February 2020 - Techlink

Digital marketing trends: 2020 the dawn of a new decade

Digital marketing is one of the most common used phrases nowadays. In fact, it is clear that not everyone using this phrase knows exactly what it means. This is perhaps because it is difficult to define. There’s also a debate where some people claim that digital marketing is solely the use of electronic devices, whilst others insist that it is internet-based marketing. We feel that the best way to define “Digital Marketing” is the combination of both the former and latter: the use of digital technologies, mainly those using the Internet, but also including mobile phones (smartphones), display advertising and other types of digital media.

Artificial Intelligence/ Augmented Reality (AI / AR)

As the technology industry evolved, so do AI and AR.

AI has become the future. It helps reducing workload as well as copying human intelligence. This is the main reason AI has been implemented in social media. For example, with the use of special algorithms, AI assists in ranking which social post content is relevant to each user for display purposes. Fake news and sensitive information are considered the biggest “enemies”.

On the other hand, AR (augmented reality) not be confused with VR (virtual reality) is a different technology. AR takes the real world and applies computer generated augmentations on it, in order to enhance our experience. AR is being used in Facebook and Instagram. All those filters which either transform your face into a cat, or a dog, or a dragon are powered by AR tech.

Live content

Live content is another feature which will most likely be applied on all social media networks. It is personalised; it is engaging; it is fun; but most of all, it gives users the opportunity to relate with the people one follows or the brands we feel connected to. It also gives Influencers the chance to create fund-raising petitions in an interactive manner.

Facebook

Video content will dominate Facebook.

The newly launched Facebook Watch is a free, on-demand video service, which specialises in original content and unlike similar such services. The downside is that it’s packed with ads, which is the only mean of revenue.

Chatbots will become more advance on Facebook online services, which ties in with the AI. Chatbots will eliminate the no-reply period and it aims to ensure that clients will not lose interest and seek other options. Eventually, it is most possible that their evolution will be human-like chatbots where they will reply to every client/lead and will even close deals.

Instagram

It is expected that there will be an increase in ads within Instagram stories to the point perhaps where it may be detracting to the user experience.

Organic reach will decline due to increased amounts paid by brands to access the platform which they’ve already invested much to cultivate.

Twitter

As it continues its own path, Twitter will become the dominant force of news and information. As for its main weapon, the famous tweet, a well written, correctly structured and well-timed note can reach many audiences without paying a lot of money.

LinkedIn

With new users registering on the LinkedIn network daily, it is becoming bigger day by day. For the moment it is free and anyone can join, but things are expected to change and LinkedIn will be a premium tool. It is possible that LinkedIn will replace the work email in large corporations and it already has chat features enabled. It is highly likely that interviews will be conducted directly via LinkedIn since all the information needed by an employer regarding a potential employee (applicant to a job posting) is readily available.

YouTube

With YouTube being the world’s second largest search engine – behind Google – videos may not be a new trend, but they remain vital for social media. They are no longer considered good-to-have in one’s online marketing mix, but surely a must-have. Additionally, through YouTube the utilisation of reviewing channels has risen due to the high demand of users who want to make buying decisions according to video reviews.

Influencers

Influencer marketing is at a maturing stage. Authentic influencers will surpass the power influencers where real life stories will be a necessary part of the content being produced. On the other hand, with more and more companies trying to reach the pinnacle of their online presence, marketeers will be looking for new ways to promote their presence. This is where influencers will step up and step in. They will help with brand awareness and be a drive in revenue increase.

Podcasts

With the rise of influencers, podcasts will be a way of communicating with users. This will be a potentially new market which with the increase of podcast listeners, revenue growth will be increased from podcast ads.

Social Shopping

With people becoming more and more dependent on technology, along comes the concept of social shopping. Users can buy products directly from areas such as Facebook Marketplace and Instagram Store. The opportunity for social shopping is open to all: B2B, B2C and C2C. It is expected that cryptocurrency will be applied on social shopping to make transactions easier and safer. Also, with the use of social media as a discovery engine it will be easier to search for things you want to buy.

2020 will be a treat! Hopefully new changes will be applied which will make the lives of consumers not only easier and more secure, but at the same time to match the online behaviours which are being noted. It is exciting to see what tomorrow will unveil to us.

Software Development Trends to note in 2020

Digital Transformation is constantly evolving; every year we witness how the digital realm is becoming pivotal to our lives. In 2020 we can definitely expect digital transformation is more than just a ‘buzz’ phrase.

We decided to look at the most popular projected software development trends for 2020 and it seems clear that the main ones are surely focusing on customer experience (CX).

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Artificial Intelligence has been the technology story of the 2010 decade; it was introduced to the public that machines can be intelligent, capable of thinking and learning like human beings. By conducting a brief research on the internet, one sees that AI is expected to play a big part in software development in 2020, and in general in the next decade.

In his Jan 2020 article, Bernard Marr states (Forbes, 6 Jan2020) that we will observe a continuous rise in research spending, development and deployment, while the incentives of rolling out AI-driven innovative software will also be increasing. This innovation will be looking to cover areas of industry, fields of science and our day-to-day lives.

The effect of data – especially how it is used in relation to AI – also needs to be considered.

Data gathering and usage has indeed been part of our lives for some years now. With the evolution of technology, software is being developed in ways that not only ‘read’ and recognise the available data, but they can offer solutions based on intelligence. There is a tendency for companies to turn to analytics in order to analyse the available data. Since companies are investing in analytics, they definitely should be investing in AI in order to process and analyse the data being presented to them. This can assist in putting the data to good use. Through the use of AI, companies are seeking to optimise their operations and create better user experience.

Blockchain

Nick Bawa (Covintus Inc. CEO & Co-Founder) provided a very simple explanation of what it means to be using blockchain technology: Blockchain allows for the secure tracking, recording and persisting of transactions, and unlike every other online transaction, blockchain requires no centralised database. Since there is no central database, hacking into a blockchain block wouldn’t result in stealing of any valuable information. The fact that blockchain keeps on drawing interest of enterprises allows room for additional evolution, meaning that enterprises will keep investing on the research, development and the deployment of blockchain.

It is expected that Blockchain will be more involved in the Financial Industry – Financial Services, to be more specific – which makes sense considering that the first form of Blockchain was through the famous digital cryptocurrency, Bitcoin.

It is important to note that Bernard Marr also states that blockchain can be used to build fraud-resistant clearing and settlement systems, smart contracts (digital contracts which are automatically executed on their own as soon as certain conditions are met), while it can also be used to speed up digital transactions.

But since Blockchain has to do with securing transaction records and keeping them untraceable, a lot of investment is expected to take place the following years, starting in 2020, especially since there is also the GDPR factor. In relation to GDPR implementation, a study has shown that blockchain technology can provide solutions for the data protection ‘by design’; it can be designed to enable data-sharing without the need for a central trusted intermediary, it offers transparency as to who has accessed data, and blockchain-based smart contracts can moreover automate the sharing of data, which reduces transaction costs. Due to GDPR, more and more enterprises will turn to blockchain as a solution, because it guarantees the untraceable transaction records, which is something that will seem more attractive to the consumers.

Progressive Web App (PWA)

Progressive Web Apps (PWA) is projected to be a popular trend in 2020 and the reasoning behind it is so simple:

“Progressive Web Apps use less data than a regular mobile app.”

PWA is a type of website that seems like a mobile app although it runs on a browser. It is designed to work in a browser for the computers, but run as a mobile application, something that benefits both businesses and consumers. A Tech Times article mentions that businesses can develop a PWA much quicker and get the same benefits they would get from an app; at the same time, consumers are able to interact with an app-like environment which not only loads faster but is also user-friendly. By turning to PWA businesses get both the ‘browser and the mobile app’ in one product.

The user-friendly experience offered by PWAs is expected to result in increasing the demand of such products and it is therefore predicted to be one of the major trends in software development for 2020.

Internet of Things (IoT)

The IoT is a network where multiple devices are connected to the Internet, as well as being connected to each other. It allows people to share data between them through this network.

Even though it has already been part of our lives the last couple of years (i.e. smart devices are considered part of the IoT), the high demand and use provide an opportunity for more smart tech to be introduced to the public. Think about it for a second; smart phones, smart fridges, smart TVs etc., were designed to make the consumer lives easier. It makes sense that more and more items (things) of our everyday life will become ‘smarter’ following the route that already exists with the smart devices. For example, an article in Business Insider mentions some of these applications that already exist: devices for Smart Homes have already been introduced to the public (devices such as Amazon Echo, Alexa, Google Home, Apple’s Homepod) which can perform a variety of functions, or, Smart Watches that track your movement and sync with computers or smartphones to transmit the data collected. There is even an example of a Smart City (Barcelona) that has implemented multiple IoT initiatives which have resulted in enhancing smart parking.

The fact that the demand in smart devices is so high (especially considering their usefulness) makes sense that the Internet of Things, its research and development will be a major player in 2020.

The above are expected to be some of the software development trends of 2020. Others to note include 5G, WiFi 6, AR/VR and Cloud Services. Digital Transformation is a work in progress. It is evolutionary. Most of the trends are creeping into our lives and the fact that they continue to develop and progress is indicating that there is room for growth. Without any doubt, businesses will be looking into these trends to offer a user experience that will excel, while the engineers developing the software will be researching these trends to understand what can be improved and therefore offer better products than the ones currently released. An exciting year ahead!

The importance and benefits of Social Media Management

What is the importance?

The new technological era we live in, creates the need of businesses to adapt to the new challenges more essential than ever before. Such adaptation is the social media management. Specifically, Buffer, a social media management platform, indicates that 73% of marketers believe that social media was a successful and important asset to their business, that put value to their company.

Though, what if you don’t have the time to manage your digital operations? Or what if you need assistance in the overall management? How about giving it outsource to a digital marketing company? Social media management monitored by an external company will give you a clear understanding of what your audience is, how they react to your content and more that will be analysed further.

Social media marketing, in general has evidenced to be one of the most important tools for a business. According to 2019 Social Media Marketing Industry Report, there was a 93% increased exposure and a 87% increased traffic in a business when using social media. At the same time, by using social media marketing the generated leads were up to 74% and the sales improved to 72%. Another important factor is that loyal fans rose to 71% and business partnerships improved to 56% (Social Media Examiner, 2019).

What are the benefits?

Social Media Marketing is an important asset to a company. Your business will be benefited from an external social media management in many ways, some of them will following be analysed:

Quality Content: In using social media, you wish to engage viewers with a relevant, professional and high-quality content which will be valued to your potential and existing customers. Outsourcing the social media management of your company to a Digital Marketing company, you will effectively get a thorough planning/preparation with quality content and strong campaigns that will always be aligned within the industry.
Expertise: Companies that deal with social media management are not only experienced in their field but also understand social media perspective; not to mention the technical knowledge they have gained through practice and implementation. Social media managers will consult you on numerous social networks and digital channels as well as they will run and manage promotional advertising campaigns in a professional manner. The digital data is continually evolving, for that digital marketers are constantly adapting to the new information, for that there is no fear of “staying behind” the innovation.
Innovative Thinking: Many people find it indeed hard to think “outside-the-box”, or even do something different than the “normal”. Digital marketing companies provide such innovative, creative and unique solutions that will get you out the difficult position. The experienced social media managers are dealing every day with complicated tasks that eventually become very successful. Your company’s brand will be elevated with original, pioneer and modern concepts in order to achieve your goals.
Feedback/Reporting: Digital Marketing Companies will give you analytical feedback on the results of your campaigns and specific suggestions to improve your digital presence and obviously your company’s image. Reports with tables and graphs will be given that indicate what the customers prefer and like.
Successful Results: The ultimate goal of a company is to get successful results; a goal that you definitely reach with external social media management. These companies will work hard to get the desire results for you since it will make their services known to the general public. By getting you the desire results you undoubtedly get money, for that the Return of Investment is definitely achieved.

Which industries could be benefited from external social media management?

Industries from marketing, entertainment, real estate, retail, car dealers, education, restaurants/bars, fashion, recruiting agencies, travel agencies, technology, legal, are just an example of areas that benefit from external social media management. All B2B and B2C marketing certainly need external social media management, especially if there isn’t a dedicated in-house team of experts.

At Techlink, we are sure that our experts can deliver you successful social media management and we are confident that your company will strongly benefit and receive value services. If you are looking for someone to manage your social media, then let us help you! Contact us for a free, no-commitment consultation.

MWC: The biggest mobile tech event of 2020

Update 13/02/2020

MWC Barcelona 2020 has officially been cancelled. You can find more information here.

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February 2020 is here, and we are a few weeks away from one of the biggest events of the year, MWC Barcelona 2020.

MWC (Mobile World Congress)is the largest mobile event in the world, bringing together the latest innovations and leading-edge technology alongside today’s most influential visionaries.

It will introduce to the world all the latest technological advancements in the mobile industry.

People will be able to attend the event, while those who won’t be able to attend, will have the opportunity to stream live.

As a company who strives for excellence and offers technological services, this will be a great opportunity for Techlink to get to know more about mobile industry, 5G, blockchain and listen to the perspectives of the leaders from the Tech Industry.

About MWC

MWC 2020 will run from February 24^th up to February 27^th.

Companies taking part at the event will start on the 22^nd with press conferences to build anticipation.

Last year the event attracted more than 109.000 guests and this year that number is expected to increase.

Big players in the mobile industry are expected to present their new devices, although flagships from Huawei, Samsung will be revealed at different events, either before or after MWC.

With 5G being one of the top trending topics in technology, the event will not focus mainly on network hardware but with devices supporting the technology. Most companies are expected to announce their 5G versions at the event. More about 5G will be presented from the big chipset makers, Qualcomm or MediaTek or Huawei’s HiSilicon.

Blockchain

Another trending topic which will definitely be discussed is Blockchain. For sure we will hear plenty regarding blockchain, end-to-end encryption, and other IP security trends. More on blockchain will be presented by Blocko, a leading enterprise blockchain solution provider from Korea.

What to expect from mobile companies.

Samsung
- Their flagship “S” series is not expected to be presented at MWC but instead at a different event which will be held on the 11^th of February. “A” series models are expected to be shown off.
Sony
- A press conference has been scheduled already for 24th of February at 08:30 where the new Xperia flagship is expected to make its appearance. Also, livestream will also be available. Sony fanboys will not receive any PS5 updates, so no hopes on that.
Huawei
- Due to ongoing issues with U.S government it is unsure what Huawei will present at the event. Instead of showcasing a device, they might opt to present their new operating system, Harmony OS.
Honor
- A press conference has been scheduled already for 24^th of February. A total of 6 products are expected to be launched at the event, including a flagship and also a wearable.
Nokia
- A press conference has been scheduled already for 23^rd of February and since Nokia have always taken seriously the event, this year will be no different than others. A few devices will make their appearance along with 5G connectivity and there’s also the speculation that a new series, called Nokia Originals, will make its appearance.
Motorola
- A press conference has been scheduled already for 23^rd of February but It’s not exactly clear what they will be presenting. There are some rumors claiming that the company will present a high-end flagship device as well as a device which will come with a stylus. Motorola’s parent company Lenovo is expected to present a few products as well.
Xiaomi
- In the last couple of years, Xiaomi has taken the European market by storm. Their high-end and well-priced devices have been a huge success. The company is expected to take full advantage of the hype and the MWC 2020 event and will announce their new flagships as well as some Redmi devices too.
OnePlus
- Like previous years, the company is not expected to present any flagship devices but for sure they will have a press conference at the event. They might present a few technologies that the company is working on. Most recently, the company presented the concept OnePlus X McLaren featuring electrochromic glass tech on the back of the device.
LG
- LG has decided to skip the event due to CoronaVirus. They prefer to skip the event and put their employee’s safety first. Their devices will be launched later in 2020.