Digital marketing is a field that changes every year. If you don’t keep up with the trends you’ll be left behind. What does this mean for businesses in Saudi Arabia and their digital marketing strategies? We’ve decided to outline the 5 most important digital marketing trends for Saudi businesses in 2020.
WhatsApp Customer service
Whatsapp is the most prevalent social messaging app in the world with over 2 billion users and over 55 billion messages sent every day. Its popularity is above the world average in Saudi Arabia with 25 million users which comprise around 75% of the total population. Not taking advantage of such a large platform in 2020 would be a great loss to any business.
People are spending more time messaging with each other, it only makes sense to market your products and services where your customers are hanging out.
WhatsApp can be very useful in sending messages to customers directly, as they allow personalization and add value to the user experience. Here are some ways you can use WhatsApp in 2020:
- Provide customer service
- Support and assistance
- Involve customers in events
- Deliver information
- Boost Sales
- Regain potential customers
The most important being customer service. Providing customer service through WhatsApp is great due to the ease of use for customers and the speed of replies. Using the WhatsApp Business App, developed for businesses of all sizes is a great tool to manage your customer service, showcase a catalog, deliver important notifications and more. People rarely check their SMS anymore as it’s filled with spam and they check their emails occasionally but WhatsApp has a personal aspect to it and is more likely to be considered.
Google’s BERT Update and SEO
The Google algorithm’s latest update BERT is a game-changer for on-page SEO. The update will change the way many businesses create content. BERT has made the search algorithm much better at picking up the nuances within search queries. This means that Google has a greater grasp of what people are actually asking rather than focusing on the keywords that they mention. Here a few examples of the new update in action:
- Google is now more aware of prepositions like ‘for’ which is the key element in this query. Before it would just focus on the keywords ‘math practice book’
- The word ‘to’ and its relationship to the other words in the sentence are crucial to understanding the query. It’s about a Brazilian traveling to the U.S. and not the other way around.
With BERT, Google is able to grasp these nuances and know that the very common words like “for” and “to” actually matter a lot. This allows them to provide much more accurate results.
What does this mean for content writers? Well, it means you have to be more specific with the blogs and articles you write. Rather than focusing on Keyword density and vague titles, answering the specific questions people are searching for with quality content is key. No longer are days you could try to fit as many keywords as possible in each article. You’d be better off by understanding what your audience is searching for and giving them answers.
Minimalist Website Navigation
When a new visitor enters your website you have less than 15 seconds to make an impression. That’s how long you have to capture their attention. Hence having a text-heavy website that is difficult to navigate is likely to overwhelm your new visitor in the quarter of a minute they’re likely to spend. That results in a higher bounce rate and countless lost opportunities.
2020 is the year to declutter your website and go with a new sleek design. Keeping your website simple is key to your website’s overall success. At Brain Space, we take our UI/UX design seriously. We make sure that your website is intuitive to navigate and easy to understand. Minimalist navigation means having fewer options but clearer paths. When your website has fewer elements, your visitors will spend more time on your site because it’s an effortless and pleasant experience.
Video is the New King of Content
YouTube is the second biggest search engine. Its popularity is one of the signs that people are becoming more interested in video content. Why read a 4,000-word article when you can get the same information from a 5-minute video that can be even more engaging. So if you’re not using video for content marketing you’re missing out on a big opportunity. It is essential to create high-quality video content that is curated specifically for your audience and sharing it across multiple platforms.
Video also gives your business the opportunity to work with local social media influencers. This allows you to build close relationships with your audience which can be one of the trickiest aspects for any business. The idea of video production can be daunting to many who are interested in having video content for their business. Not to worry, at Brain Space we offer high-quality video production. We handle it all from pre to post-production whether it’s a 3D animated infographic or a tutorial featuring a social media influencer, we’ve got it under control.
Social Media Shopping
Social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook have expanded their platforms over the past few years. They now allow users to shop directly on their mobile app! Business can now integrate their online stores directly on to their social media profiles. With the launch of Instagram Checkout in 2019, the social marketplace has been revolutionized. This has lessened the total number of steps that shoppers need to go through, resulting in a quicker checkout process.
The Facebook Marketplace has grown to become one of the largest online market platforms. With over 800 million people from 70 different countries using the platform every month, it’s reach is truly global. The Marketplace is a great place to find new customers, test out your new products, and build relationships with customers.
These trends are some of the ways in which digital marketing is changing in Saudi Arabia. The field has shown no signs of slowing down its advancement. Digital marketing will most likely keep getting more advanced and intricate in the future to provide a greater digital experience for users. This puts pressure on brands to adapt quickly and stay relevant in their markets. With Brain Space’s expert guidance you can always stay one step ahead of the competition and meet the needs of your audience across all digital platforms.
Best of Luck,
Brain Space.
