It’s that time again where we explore what’s new and possible in the new year. My dear friend Lee Odden assembled a stellar panel of experts to share predictions and trends for social media marketing in 2020. While I’m not a social media marketer, I study how social media and digital trends are reshaping the human network and society online and offline.

I’d like to share my thoughts with you here. I’d also love to hear your predictions and trends for the new year!

The (Real) Truth of the Customer

Social media has become an online reflection of a fractured society. In 2020, social media will experience its worst polarization yet…and, it’s all by design and orchestrated by ill-willing actors. This isn’t about politics, this is about attention span, emotion and mental capacity.

If you’re a social media marketer, this is now your market…a human network of people who are debating one another, fighting among each other, stoking their communities, trying to keep up with the barrage of information, and misinformation, to stay informed.

Now, let’s talk about social media marketing or any form of customer engagement in this climate.

The last thing we need is more marketing, faux personalized engagement, distractions or inauthentic customer experiences.

What people need is a reassuring sense of reprieve, entertainment and genuine engagement.

Customers need insights and direction. They need validation. They want to be heard. Customers want clarity and intuitive steps that connect the dots between their interests, intent and desired outcomes. This is more than personalization, it’s about humanization.

In 2020, and for years to follow, empathy becomes the killer app.

In a time when truth is elusive and even divisive in other conversations in our lives, we need to find common truth in something. That’s the heart of any community. Let customer truth guide your strategy from here on out.

Be the truth of the customer.

Please also make sure to read the other 2020 predictions and trends by some truly smart people…

Jennifer Heyman, Vice President, Digital & Social Media at Wells Fargo – @jheyman

Martin Jones, Sr. Marketing Manager at Cox Business – @martinjonesaz

Gerry Moran, Global Head of Social Media Strategy at Cognizant – @GerryMoran

Srijana Angdembey, Director, Social Media Marketing at Oracle – @srijanaa

Pat Malone, Director – Global Marketing, Sodexo – @marketermalone

Brian Fanzo, Founder, CEO and Keynote Speaker at iSocialFanz – @iSocialFanz

Amanda Gebhard, Global Social Media Communications at Boston Scientific – @amandagebhard

Jeff Bullas, CEO at Jeffbullas.com – @jeffbullas

Matt Rozen, Director, Brand Publishing and Enterprise Social Media at Adobe – @mattyroze

Lisa Marcyes, Director, Global Social Media at Oracle – @lisa_marcyes

Madalyn Sklar, Social Media Speaker and Consultant – @MadalynSklar

Lee Odden, CEO at TopRank Marketing – @leeodden