PPC 2019 in review. What are the trends for 2020?

Article preview: Because we all know how important it is to create a strategy in digital marketing, we figured it will be useful to discuss some of the things that outlined 2019, as well as the trends for the new year, that will help you craft your 2020 vision statement even better. 

Because the digital marketing world is continuously changing, especially when it comes to e-commerce, we have prepared for you some resources to keep in mind if you are thinking about improving your strategy for next year.

What happened in 2019?

The study conducted by Kantar and Google in Romania at the end of 2019 shows that 82% of shoppers discover online the products they end up buying, and 55% of these shoppers use their mobile phones for research. In categories such as toys & fashion, the preference for shopping is still exclusively offline.

For these categories, the omnichannel approach and physical presence are necessary to a greater extent than for other categories such as electronics or home & garden, where the purchase is made online.

Although exclusive online shopping depends on the market, e-commerce has become more and more an option for many product categories. The main reason why 46% of users buy online is home delivery. 

In 2019, Search was the main product discovery channel, followed by the retailer’s website, videos, social media, and price comparison engines. In the same study it was found that 66% of users who access the retailer’s website abandon the purchasing process because of the poor page speed. 

On the same idea, at the end of May this year, Google came up with a concept that highlights the mobile experience (through mobile first indexing), prioritizing all websites with a mobile version that offer a fast experience and are easy to use. Here you can read more about the updates made by Google in 2019.

Speaking of the biggest changes made this year, the tool to expand audiences was introduced during Google Marketing Live 2019. This tool allows the development of display campaigns by addressing new perspectives that behave similarly to the target audience, without the need for a similar budget. Here you can find useful information regarding the main Google Ads updates for 2019.

Facebook Ads also went through some changes you should consider when managing your campaigns. For example, the Multiple Text feature was introduced this year, valid only for Traffic, Apps and Conversion campaigns, where it can only be used single image or single video. Here’s how you can use it.

Also, the Pinterest Ads platform introduced in Romania in the autumn has a special impact on the industry, as implementing campaigns on this platform will become more and more common in the coming years. Due to the 87% of users who purchase based on the pins they see on the platformthe importance of this tool in e-commerce cannot be denied. 

As a whole, e-commerce will see an increasing development thanks to the European Commission’s objective: trying to pursue its digital single market strategy, that aims to create an environment where online shopping is made as easy and safe as possible, regardless of the borders. 

Here’s some statistics to consider in 2020:

• The number of online shoppers will increase to 2.1 billion globally by 2021. Therefore, if your strategy involves bringing more online customers, there will be potential, even internationally.
• Currently, e-commerce is influencing up to 56% of offline shopping. Hence the relevance of e-commerce platforms, which play a vital role in meeting consumer needs. It is unlikely for your business to grow if you don’t consider the constant evolution of these platforms and the role they play.
• Mobile phone online payments will become more and more common, ending up as the new normal by 2024.
• 22% of millennials prefer to shop using their mobile phones, although 50% of them prefer to go and spend time in physical stores.
• The increase in buying fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) online will continue next year. This increase was noticed started with 2017, and in 2018 the percentage of those who buy such goods online reached 26%.

You can check here more 2020 e-commerce statistics.

Trends you cannot ignore in 2020:

• Using artificial intelligence to communicate with clients, to recommend products, to create content, to personalize e-mails and for ecommerce transactions.
• Programmatic Advertising – meaning the automation of ads to target more specific audiences. This advertising model is much more efficient and faster, meaning higher conversions and lower acquisition costs for Chatbots customers.
• Chatbots
• Conversational Marketing plays an important role, as 82% of users expect an immediate response.
• Video marketing (this is what you should consider when using video marketing).
• Voice Search & Smart Speaker
• Social Media Stories
• Social Commerce & Shoppable Posts
• Interactive Content (quizzes, augmented reality posts, 360-degree videos)
• Omnichannel Marketing. 

You can check here the complete list of the 42 digital marketing trends for 2020.

In conclusion, we end this year with a positive vibe, confident that you can adapt your business needs to next year’s trends – a process we would be more than willing to assist. Don’t hesitate to reach out!

About Optimized

At Optimized we are specialized in e-commerce PPC campaigns (Google Ads and Facebook Ads). Unlike other local agencies, our portfolio only includes online stores and our approach is based on clear performance objectives (CPA, ROAS. ROI). Our team consists of PPC specialists and certified Google trainers, as well as people with hands-on experience in e-commerce.

Our strategies are not generic, but strictly applied to e-commerce. We work with stores that want to profitably scale PPC campaigns, with clear objectives, aware that marketing is an investment.