Welcome to 2020, the year of clear vision!

If you have not done so already, now is the time to reflect on 2019 marketing activities, and create your 2020 marketing communication strategy.  

A solid marketing plan is grounded in data. As you approach your digital marketing strategy for 2020— from social media, to creating and maintaining effective websites, blogs, and email marketing campaigns—here are ten of the most impactful trends you should pay attention to for the New Year.

ORGANIZATION’S VALUES WILL DRIVE ONLINE VOICES

In my 2019 social media trends post, I noted the ongoing distrust people have of social media. Well, this isn’t going away in 2020, particularly as we head into a controversial election year. 

Nonprofits must articulate their values across their digital platforms. As nonprofit communicators, you have to clearly define your organization’s values before you plan your social media content. What follows is an authentic, trustworthy experience for your fans and followers. 

PRIVATE SOCIAL CHANNELS GAIN IN POPULARITY 

“As I think about the future of the internet, I believe a privacy-focused communications platform will become even more important than today’s open platforms,” Mark Zuckerberg announced in 2019. 

While your awareness strategy on public feeds like your Facebook and Instagram profiles is still essential (52% of brand discoverability still happens in those spaces), you’ll need to figure out how to create opportunities for one-on-one engagement through private channels. 

Experiment with Facebook Groups, Instagram Threads, or through a Messenger experience. Create spaces where your audience can share and engage in more personal discussions and interactions.

AUTHENTIC CONTENT IS EXPECTED

The branded aesthetic popularized on Instagram and among influencers with massive followings is losing its steam in favor of genuine, behind-the-scenes content. 

Offering less stylized videos and photos on Instagram Stories or IGTV will help you break out of the mold in favor of more relatable content.

LIVESTREAM VIDEO IS KING

As video content only grows in 2020, don’t forget to add live streams to your social media strategy. People are consuming more long-form videos on their phones. 

Get in the habit of live streaming at events and behind-the-scenes activities. Consider hosting Q&A videos with your staff, or bring on expert guests and partners. 

MICRO OR NANA INFLUENCERS CONTINUE TO BE IMPORTANT

Part of creating authentic social media content will be identifying the micro and nano influencers who already have ties with the niche audiences you’re looking to get in front of. 

They can help raise your nonprofit’s credibility at a budget-friendly cost.  

These types of influencers with smaller, more engaged followings, were on the rise in 2019, and they’ll continue to be an essential part of your overall marketing strategy in 2020.

Find and build relationships with the micro influencers that care about your issue and mission.

THE RISE OF INTERACTIVE CONTENT 

As video platforms like TikTok take-off and more brands incorporate shoppable posts such as Instagram Shopping, younger audiences will expect interactive capabilities across all channels. 

Consider creating interactive content like polls or quizzes. This type of content is both engaging and encourages sharing.

PRIORITIZE THE MOBILE EXPERIENCE ON YOUR WEBSITE, BLOG, AND EMAIL

Your website and email must be mobile-friendly. Mobile is currently the most popular reading environment, with 42% of all emails opened on smartphones or tablets, and over half of website traffic coming from mobile. 

Not only are attention spans shrinking, but Google also uses this version for indexing and ranking, meaning this will most likely be the version of your site that shows up on search engines. 

Be sure that all of your webpages, blog posts, and emails are easy to read and easy to navigate, including shorter paragraphs broken up with subheadings, fewer images, and using buttons when sharing links.

PERSONALIZED MARKETING IS A NECESSITY

Your audience will expect personalized marketing, particularly with email, based on their interests and previous interactions with your nonprofit. Segment your email lists based on a specific set of characteristics will be imperative to drive awareness and a desired action from them. 

Part of this personalized strategy will also require you to test your messaging. Using this research to create look-a-like audiences with customized emails will help you identify best practices for your organization when talking to a specific group.

SOCIAL MEDIA ADS SHOULD DRIVE CONVERSIONS

Organic reach is continuing to shrink in the upcoming year. For a measurable return on investment, you will need to incorporate social media ads to reach specific conversion objectives.  

If social media ads are a part of your social performance marketing—which more and more organizations are investing in— focus on donations, a lead (such as an email address), or a click, instead of solely focusing on awareness metrics such as likes or follows. 

INVEST IN DIGITAL MARKETING ANALYTICS

Over the next three years, budget spend on marketing analytics among top organizations is expected to grow by 60%. 

Hiring a team that can market across your social media, email marketing, and website or blog while cohesively analyzing and measuring the data will give your organization performance goals that are clearly defined to set you up for future success. 

If you don’t have a budget for analytics, be sure to use analytics that are native to each social media platform and email marketing services, and get the hang of using Google Analytics for your site.  

Don’t be overwhelmed or intimidated by these trends. Think outside of the box, ride the wave, and have fun. Cheers to a new year, reaching new audiences, and amplifying your message in 2020. 

Sources: Forbes, Hootsuite, San Francisco Chronicle, Facebook, Forbes, The Atlantic, MailChimp, GlobalWebIndex.com, CMOSurvey.org, Litmus, Statista.com