6 Digital Marketing Trends To Look Out For In 2024
It’s time to share our annual roundup of the trends shaping digital marketing right now. We hope this article will inspire you to try something new, take some risks, and give you the confidence to move forward bravely - even if you feel like you’re wandering into the great unknown, as digital marketing continues to change and evolve.
#1 The Rise Of AI
This could be a blog topic on its own… Marketing is definitely one of the fields that is being significantly impacted by the evolution of AI. From new possibilities to quickly create copy for anything from websites to social media, emails and everything in between to remarkable creative possibilities, the rise of AI is truly a game changer.
While this may be seen as a threat to job security (could you replace your marketing team with ChatGPT?), one could also see it as an opportunity. Those marketers who embrace this new technology effectively, will have the potential to maximize their output by leveraging AI for mundane tasks such as variations of ad copy, while also uncovering new creative possibilities through AI-powered design or editing software. Leveraging such tools in the right way, will free up time and resources for more strategic work, creating the potential for more well-thought-out marketing initiatives.
Combining AI with the human touch will provide an edge to those brave enough to embrace it. The trick will be to learn to use these technologies to enhance efficiency, rather than relying on them entirely, as unique content will become more important than ever!
#2 Experiment, Learn & Refine
Marketing has always involved experimentation and, with AI, more testing will be possible at a faster rate than ever before. Brands that break the mold and carve their own path will reap the rewards in an increasingly competitive environment.
It will be less about keeping up with best practices and more about testing, learning and refining your own tactics, all while paying close attention to your metrics. From the creative to platforms and timing, you will want to revalidate your typical approach through testing. That means looking at your data, learning to understand your audience and being prepared to change things up again and again.
Consider this as an opportunity to throw out the old marketing playbook and start writing your own!
#3 Grow Your Digital Footprint
With more channels gaining traction (such as Threads and TikTok), brands will continue to diversify their marketing channels to find new ways to connect with customers. More touchpoints mean more opportunities to engage your audience, build relationships, and nurture them over time.
Instead of relying on one or two core channels, companies will take a segmented approach, investing more time into unique content creation for multiple different channels.
The challenge will be to keep up with the demands of a segmented strategy, without sacrificing quality or blowing your budget. Luckily, leveraging AI through smart prompts will make this more feasible.
#4 Own & Nurture Your Audience
When we talk about multichannel marketing, we don’t just mean social media. You may have already heard us talking about the importance of email marketing, and of course we couldn’t leave it off our list of trends to keep an eye on.
If we’ve learned anything over the past years, it’s that being too dependent on channels with algorithms that you don’t control is a recipe for frustration (companies that cultivated an engaged following on X formerly Twitter will be particularly feeling this pain right now). That’s why brands are continuing to build out their email marketing efforts by focusing on building their email list through different channels and tactics.
Consequently, there is less of an emphasis on gaining new social media followers, and more focus on nurturing your ideal audience and moving them over to a database that you actually own.
#5 Invest In Brand Strategy
As marketing becomes more diversified and brands adapt their content strategies to a range of different platforms, they’ll have to grapple with the challenge of building a consistent and recognizable brand.
The rise of user-generated content (UGC) and the growth of trend-following on platforms like Instagram and TikTok, combined with the rise of AI, only add to the difficulty. So, how can you stand out and develop a unique, memorable brand identity?
Companies will invest more in brand strategy and unique content creation. Successful companies will find creative ways to adapt trends to fit their unique businesses, instead of just following the crowd (and getting lost in it).
#6 Integrated Offline & Online Experiences
With offline becoming a powerful part of the marketing mix again - especially for B2B companies, there is a greater focus on successfully blending online and offline experiences to maximize ROI.
By incorporating virtual components into traditional events, companies are able to extend their reach to a global audience while maintaining that personal touch of face-to-face interactions. For example, players brave enough to experiment with Augmented Reality (AR) or Virtual Reality (VR) and other engaging formats, will create a memorable impression with their audiences, which will create even more online buzz, leading to even greater outcomes.
The key to success will lie in truly understanding the technologies available to maximize reach, interaction and long-term impact.
What Does It All Mean For You?
If you’ve been doing more of the same for the past years, let 2024 be your year to embrace change and dare to try something new to maximize the performance of your online presence.
As you adapt your strategy and set your marketing goals, challenge yourself to think differently. Open your mind to new ideas, learn what really works for your audience and run with whatever works for you.