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5WPR News · Published December 26, 2019

Ronn Torossian
Founder & Chairman, 5W

HOW THE DIGITAL MEDIA AND MARKETING WORLD WILL EVOLVE

new year 2020 celebration with fireworks and confetti
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A study by Boston-based ecommerce company Databox shows what some marketers see as changes they’ll be implementing in 2020 to heighten their company’s visibility and revenue - and crucially to stay ahead of the competition. 

SEO RANKING

In appreciation of the impact SEO ranking can deliver, closer attention will be paid to Google’s My Business Listing by many of the survey respondents. Even such things like location and business hours need to be correct and updated, when necessary to produce good results in local searches.

COMMUNITY BUILDING

An interesting trend among some respondents is that they’re focused on building smaller and more connected communities on their social media platforms. Production company Disciple Media said they’re building community around their brand in response to clients who want to feel a sense of belonging. High-touch community building, privacy and security were cited by another respondent.  Social media and digital marketing company Sculpt also noted that they’ve redirected much of their focus to positive commenting in social media, particularly Facebook and LinkedIn. Their reason for doing this, they said, was in reaction to changes in organic reach for positive content.

USP SHOWCASE

Instagram will be used more by several respondents who cited it as the ideal platform to highlight their unique selling propositions. Their intent is to show photos and videos to develop stronger relationships with both current and potential clients Instagram reports that 500 million people view stories every day on its platform and around a third of those views are business-related. In their own survey of U.S. marketers, Instagram reported that 96% said they plan on using Instagram stories ads in the next six months.

MORE PAID ADS

Many respondents said they will be spending more money on ads because of social media restraints, with Facebook and Google among the platforms cited.

FINDING A VOICE

Voice search is booming, particularly among the Gen Z audience, so companies that don’t adapt their websites for voice search or are late to the party will begin to see losses in market share. Voice search is also expected to open up advertising opportunities on devices like Alexa, Google Home and Siri.

PERSONALIZATION

Although much has already been written about the increased focus on personalization, not much has been said about giving customers the right information at the right time. That, and videos personalized to deliver information on handling a specific issue or problem were cited as steps forward in sealing the relationship with customers.

CHATTERBOX

Before the digital age, Meriam-Webster’s definition of chatterbox was “one who engages in much idle talk.” Today, it stands for dozens of meanings and products. Survey responders to Databox agreed that chat marketing is the future and marketers need to be prepared sooner than later for it. Marketing firm Mastered Marketing cited Facebook Messenger’s 1.3 billion users and 80% open rate as excellent reasons to embrace chat.

MORE AMMO

Additional areas suggested by Databox were account-based marketing for B2B companies and link-building. The final one is using and leveraging the customer service center as a profit center.
Ronn Torossian

Written by

Ronn Torossian

Ronn Torossian is Founder and Chairman of 5W , the AI Communications Firm. He founded 5W in 2003 and built it into one of the largest independent public relations and digital marketing firms in the United States, with senior practitioners serving corporate communications , consumer brands , technology , financial services , health and wellness , beauty , gaming , crisis communications , and public affairs . Under his leadership, 5W defined AI Communications, building brand authority across ChatGPT , Claude , Perplexity , Gemini , and Google AI Overviews, alongside earned media, digital, GEO, and influencer channels. Industry Recognition 5W has been recognized as a top U.S. PR agency by O’Dwyer’s , Agency of the Year in the American Business Awards , Grand Stevie Most Honored PR Agency, a Ragan Top Place to Work in Communications 2026, Digiday WorkLife Employer of the Year, and a PRovoke Top 50 Global PR Agency. Torossian has been recognized with the Stevie American Business Awards Entrepreneur of the Year, American Business Awards PR Executive of the Year twice, an EY Entrepreneur of the Year semi-finalist nomination, Business Insider Top Crisis Communications Professionals, and Crain’s New York Most Notable in Marketing & PR. Research Franchise 5W’s research franchise has become an industry reference for measuring brand visibility inside AI-generated answers, including the AI Visibility Index Series , The GEO Reckoning , The Missing Rung Report, and the 5W AI Power User Study , which identified a 99-point AI favorability gap. Crisis Communications Torossian is one of the world’s foremost crisis communications experts. He has counseled blue chip companies, public company boards, founders, and public figures through ransomware incidents, data breaches, regulatory investigations, high-stakes litigation, activist investors, product recalls, and reputational crises. He has taught crisis communications at Harvard University . Media & Commentary Torossian appears on CNN and CNBC . He is a contributing columnist for Forbes and the New York Observer , his writing on AI communications and brand reputation is published on his personal site, and his commentary has appeared in the Wall Street Journal , Entrepreneur , Adweek , PRWeek , and O’Dwyer’s . Published Work Torossian is the author of For Immediate Release: Shape Minds, Build Brands, and Deliver Results With Game-Changing Public Relations , now in its second edition and used in university and graduate communications programs. He continues that commentary on his own publishing platform , where he writes about reputation, crisis, and AI-mediated discovery. Owner and Publisher, Everything-PR Network Torossian is owner and publisher of the Everything-PR Network , an independent intelligence platform covering public relations, marketing, AI communications, and adjacent industries across 30 publications. Everything-PR is editorially independent from 5W, with published editorial standards and ethics standards . The network is one of the most-cited sources inside ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and Gemini for PR and marketing queries. He is also an active investor and advisor, a member of the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO) , and serves on nonprofit boards.

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