Now that 2020 has arrived, it is time for predictive and trend analysis for this new year. Communication has been immersed in a process of change for years, first with the arrival of the Internet and the development of what came to be known as Web 2.0 (which was accompanied by the success of social networks) and now with the emergence of powerful technologies that are transforming different economic and social areas. In this case we are referring to emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence or blockchain, among others.
The truth is that, for another year, communication is facing a series of challenges and a number of unresolved issues that have been dragging on for some time. The digital ecosystem is evolving rapidly and communicationespecially corporate communication, must make the most of all the advantages that it offers without giving up perhaps more traditional but also highly contributing environments.
Following the basic rules of this type of analysis, we will now describe some of the keys that will mark the development of communication this year that we have just started.
More content. It is clear that the content boom will continue to be key in 2020. Within the existing formats, as has also been highlighted, video will continue to be the king and this has been highlighted by the latest studies. Some of these studies estimate that video consumption will account for no less than 80 percent of Internet traffic this year. There are two relevant characteristics that define the content: it is ephemeral content, hence the success of formats such as Instagram's "stories", and very short and agile content, since it is usually consumed in "micro- moments". In addition, the mobile phone is a leader in content consumption. It is increasingly evident the growth of content consumption through mobile devices and what is called multi-screen consumption. This type of consumption will continue to mark the generation of content by companies and organisations.
Digital storytelling. In recent years it has become clear that it is not enough to offer quality content, it is essential that it is presented in the best possible way. Innovation and creativity are two factors on which the generation of content is leveraged today. Immersive content, stories in social networks ... are the digital narratives through which companies and organizations can reach their audiences.But we cannot forget another component. Good content has to engage the audience, connecting and interacting with them. Storytelling is indispensable today. Although based on facts, stories have to reach the emotions.
The monetization of social networks, pending. There are two pending subjects in relation to social networks. On the one hand, its monetization, an aspect that continues to be a "must" for companies and, on the other hand, the increasingly exhaustive analysis of the digital community that revolves around an organisation, which requires greater knowledge so that the company's relationship with it is more effective. Companies and organisations want to meet their audiences in order to offer them the best content and the best products. Although steps have already been taken in this regard, there is still a way to go.
Branded content. In recent years there has been an increase in this type of advertising format in Spain. This is because the public is tired of traditional advertising formulas and looks for the most attractive alternative brands. It is reasonable to think that this trend will grow in 2020 and that brands will continue to look for ways to generate content of value and quality for their audiences.
Fight against fake news. Everyone knows that the only way to combat misinformation and spreading false news, this is credibility and trust. Two values that today are down in the perception that users have of brands and organisations. Recovering that credibility and trust is the way to fight fake news and there is only one formula for it: transparency. Organizations today must work incessantly to appear before their audiences as transparent and open to dialogue.
Emerging technologies. There are many aspects that must be considered in this section. We could, in fact, dedicate more than one article to the effects of its implementation in organisations. However, we are going to stop only in two tools: big data and artificial intelligence. From the first we must say that the emergence of big data in the field of corporate communication provides enormous possibilities, among which the micro segmentation of the public to know them better and that of hyper personalizing the content addressed to these segmented audiences.
It is clear that both opportunities have a negative face in the form of challenges, because we must not forget that in order to carry out these tasks it is essential that companies opt for the hiring of professionals with the appropriate profiles to carry out the data analysis.
On the other hand, and in relation to artificial intelligence, it is necessary to comment that one of the great trends in this area is the use of software, robots or applications that allow companies to reach those audiences of maximum interest. In this sense, so-called bots or chatbots have been developed enormously, computer programs that assume repetitive tasks through the Internet, managing to extract relevant data from users and then use them in multiple decisions. It is at this point where you can find big data and AI. Algorithms developed from the analysis of massive data from users drive the consumption of content in the direction that organisations want. A clear example can be found on platforms such as Netflix, which bases content suggestions on data analysis and processing using algorithms. The power of these can even determine the preferences of the public at the time of consumer certain content or products.
Barbara Yuste
Digital Communication Manager at Proa Comunicación