The time has come boys and girls, Gartner’s 2020 Hype Cycle report is here and it feels just like Christmas morning. Let’s take a look under the tree to see what lovely Digital Marketing insights Gartner has left us this year...
Gartner’s yearly Hype Cycle surrounds a visual representation and a detailed report of the advancements and adaption of technologies and applications within the digital marketing space, and their potential to solve real business problems and explore new opportunities.
Gartner suggest using the Hype Cycle to drive your innovation agenda and your ability to respond to changing conditions.
Investments in digital tools and techniques are aimed at driving marketing efficiency and innovation, but Gartner warns us that these characteristics might blind some digital marketing leaders to short- and midterm risks from COVID-19 and slowing economies.
Marketers must rely on a realistic perspective that places a premium on resiliency of the martech stack with strategic investment factoring into the equation.
The latest trends in Digital Marketing, 2020
Some key predictions Gartner has highlighted include: AI and Real-Time Marketing to be transformational for digital marketing in the coming decade, while Customer Journey Analytics and Customer Data Ethics are among the list to watch for high importance within 2 – 5 years.
AI marketing techniques are the cool kids on the block right now and are being continuously integrated with more and more marketing systems. However, the technology doesn’t come without its challenges. Research suggests that many businesses are at a low skill level when it comes to AI solutions, preventing the systems offering their full capabilities.
Real-Time Marketing
Real-time marketing is displayed by Gartner at the Peak of Inflated Expectations and is another hot topic expected to be transformational in the next 5 – 10 years. Real-time marketing enables marketers to respond more quickly and efficiently than before by harnessing tools with the ability to process consumer data in real-time.
Customer Journey Analytics
Forecast to be of high impact to digital marketers within the next 2-5 years, Customer Journey Analytics are built to measure and refine your customer experience and engagement by connecting every touchpoint the customer interacts with across multiple channels, over time.
Customer Data Ethics
Appearing on the Gartner Hype Cycle for the first time and currently climbing the peak of Inflated Expectations, Customer Data Ethics are predicted to be of high importance to the digital marketer within the next decade. They aim to align best business practices with ethical policies that reflect the business values. The demand stems from the often unintended social and environmental consequence of using customer data with a singular focus to maximise profits.