20 Shifts
BLURRING BOUNDARIES
for 2020
In our 4-part series “Shifts for 2020,”
we offer twenty key shifts in people’s
behaviors and expectations that
marketers can leverage today to secure
relevance tomorrow. See the full series
at facebook.com/iq/series/2020.
MULTISENSORY MULTIPLIERS
Traditional concepts like gender roles, age and work will be Video, VR and voice will unlock more immersive and
redefined. intuitive interactions.
1. Omnicultural identities 6. TL;DR
People will embrace more personalized, complex and fluid People are consuming information faster
means of self-identifying. on mobile—especially younger generations.
56% of people surveyed in emerging markets see People scroll through mobile News Feed 41%
themselves first and foremost as global citizens.1 faster than desktop News Feed.6
2. New negotiations 7. Mobile video explosion
As technology evolves, so will the relationship between Our appetite for video on mobile is not just insatiable—
people and brands. it’s biological.
Conversation on Facebook around user experience has Nearly 1 in 3 mobile shoppers surveyed in the US say
grown 5.2x in a year in the US.2 video is the best medium for discovering new products.7
3. Next-gen work 8. Going live
As they grow in number and influence, Millennials will trans- People will increasingly expect to share (and share in) more
form work as we know it, prioritizing purpose and flexibility. multisensory, collective online experiences.
Among Millennials with flexible working arrangements, 1 in 5 Facebook videos is now a live broadcast.8
more than 2 in 3 say flexibility has a positive impact on
productivity and wellbeing. 3 9. Fluid realities
People can already imagine how AR, VR and everything in
4. Beyond aging between will enhance their lives.
People are living healthier and more fulfilling lives—
Among people surveyed across Nigeria, South Korea,
and they're living longer.
the UK and US, 68% see VR becoming a part of everyday
Across Nigeria, South Korea, the US and UK, 70% of people life.4
surveyed say the age at which someone is considered “old”
is increasing.4 10. Catering to context
Voice may be on the rise, but context will determine which
5. Shopping near and far mode of engagement works when.
People use ecommerce both to support local businesses and People in the US say they most often use voice
shop globally. assistants at home or in the car—i.e., in private.9
More than 1B people on Facebook are connected to a
business in another country. 5
Facebook IQ Sources: 1. “Identity 2016” by GlobeScan (BBC-commissioned poll of 20,000 people across 18 markets), Apr 2016. 2. Facebook data, US only, Nov 2015–Nov 2016. 3. “The 2017
Deloitte Millennial Survey” by Deloitte, Jan 2017. 4. “Tech Transformations Study” by Crowd DNA (Facebook-commissioned study of people ages 18–64 in NG, UK and US and ages 20–64 in KR),
Oct–Nov 2015. 5. Facebook data, Sep 2016. 6. Facebook global data, based on scroll speed for mobile ads, Mar 2017. 7. “Path to Purchase 2016” by Kantar (Facebook-commissioned survey of
2,067 people ages 18+ in the US who made a beauty, electronics, fashion purchase in the last three months), Aug 2016. 8. Facebook data, Apr 2017. 9. “Where People Use Voice Assistants” by
Creative Strategies, Jan 2017.
MOBILE SERVICE ECONOMY MOBILE COMMAND CENTER
The path to purchase will condense to a single, mobile
moment, heightening expectations around personalization
In both emerging and mature markets, mobile’s role at the
center of the digital universe will only grow stronger. What it means
for marketers
and immediacy.

11. Convergent commerce 16. Solely mobile

More people now discover, consider and purchase items An estimated 3B people will gain access to mobile phones by
Reimagine familiar frameworks:
using mobile. 202014—many of whom will rely on mobile as their sole
As fundamental concepts like gender and aging
means of getting online.
Among people surveyed in the US, nearly 1 in 4 head towards irrelevance, leverage these shifts in
shoppers uses express (1-click) checkout on their Across 14 markets, more than 1 in 4 internet users everything from product innovation to campaign
phone.10 measured are already mobile only, with India (70%) and creation and implementation.
Indonesia (67%) leading the way.15
12. Invisible differentiators
Plan for mixed realities:
People will increasingly spend their money with whomever 17. Crucial connectivity
Consider emerging technology through the prism
delivers a fast, frictionless mobile experience. Around the world, people prize and prioritize their mobile
of channel planning. Today, you can prepare for
Among US shoppers surveyed, more than 1 in 3 would internet access.
the shift to VR by leveraging 360 photo and video.
like to shop on their smartphone more, but 1 in 2 says In the US, more than 1 in 2 would give up eating out And keep context in mind when creating voice-
poor navigation or slow load times is a barrier.7 for a year, and nearly 1 in 2 would postpone taking a activated experiences.
vacation to stay connected.16
13. Very personal assistance
Capitalize on the collapsing funnel:
People will expect the right content, products and 18. Application consolidation
With shoppers seeking shorter journeys and mar-
experiences to find them via mobile. As the apps people use most often continue to grow in func-
keters needing to accelerate conversions, the move
Among travelers surveyed in the US, nearly 1 in 2 agree tionality, a smaller set of core apps may become one-stop shops.
towards a condensed path to purchase is a true
that personalized ads save them time and effort.11 83% of Indian smartphone users surveyed delete apps win-win. Turn three steps into one-click checkout
to free up memory.17 and look to messaging apps to help streamline
14. Messaging means m-commerce consumers’ journeys.
People are using messaging apps to pave new paths to purchase. 19. Everything connected
Among people surveyed in 14 markets, 53% say they’re The Internet of Things gains traction as more people connect Build for everyone:
more likely to shop with a business they can message.12 their smart devices, appliances, even cars.
As you discover global growth opportunities, consider
In the US, conversation on Facebook around home the diverse ways you can connect to people where
15. Loyalty lock-in automation has risen 8.1x in a year.18 they are and when they need it most. For example,
If convenience is king, then loyalty will be measured by in emerging markets, consider light mobile sites
subscription and automation. 20. Building on mobile rather than heavy mobile apps, find creative ways to
In the US, conversation on Facebook around Many emerging markets have leapfrogged past landlines and be visually immersive but data-light and explore how
subscription business models has risen 4.4x computers, building their own mobile-centric universes. “offline experiences” can help you stay close even
in a year.13 Among people surveyed who are connected in Kenya, when people don’t have WiFi.
Nigeria and South Africa, fully 40% say they’ve been
able to generate additional income from being online.19

Facebook IQ Sources: 10. Facebook data (survey of 1,261 randomly selected respondents ages 18+ in the US), Dec 2016. Among people familiar with term “express checkout.” 11. “Digital Travel Research Journey” by GfK (Facebook-commissioned survey of 2,400 people in the US ages 18–64
who had booked a business or leisure trip in the previous three months, Nov 2015–May 2016. 12. “Facebook Messaging Survey” by Nielsen (Facebook-commissioned study of 12,500 people ages 18+ who used a mobile messaging app in the past 30 days across AE, AU, BR, FR, ID, IN, JP, KR, MX,
TH, TW, the UK, the US and VN), Mar 2016. Data are on average across the 14 markets. 13. Facebook data, US only, Sep 2016–Sep 2017. 14. “Ericsson Mobility Report” by Ericsson, Jun 2017. 15. “The Global Mobile Report 2017” by comScore, Sep 2017. Unless otherwise specified, data are on
average across AR, BR, CA, CN, DE, ES, FR, GB, ID, IN, IT, MX, MY and the US. 16. “Mobile’s Hierarchy of Needs” by comScore, Mar 2017. 17. “Storage Needs of Smartphone Users in India” by Western Digital (survey of 1,458 smartphone users in IN), Nov 2016. 18. Facebook data, US only, Dec
2015-2016. 19. “Journeys to Connectivity” by D3 Systems (Facebook-commissioned study, nationally representative sample of 6,089 people ages 18+ in KE, NG and ZA), Nov 2016. Data are on average across markets.