It’s estimated that by the end of 2019, e-commerce will grow by over 20%, creating a compelling argument for small and mid-sized businesses looking to grab a piece of the pie. While these businesses will never be the next Amazon, WooCommerce makes it possible for small e-commerce retailers to compete on a global scale.

While having the right tools in place is the foundation on which to build a thriving e-commerce business, being ahead of the trends is crucial. Here are five of the top WooCommerce online store trends for 2020.

Focusing on Video Marketing

If a picture says a thousand words, a video says a million. Rather than reading product descriptions, more consumers are looking for product videos. These videos show the product in action, rather than leaving the accuracy of the description up to chance.

Consumers are getting more wary of marketing claims, making videos a hot selling point. Gen Z, in particular, is the video generation. While incorporating video marketing into WooCommerce can create some complexity with online store maintenance, incorporating this communication method now can set you light years ahead of the competition.

Augmented Reality for Mobile

A new and exciting web design feature, particularly for mobile users, is augmented reality during the purchase decision phase. This feature is the quintessential “try before you buy” of the modern era. 

Augmented reality isn’t entirely new in e-commerce. Online stores like Zenni have made it possible to upload images of your face to virtually try on glasses before buying. Behr Paint was ahead of their time with a photo upload feature that you could use to visualize a paint color on your walls.

With augmented reality, you get a real-time look at how a piece of furniture looks in your home, similar to the way a SnapChat filter alters your appearance. It’s expected that in the future, all WooCommerce sites will have this feature. Get ahead of the competition by working with a skilled developer to implement augmented reality now.

Using Micro-Influencer Relationships

As previously stated, consumers are becoming more wary of marketing tactics. While businesses once targeted those high-profile influencers with millions of followers, the landscape is changing after the infamous Fyre Festival debacle and subsequent documentary and legal changes surrounding influencers.

WooCommerce users are driving people to their site through partnerships with micro-influencers. There’s no set number of followers that indicate someone is a micro-influencer, though the range tends to be from 1,000 followers to 500,000. 

What matters when working with micro-influencers is their follower engagement. Rather than having a million people with whom the influencer has never spoken, micro-influencers are skilled at having conversations and engaging their audience to build trust and drive conversions.

In 2020, WooCommerce users should prioritize integrating custom links and affiliate marketing tools in conjunction with a smart influencer marketing strategy. 

Creating Targeted Lifecycle Emails

AI and machine learning integrations are changing how WooCommerce users will create targeted campaigns in 2020. Rather than general emails that go out based on time triggers, these integrations will allow businesses to drill down based on behaviors.

Lifecycle emails can dive deeper than basic stages in a sales funnel to determine where someone is within that stage. Automated emails for abandoned carts or browse abandonment can improve conversions with minimal effort. 

These features play into an overarching trend of personalization and custom user experience in the e-commerce industry. It’s no longer enough to refine your niche; your customer needs to feel like they are the niche you’re talking to.

2020 and Beyond

To be able to stay ahead of the trends with e-commerce efforts, you need to envision your business as a personal shopping assistant for each and every customer. The WooCommerce trends of 2020 are shifting toward that mindset. Get ahead of the curve, so you don’t get left in the dust.