At the end of 2019, Hubspot surveyed over 3000 marketers about what their web strategy plans were for 2020. Well, a lot’s happened since then, with a widespread pandemic and economic crisis affecting the entire global market. And it’s changed a lot of plans.

But one thing is certain. The businesses that survive this moment will be the ones who were able to pivot their online strategies and tactics while remaining empathetic and mindful of their customer’s needs.

We wanted to look back at the Hubspot report to see where marketers planned to focus their attention on their ongoing web campaigns.

Content Marketing is Still a Big Part of the Strategy

According to Hubspot’s survey, 70% of businesses will continue utilizing content marketing as part of their strategy. While blogs and eBooks were still some of the main pieces of content marketers wanted to invest in, infographics fell behind—instead, companies planned on producing more videos.

We’ve written about how video is a brilliant way to gain exposure for your business, and Hubspot reports this medium as the number one type of content created. It continues to be a powerful way for brands to connect with customers through engaging storytelling to promote their products.

While it would make sense to increase their investment in content marketing as a driver to facilitate more site traffic and sales, only 24% of those surveyed said they would invest more in content marketing in 2020.

Minimalist Web Design Becomes More Common

Since most websites are viewed on mobile devices, site design trends are gradually shifting towards a more simplified look with a heavy focus on user experience. This year, more companies are expected to upgrade their websites to remove a lot of unnecessary bells and whistles.

Site accessibility, personalization, and optimization are top of mind for marketers wanting to hit their marketing and sales goals even in these times.

Companies have realized there is an entire group of potential customers they are missing out on. Over 61 million people in the US are unable to fully engage with marketing content online because of accessibility issues. This gap creates an opportunity for companies to hop in to build websites that are easy to navigate for those with disabilities.

Personalized content on websites, email, and online ads have been on the rise over the past few years. With the ongoing health and financial crisis in 2020—and maybe beyond—personalization will become increasingly important to engage with customers.

Optimizing sites to improve page loading times will become more important for web designers and programmers. These updates will also factor in many companies’ online strategies as they opt for faster, smoother site performance.

Companies Continue to Invest in SEO

Many marketers surveyed considered SEO as a vital—if not the most important—part of their web strategy. This year, businesses intend to invest heavily in all aspects of SEO. And with only a few seconds keep someone on your page, it’s no wonder this is the case.

As SEO continues to evolve, success metrics such as keyword rankings, organic rankings, and click-through rates remain the same. In 2020, many marketers will set their sights on ranking for a place on Google snippets, which have quickly become a major driver of site traffic.

Conversational Marketing Is Even More Important

Site visitors respond to personalization, which is proven in email, content, and now conversational marketing. Bots help to create a scalable, personalized experience for visitors before they interact in person with the brand. It’s a promising method of marketing to create a dialogue with customers online.

While 45% of marketers use bot technology, 48% told Hubspot that they do not plan on investing in conversational marketing in 2020. Decision-makers still need to be convinced of the impact of this form of marketing and how it adds to the customer’s experience with their brand.

Conclusion

Even though we’re in the midst of one of the toughest moments of our lifetime, many businesses will eventually come out of this situation stronger than ever because they adapted to this new reality. So while chances are high, you’ve changed your web strategy in 2020, we’re optimistic that you’ll come out okay on the other side.