Over the past 20 years, it’s fair to say that the world has entered a new digital age and technology has truly affected how we live, work and connect with others. It’s crazy to think how much has changed since the beginning of the millennium, but in case you’ve forgotten, Return has rounded up (what we think are) the most significant changes since the year 2000.
The Design of Google
In the noughties, Google was in its baby years but today Google dominates the internet. The fact that Google has now become a verb explains its rate of expansion and just how successful the company has become. Google has become an easy method for businesses to grow no matter their size, through the use of Paid search, Google analytics and PPC.
“Google Shopping is a big part of what we do in Paid Search, but back in the early 2000’s it was known as Froogle (get it?). Now I’m getting to the point where half the people I work with are too young to remember Froogle!”
– George, Paid Search Campaign Manager
The News
The way we receive news has definitely changed. Rather than waiting a day to read the latest happenings in the newspapers, you can now receive live updates from sources such as Twitter which offer instant information. Although people say newspapers are dying, many do still go online to receive their news from their favourite newspapers. The attention has simply shifted from offline to online media.
Film and TV Shows
The way we consume films and TV has been through a journey; from renting films in rental stores such as Blockbuster, to now having every TV show and film imaginable available on demand thanks to the rising popularity of streaming services such as Netflix.
“I remember when big blockbuster films would show on terrestrial TV and the family would attempt to record the whole film onto VHS. Tricky thing was having to split the film onto two tapes as either the film was too long for the tape to record or a tape would already have a film recorded at the start of the tape! And not forgetting to stop and start the recording in between ad breaks! Luckily, video editing has only got easier for me!”
– Joe, Digital Designer
Music
Similar to TV and film, music platforms and devices have adapted over the years. The 2000s were a time for the admired boy bands and girl groups including the likes of Backstreet Boys, NSYNC, Destiny’s Child and Spice Girls. Additionally, the 42-year running show ‘Top of the Pops’ ended in 2006, due to the accessibility that the internet has provided us with from platforms such as Spotify and Apple Music.
“As a young teenager my Sunday night ritual was recording the top 40 countdown on a cassette. At the end of the song, I’d be getting ready to re-pause it so you’d cut out the DJ talking, otherwise you would ruin the whole recording. Good times.”
– Drew, Head of Business Development.
Societal Issues
Societal norms and our perspectives have become much more open minded over the last 20 years. Today, people care a lot more about important rising issues such as climate change and make an effort to be environmentally friendly. Societies inequality is also being talked about more with advocates of LGBT rights, as well as the Black Lives Matter and MeToo movements.
The Internet
The internet has redefined a number of different things in our lives from entertainment to the way we work, and to how we shop. E-commerce is immensely popular now but in over-saturated markets, it’s harder for businesses to stay relevant. This is why digital marketing has become an integral part of many businesses’ strategies. Over the past decade, we have worked with online businesses in multiple sectors, to strengthen their digital presence. Find out more about what we do here.
GPS Systems
Does anyone know how to read an old fashioned map anymore? Thanks to GPS systems and Google Maps, human interaction is no longer required for directions. Google’s knowledge panel has become a convenient way to instantly find an organisation’s address and be given immediate directions.
Personalization
E-commerce stores can now do a lot with personalization, selling personalised gifts as well as the use of personalised ads. Forget having to buy souvenirs with your name spelt incorrectly, you can now have items made specific to you. And forget seeing ads about items useless to you too. If, for example, you do one quick search for a pair of shoes, analytics will conveniently track your past purchases to tailor selections based on your consumer behaviour.
Yellow Pages
In the past, the Yellow Pages was the number one method to access information about local businesses. With the rise of the internet and SEO, search engines have now replaced the need for the Yellow Pages. According to SEO Tribunal, in 2019, ‘97% of people learn more about a local company via the internet than anywhere else.’
Mobile Phones
The way in which we have grown so attached to mobile phones has made them a necessity in our lives. According to Statista, 95% of households in the UK own a mobile phone. Today it’s Apple vs Samsung but 20 years ago, Nokias and flip phones were all the rage. Mobile phones have now enabled us to be online 24/7 and though this has benefited us greatly, it could be argued that we’ve become addicted.
“My first proper mobile phone was a silver Motorola V50 flip phone. At the time, I thought it was the best thing in the world – I could download ringtones, play games and talk to my friends as much as I wanted to. The only downside was accidentally clicking on the internet button and frantically trying to get back off it before my credit was rinsed clean!”
– Emily, Senior Content Executive
Social Media
Social media in the early 2000s was simply a way to connect with others through the likes of Myspace, Bebo, MSN and Facebook. Nowadays, some businesses run entirely online via social media. Customers can find out more information about a business through their social media accounts and businesses can also create more open meaningful relationships with their customers. Social media has also initiated the rise of influencers, the way ordinary people can become famous and earn money through the use of paid advertising. To find out more about how paid social media advertising can help your business click here.
“As a 13 year old in the early 2000s, I remember obsessing over my Bebo layout, and changing it every day after school. Little did I know back then that it was sparking a love of digital!”
– Pip, Senior Marketing Executive.
Advertising
There are a variety of different ways that ads can be viewed now compared to 20 years ago. In 2000, YouTube didn’t exist and the internet was in it’s very early stages. Today, traditional marketing methods such as print and TV advertising are becoming more expensive, as well as outdated as a result of the lack of engagement and interaction with them. Throughout the past two decades, digital marketing has increasingly become the preferred method to generate revenue and brand awareness.
That sums up the past 20 years for us, is there anything you think we’ve left out? What do you think the next big digital changes are? Last year we predicted digital marketing trends for 2019, take a look at the blog post to see if we were correct. To find out more about the services Return offer and how we can help your business, take a look at our services.