It’s safe to say that 2020 was a year like no other.

While we’re not sad to see the back of this year, there were some exciting things to come out of 2020 for Juno HQ. We welcomed new team members, launched a selection of high-profile projects, and embraced remote working across the board. But, most importantly, we kept each other going. And we couldn’t wish for any more than that. 

As we say goodbye to a year of challenges, here’s a rundown of some of our favourite Juno blog posts from 2020. 

1. The top 7 digital marketing trends of 2020

Back in January, we published a rundown predicting some of the biggest digital marketing trends we’d be seeing in 2020. While these didn’t account for a global pandemic, it’s interesting to see that the shape 2020 took actually accelerated some of these growing trends. With a struggling population, ethical concerns – such as the cultural impact brands have and the way they treat their employees – are more important to consumers than ever. Originally part of our predictions for 2020, this focus on impact is likely to be a big part of 2021, too. 

How did we do? You can check out our 2020 predictions here. 

2. How to implement predictive search on Shopify

Thanks to Google, predictive search has become a part of everyday life. But despite its prevalence, a lot of ecommerce stores still haven’t caught up. 

Having predictive search on your store is one of those features that, while not essential, works to enhance your customers’ browsing and shopping experience. By allowing shoppers to refine their search queries, you can help direct them to the right products faster, without them having to go through your navigation menu. Fortunately, Shopify has their own Predictive Search API, making it easy for Shopify merchants to add product suggestions to their storefront search. 

To learn more about adding predictive search to your Shopify store, you can read our full guide here. 

3. How to write the perfect product description

Product descriptions are important for a whole host of reasons. Aside from the fact that Google will penalise you if your webpages don’t have any text, product descriptions help you rank for relevant keywords, educate your customers, and lay out the benefits your product offers. But, most importantly, they help you win the sale. It’s like the blurb on the back of a book – it tells customers exactly what your product is and, crucially, why they need it. 

Looking to freshen up your descriptions for 2021? Check out our top tips for writing product descriptions that sell, including examples from some of the world’s biggest brands. 

4. A deep dive into HubSpot’s flywheel method

In a move that shook marketer’s to their core, the experts over at HubSpot recently declared they were scrapping the sales funnel model. Describing it as inefficient, HubSpot proposed a move towards a flywheel-style method. Unlike the sales funnel, which loses momentum once customers reach the bottom, flywheels leverage their momentum to keep on spinning. In ecommerce, that means using your hard-won sales to spur further growth. 

In the age of social media, the flywheel method is all but essential – especially as we face 2021’s economic uncertainty. To find out more about using the flywheel to increase your brand’s growth, check out this guide. 

5. 8 easy ways to grow your email list

Despite the ubiquity of social media, email newsletters are still a core part of brand communications. But with 85% of emails going unread, sending those emails can often feel like shouting into the wind. To really win with email marketing, you need to prove your brand worthy of landing in your customer’s inbox every week. From discounts and split-testing to interactive style quizzes, discover these eight quick and easy ways to grow your email list.  

6. The Juno team’s top tips for working from home

Like most offices across the UK, 2020 saw the Juno team shift to an entirely home-based operation. But with a wider lockdown to contend with, working from home isn’t as easy as a pre-pandemic world thought it was. To stay focused and ward off cabin fever, we had to get creative with our daily routines. Here’s how our team did it. 

7. The best apps to help you stay productive

Although it means the commute is only the length of the hallway, working from home brings its own unique challenges – not only on an individual basis, but also in how organisations work together as a whole. To keep things running smoothly, remote companies need to fine-tune their processes, and employees have to settle into a different working rhythm (preferably one that doesn’t involve checking the fridge every five minutes). Luckily, just like everything in the modern world, there’s an app for that. Here are our favourites. 

8. Herman Miller launches new gaming store on Shopify Plus

Known for their ergonomic office chairs, Herman Miller has long been hailed as the king of comfort. And in 2020, they turned their attention to gaming. 

Teaming up with gaming brand Logitech G, Herman Miller launched a hotly-anticipated range of advanced gaming products – all housed on a brand new Shopify Plus store. Pulling out all the stops, our team built a next-level site for Herman Miller, including a plethora of nifty features to extend Shopify’s native functionalities. Read all about the project here. 

9. Everything you need to know about using 3D models on Shopify

In an oddly fortuitous move, Shopify launched built-in support for 3D models on the platform. Just as stores around the world were closing their doors for lockdown, Shopify handed merchants a way to make their online stores more interactive, helping to bridge the gap between the offline and online experience. 

The update meant that, from March 2020, Shopify merchants could upload a 3D model or video directly to their product pages – without needing custom code or a third-party app. And it couldn’t be easier. Here’s everything you need to know about using 3D models on Shopify. 

10. Goedhuis & Co: Taking Shopify Plus further

One for the wine lovers! In one of our most specced-out projects yet, the fine-wine experts over at Goedhuis & Co went live with their brand new Shopify Plus store. With a complex business model and a myriad of bespoke requirements, the project saw our team redefine what’s possible for Shopify Plus – including adding features like parent and child accounts, downloadable category pages and automatically populated tasting notes. Even when Shopify’s own experts told us it was impossible, we found a way. Here’s how we did it. 

2021: Looking ahead

We know how much of a test 2020 was for everyone, and we’re immensely thankful to the Juno family – old and new – for all their hard work throughout the year. And to all our wonderful clients, we hope you had a fantastic Christmas and a wonderful new year. 

Here’s to 2021!