At the recent Lead Generation World conference in Denver, Colorado, Digital Media Solutions (DMS) COO Fernando Borghese and DMS CRO Joey Liner discussed the benefits of using lessons learned in hindsight to make actionable predictions in lead generation for 2020.

10 Lead Generation Predictions For 2020

The rise of the internet and the relentless growth of digital that aligned with the adoption of smartphones has led to many winners and losers in business in the last 20-plus years. But a key factor in who survived was an all-in approach to providing industry- leading consumer experiences. Understanding that valuable user experiences will remain a consumer priority, the following are 10 predictions that will impact lead generation for 2020.

1) Mobile use will continue to increase, because it’s convenient for consumers.

The growth of 5G likely marks the end of the mobile/desktop wars with mobile the overwhelming winner. The benefits of mobile, especially with more and more seamless shopping experiences, both for retail and complex purchases like insurance and travel, offer endless opportunities for growth across sectors.

What does the growth of mobile mean for lead generation?

For the lead generation world, growth in mobile could mean a change in how mobile traffic is valued, bid on and monetized.

2) Streaming services will continue to evolve and emerge as the preferred way to watch and listen to movies, TV, music and podcasts.

The draw away from cable opens up new monetization opportunities for brands and advertisers. Spotify is one of the major winners in the rise of streaming services. The Swedish music-streaming service captured the music-buying audiences that were moving online by offering a tiered service and hybrid of existing services like Napster and iTunes.

What does the evolution of streaming services mean for lead generation?

Niche-focused streaming services will allow even more targeted advertising to consumers across more touchpoints.

3) Omni-channel engagement will create new pathways for consumers.

As Liner pointed out at LGW, “The outbound spray and pray model for dialing and hammering the consumer’s phone just doesn’t work anymore.” The rise of call blockers from carriers and iPhones means it’s harder than ever to connect with consumers by outbound dialing. Allowing consumers to choose their preferred channel or method to engage when they’re ready has become a more reliable approach.

What does omni-channel engagement mean for lead generation?

Omni-channel engagement has already led to more diverse platforms (like Quora) monetizing with advertising and lead generation options, and the diversity of options, including email, SMS and call center, offers one-to-one engagement with pinpoint precision based on intent signals.

4) Consumers will demand more comparison shopping capabilities.

Consumers are increasingly demanding side-by-side comparison shopping for things like insurance policies, pricing and travel deals without having to pick up the phone for lengthy, frustrating phone calls. Consumers want optionality, and they want to feel they received the best deal when making a decision.

What does comparison shopping mean for lead generation?

The use of data append will be necessary to understand audiences and personalize offers to facilitate comparison shopping demands.

 5) Consumers will demand more in trade for their data.

Consumers are willing to share their personal information, despite chatter that says otherwise. However, they do expect something in return. It can be as simple as personalization that indicates a brand is paying attention to their wants and needs, like curated travel destination suggestions, or it could be a larger initiative, like a loyalty program that rewards consumers for sharing their details.

What does the willingness to trade data for value mean for lead generation?

Brands must always keep the consumer experience in mind, especially as they make requests to the consumer. A bad user experience – with examples including a too-long form or lack of personalization – could reduce brand loyalty over time.

6) Artificial intelligence (AI), identity resolution and automation will be more broadly adopted by brands as a way to resonate with audiences.

Today’s tech allows marketers to extract more value from datasets and build optimized, targeted campaigns that offer more effective engagement and returns.

What does sophisticated tech mean for lead generation?

The intelligence gleaned from sophisticated technologies and the value mined from data sets that machine learning tools are able to access will help marketers better understand and segment audiences, experiment and test more regularly to reach the right audiences with the right messages.

7) All sectors of business will maximize personalized and dynamic engagement in 2020.

It’s increasingly important that messaging is reaching consumers in a way that resonates with them and leads to successful engagement. Personalization should be early and often to build brand awareness and loyalty among consumers, which can lead to conversions.

What does personalized and dynamic engagement mean for lead generation?  

Personalized engagement isn’t just about customer acquisition. Personalization is an opportunity for brands to provide frictionless experiences and demonstrate how they understand and value their customers.

8) Brands will proactively comply with today’s regulations and anticipated future laws to boost consumer confidence.

Consumers will reap the benefits of brands now forced to put money into compliance, with more trustable privacy policies and terms. The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and the Stopping Bad Robocalls Act, passed in 2019, were big wins for consumers who were fed up with call volume and data abuses.

What does compliance mean for lead generation?

Consumers count on the government to regulate privacy and data protection from brands, but they still rely on brands to have their best interests at heart. Marketers should remember this at all levels of the funnel.

9) Social proof, social influence and peer reviews will continue to be critical to consumers.

An Ipsos study found that user-generated content (UGC) from friends and online peers  is 20% more influential and 35% more memorable than paid content for Millennials.

What does social influence mean for lead generation?

Even within the lead generation universe, the power of social platforms cannot be ignored and must be incorporated into multichannel marketing campaigns.

10) Data transparency will be paramount.

Transparency allows consumers to understand what brands are doing with their information. Data transparency also helps brands better understand their audiences and create more value for consumers.

What does increased transparency mean for lead generation?

Not everyone will understand the need for data transparency, offering marketers that are tuned in the chance to make better connections with their customers and more fully understand what audiences need and want throughout their purchase journeys.

Digital Marketers Should Prioritize Consumer Experiences To Gain  Competitive Advantages

Digital marketers who want to be successful in 2020 and beyond, should be aware of the latest trends and technologies, regularly test, know what their customers want and create value with every engagement.

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