Trend 1: Artificial Intelligence

AI has a number of applications, and this technology has been making headlines for the past several years. However, expect AI to be one of the top martech trends of 2020.

What will AI’s role be in marketing? Among other things, it allows marketers to connect to their customers on a personal level, at scale.

When you think of personalisation, what comes to mind is a manual, time-consuming process. After all, personalisation is about customising something for someone, right?

AI turns that thinking on its head. This technology is able to review huge amounts of data quickly and then tailor content or digital customer experiences, such as what you encounter on a website, accordingly. For example, if you’ve already entered your name into a chatbot window, you won’t be asked for it again on subsequent visits.

Trend 2: Digital Experience Platform for Omnichannel Experiences

The second of the martech trends of 2020 is a digital experience platform for omnichannel experiences. A digital experience platform is an integrated set of core technologies that support the creation, management, delivery, and optimisation of contextualised digital experiences. The term ‘omnichannel experiences’ refers to a consistent, seamless customer experience no matter which channel you’re using; you could be at your computer, on your phone, in the store, and you’d still have the same customer experience.

Given that the idea of omnichannel experiences has been around for the past few years, why does this make the list of martech trends for 2020? This year, brands will finally have to face the fact that customers expect omnichannel experiences, and that those experiences should be positive.

How Does a Digital Experience Platform Enable Omnichannel Experiences?

A digital experience platform is built to enable omnichannel experiences. We’ll take Sitecore as an example.

Sitecore has one interface that draws from multiple databases. Users can access multiple tools to quickly personalise content and even create content in more than one language across many sites. Moreover, content created in Sitecore will be consistent across the channels of today (social, mobile, web) and tomorrow (AR, VR, IoT, kiosks, and more).

Trend 3: Location-Based Personalisation

Location-based personalisation also isn’t a new idea, yet marketers shouldn’t be surprised this is on a list of martech trends for 2020. Customers have now come to expect it.

What does effective location-based personalisation look like? Let’s say you’re walking past your favourite shop. You receive a notification that there’s a sale on, so you stop in.

To make sure that location-based personalisation works the way it’s supposed to, there are two best practices you should be following: having very clear goals, and understanding where your customer is in his or her journey.

You have to ask yourself what you want out of location-based personalisation. Are you looking to move into a new market? Do you want to retain customers? Is your aim to enhance your CX? Understanding where your customer is in his or her journey is also crucial, because if he or she isn’t ready to buy, or is past the information-gathering stage, you could send the wrong message and miss out on a sale.

Trend 4: Improve Your CX

Over the past few years, CX has become a differentiator. As such, it should shock no one that it remains one of the top martech trends for 2020, and will most likely occupy a spot on future years’ lists.

So, why is CX such a big deal? Today’s customers aren’t willing to put up with poor CX. They’d rather do business with your competitor.

If you think your CX needs improvement, don’t despair. There are tools you can put into place to ensure your customers have a positive CX.

Microsoft Cognitive Services utilises AI to personalise content and experiences at scale. Sitecore’s customer experience platform ensures a consistent, seamless customer experience regardless of the channel.

Trend 5: Insight-Driven Marketing

While marketers have been using analytics to gain insight into their target audience for ages, insight-driven marketing will take on a fresh angle in 2020 thanks to advances in technology.

Thanks to some previously-mentioned advances, such as AI, marketers will be able to get a better sense of what customers want, what they’ll do next, and how to reach them.

Predictive Analytics

Predictive analytics, powered by AI, give marketers a sense of what customers will do next. AI reviews all of the actions a customer has previously taken, then makes a guess as to what the customer’s next step will be.

There are other use cases for predictive analytics, too; you can put them into play to figure out how to expand your audience, for example. AI reviews your customers’ characteristics, then assembles a profile of those traits so that you can find similar leads.

Data Storytelling

Insight-driven marketing is also about sharing what you’ve learned with customers and leads in a way that’s compelling and accurate. When you give customers information that helps them make better decisions, they’ll appreciate you more.

That’s where data storytelling comes in. It’s a practice that makes sense of your data and lets you explain why those numbers matter. Moreover, it’s the final step in analysis.

Enlighten Designs: Guiding You towards the Right Martech Tools in 2020 and Beyond

Since 1998, Enlighten Designs has been helping our clients deliver amazing digital experiences. Today, delivering amazing digital experiences means using the right martech tools. As a proud partner of Microsoft and Sitecore, we understand what martech tools to use to achieve the best results. To learn more, contact us.