspiration from
• How do I start a live video on Instagram?
• Instagram live video examples that you can use

Use conversational marketing to get leads and sales

67% of consumers worldwide used a chatbot for customer support in the past year. While communicating with a real human is preferred by most people, the 24/7 availability and quick answers that chatbots can provide have made them invaluable in customer support and even lead generation.

Think about it. The simple fact that a chatbot can provide quick answers to prospects means that they’ll not go to your competitors instead because you’re not available or you’re taking more than a few minutes to reply. That’s more prospects you can turn into leads.

If you’re on a budget or just want to test the waters to see whether or not a chatbot would work for your small business, why not start with a Facebook Messenger chatbot? Here’s a guide to learn how to create a Facebook Messenger chatbot for your small business.

Try selling on social media

The chances are you’ve seen a “Shop” button on Instagram or some posts in your feed with a button like “View products” or “View shop”.

Here are a few examples:

If you have an active presence and an engaged audience on Instagram and/ or Facebook, you too can take advantage and sell your products on these social platforms.

It’s a good tactic to not only increase visibility for your business and products but also to make it easier and more convenient for your audience to learn what you sell without having to go on your website.

Check out these guides to learn how to get started with selling on Facebook and Instagram:

• How to set up a Facebook Shop
• How to set up Instagram Shopping
• A simplified guide to selling with Instagram shoppable posts and stories

Wrapping up

There are so many things you can do to market your small business online. Unfortunately, time is limited which is why it’s critical to focus your efforts on the online marketing tactics that can bring in the highest return on investment. Try at least one of these tactics and see how well they work for your small business.